SELECTED EXAMPLES OF SYSTEMS THINKING WORK IN COMMUNITIES

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)

National Congress of America Indians worked with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation using
Creative Tension Model, Hierarchy of Choices, and other frameworks. They created
core values, purpose, vision, strategies, and tactics for their Policy Research Center.
They are using all of those to guide their selection, design, and implementation of
activities. However, the learning has been applied in numerous other contexts. For
example, the White House asked them to convene a White House Conference on the
economic problems facing Native Americans. NCAI refused—but they agreed to
convene a White House Conference on creating a just and sustainable economic future
for Native American communities, with several principles. First, federal agencies that
deal with Indian Country would co-plan and co-sponsor the conference. Second, the
conference would be based on the creative tension model—focusing on what they
wanted to create for the future of Indian Country. Third, parts of the conference would
be “open space” and little, if any, would be lectures from experts—either federal or
Native American. The White House agreed. The conference was exceptionally
successful, with a strong vision statement for economically vibrant Native American
communities that was endorsed by Native Americans as well as federal agencies. The
results beyond the conference included over $1,000,000 in unexpected funding being
offered by federal agencies at the end of the federal fiscal year, “with the condition that
the funds be used to advance the strategies for achieving the vision from the
conference.” This was in stark contrast to previous conferences and earlier
relationships. Dr. Jackie Johnson, a Native American woman from Alaska and
Executive Director of NCAI, attributes these outcomes to using the systems thinking
tools for an asset-based approach to planning and creating a shared vision.

For more information see:

http://www.ncaiprc.org and click on

Core Values, principles, mission, vision—or “crafting a collective vision”

Iowa Food & Fitness Collaborative

Iowa has used Creative Tension Model, Hierarchy of Choices, and Vision Deployment
Matrix (a tool for creating a plan that connects vision to action). They have a structure
that includes a “Vision Deployment Work Group”. That group volunteered to do in-depth
work to translate the vision, created by a group of approximately 45 people from
throughout their five counties, to an action plan that will result in systems change. Each
month the VDM group meets to work through levels of the Vision Deployment Matrix,
then takes that work back to the group of 45 for reflection, conversation, and to add their
thinking. This sequence has been repeating for approximately 8 months. The results:
a clear set of core values for the work, purpose statement, vision, and thorough system
analysis that is now being translated into strategies and tactics. Meanwhile, decisions
made about applying for funding, initial activities, and priorities for action are being
guided by the work in progress. The team of 7 VDM group members will all participate
in the Systems Thinking in Action conference in Boston this November to hone their
skills further. This is their leadership development activity. See attached documents
from Iowa.

Rural Dynamics in Montana

Rural Dynamics (formerly known as Montana Consumer Credit Counseling Service) has
a planning grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation to create a just and sustainable
economy for a four-state region that includes eastern Montana, western North & South
Dakota, and northeastern Wyoming. This is a culturally diverse, economically
challenged area that includes several Native American tribes. A team of WKKF staff
worked with a group of 25 residents in the region to help them develop their systems
change capacities in service of developing their plan. The approach included teaching
key systems thinking frameworks and capabilities, while accomplishing work for their
collaborative. Participants included the head of the Great Falls airport commission (she
is also a law professor, was elected a state senator during the time of the work
sessions, and founded/runs a camp for children of incarcerated people), young Native
American Leaders (including one who was elected to the state senate during the time of
the work, and was a former two-year intern for Senator Max Baucus), a county
commissioner, school curriculum director, and people ranging in age from 18 to 74.
This group spent 10 days together, spread over 7 months, using Creative Tension,
Hierarchy of Choices, and Vision Deployment Matrix. Between sessions the
participants went into communities throughout the region to conduct World Café
sessions and hear from a large number of people about the future they want to create in
the region for their children and grandchildren. They also provided feedback to each of
the groups, summarizing their world cafes and helping them learn about the vision as
seen through the eyes of others throughout the region. See attached document, as well
as their website (sited on the attachment). Many spin-offs resulted: using methodology
with the National Caucus of Native American State Legislators, refocusing the airport
commission’s long-range planning process on the vision for the airport and surrounding
community, engaging community members in planning for future housing, structuring
faculty strategic planning at the local community college, incorporating the frameworks
into the curriculum at the community college located in the Blackfeet Nation, to name
but a few.
ATTACHMENTS
 NORTHEAST IOWA FOOD AND FITNESS INITIATIVE
Working Draft

Core Values

Healthier People/Stronger Communities

Healthier people lead to stronger communities, which lead to healthier people, which
lead to stronger communities….

Inclusiveness
We believe that by taking advantage of the individual differences within our partnership
group, we will affect policy changes related to healthy lifestyle that help all members of
society now and for future generations.

Stewardship
We will maintain and improve the health of our communities through responsible
utilization of our physical, natural, fiscal, cultural, and human resources.

Innovation & Creativity

Using innovative and creative approaches to a health lifestyle will help:
• Educate the community
• Improve physical fitness and healthy eating habits
• Create economic growth in Northeast Iowa

Empowerment
We believe that access to good information and resources creates unlimited potential to
improve life.

Relationships
We believe that honest, open, respectful relationships will lead to a spirit of cooperation
and productive actions.

Local Food & Wellness

We value Northeast Iowa’s ability to provide locally produced food and wellness
opportunities for all.

Purpose: Quality Living

Our collaborative provides the leadership needed to work with communities in Northeast
Iowa to develop and implement a shared vision that includes access to locally grown
foods and wellness opportunities for all, while having fun!

Working Vision Statement

Northeast Iowa is a unique place where all residents and guests experience, celebrate
and promote healthy, locally grown food with abundant opportunities for physical activity
and play every day. Healthier people make stronger families and vibrant communities.
Note: The NE Iowa Collaborative has also worked on the “desired future” portion of
Vision Deployment Matrix, including mental models (beliefs, assumptions, theories
about the way the world works) that will be needed to successfully achieve the vision,
systemic structures (policies—both formal and informal—and practices) that would
create the future we want, and the patterns that they will monitor to assure that they are
making progress toward that future. They have progressed to assessing current reality
in light of that desired future, and currently are identifying their long-term action
strategies and shorter-term tactics, including appropriate sequencing. Because these
are highly technical, I am not including those work products with this example.
However, they are rapidly approaching the point where they will have completed a long-
range action plan and will write their proposal.

For information contact Brenda Ranum or Ann Mansfield, the co-conveners for
the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative Collaborative.
Using your input and with the help of some of our partners, we
drafted the following Vision statement and Values that reflect our
Plains Talks conversations. We believe that the Vision and Values
represent our region, and they will guide us through out regional
work. We feel fortunate that the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
believes in us, our partners, and our regional potential. Thank
you for your commitment to our region!

Karen Heisler
Director for Asset Development
406-761-8721
karenh@cccsmt.org

Community
We understand that relationships based on honesty and integrity will
raise the quality of life and we recognize that we are all
interconnected.
Accountability
Each community member has a personal and collective responsibility
to its function and every community has a collective responsibility to
the region.
Respect
We embrace the diverse interests, strengths, and cultures that result
when individuals’ rights to choice are respected.
Capacity
We believe that the region has the inherent vision, leadership, and
resources to maintain sustainable rural communities.
Hope
 We see the power of hope in the positive possibilities for the future.

Purpose
We provide programs and develop partnerships to help youth, individuals,
and families achieve economic independence.

Understanding that rural life has value to the region and the nation, we are
creating a region where all people have the opportunity to thrive in the
community they choose where diversity is cherished, the environment is
respected, and where community pride leads to rooted generations. We
recognize the importance of regional interconnections, and we value
personal, community and organizational relationships that are built upon
integrity. We maintain a continual sense of pride and hope believing that
both community and regional potential is being achieved.

See http://www.ruraldynamics.org/

Especially, “Resources”, and “Plains Talks” & “Tribal Policy Roundtable”, all of which
are direct outgrowths from the systems thinking work.