Master Capacity Builders

Master Capacity Builders Versus Traditional Change Approach

The table below is taken form the book by Rick Smyre & Neil Richarson 'Preparing for a World that Doesn't Exist - Yet: Creating a Framwork for Communities of the Future'

Attributes of Master Capacity Builders
Attribute Traditional Approach Master Capacity Builder Approach
Short Term Situation Immediate action Considers long-term impacts
Long-term Issue Predicts specific outcomes Anticipates emerging trends & weak signals
Planning Strategic & linear approach Adapative & non linear
Concept of Standards Focus on structure Emphasis on networks, alternatives & feedback
Concepts of Thinking Focus on absolutes Open to new ideas and choices
Focus How actions impact leaders How actions impact the situation and others
Use of Brain Emphasis on the left brain Integration of the left and right brain
Emotional Attributes Emphasis on action and being right Emphasis on patience, caring, openness to new ideas
Ethics Concern for 'the' truth Concern for truths
Concept of the Individual Independent and self-sufficent Inter-dependent and self-reliant
Concept of Others Compares to one's existing belief Embraces diversity and openness of thinking

Foresight Tools Needed by Master Capacity Builders

One of the differences between Master Capacity Builders and traditional change agents is the use of foresight tools and practices.

The practice of foresight uses approaches that are fluid and iterative. Each step brings understanding to the next, but practitioners will often move back and forth between the steps as they learn more about the systems they are investigating. The Horizon Group (Canadian Government) uses the following basic steps:

  1. Framing
  2. Assumptions
  3. Scanning
  4. Systems Mapping
  5. Change Drivers
  6. Scenarios
  7. Results

Futurist Tool Summary

Activity Description
Framing
 The problem is identified and the systems impacted determined to create a scope of work
Assumptions Try to understand the current assumptions held by the participants, society and government policies.
Scanning The participants are looking for trends, and changes that are occurring. The idea is to look for weak signals that may signify changes that are about to occur. 
Systems Mapping Systems are mapped to model the system, including points where change is thought likely to occur.
Change Drivers Change drivers are identified and consideration of next order impacts are evaluated to understand how the system might evolve. Often those drivers can be found using STEEP and PEST analysis processes.
Scenarios Scenarios are created using the more interesting of the drivers in order to consider what might transpire if those drivers occur, or alternatively do not occur. This allows the participants to see what change might take place in the system.
Results The participants find challenges that the organization may meet based on the scenarios and the corporations current assumptions evaluated based on the findings.