Work as a theory of change: Working in the ‘new normal’
By Judy Gold and Emma Thomas
In the workshops we deliver on outcomes, we often describe a project logic with its rigid, linear structure of inputs leading to activities, then to outputs, then to outcomes. One of the issues we point out is that the project logic acts as if our work proceeds in a straight, predictable, logical, single path. It doesn’t!
In contrast, a theory of change allows for us to identify where we collectively want to head (the distant ‘mountain peak’), but recognises that there are many pathways to get there. We might not know all these paths in full at the outset, or which one(s) will prove the most successful (or enjoyable); and we recognise that the paths may cross each other, or double back, or take us in unexpected directions.
We’ve been reflecting about how our work (and lives) have changed so considerably since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic As women that have been fortunate to have experienced relatively stable lives,, the pre-pandemic years seem so comparatively simple and predictable, within the ups and downs of life:
You planned to deliver a training or workshop, and it generally happened, at the date, time and room it was booked for, with almost all those expected showing up.
You knew where the kids would be each workday, and apart from the normal childhood illnesses, they generally were at the place that had been planned.
You booked your airline ticket for your next interstate trip, and barring a family or other emergency, were going to be boarding that plane
For many people, their work life was planned and fairly predictable, similar to the project logic to map out projects.
But from March 2020 that all changed.. Especially in the early months, it was hard to predict what restrictions might be in place, if schools or workplaces would be open,, if and when clients and participants would even be available (let alone have headspace) to engage in what you were working on.
Planning became more of a guesswork, plotting out more than one option, never believing something would happen until you were actually there (virtually or in-person), and project timelines were constantly shifting.
So what does this mean for our work now? In they type of work we do, these are some of things we are noticing:
Almost every event is ‘hybrid’ to some extent - unless you specifically exclude virtual participation, even events planned as ‘face-to-face’ will likely have at least one person wanting to join virtually. Essentially people expect to be able to join virtually if they wish, whether to protect their own or others' health, to accommodate planned or unplanned caring responsibilities and other life logistics, or being unwilling or unable to travel on the day. You need to prepare for all possibilities and be ready to pivot as needed.
Timelines are fluid - the only certainty is change: Pre-pandemic, project timelines did sometimes shift, but this was seen as an exception, and typically required a substantial amount of justification (and negotiation). Now it often feels that changing timelines is the norm - there is less hesitation about life and health needs taking precedence over work needs. Overall we see this as a good thing - it was always a fantasy to entirely separate ‘work selves’ from our ‘home selves’. But it does make planning forward work much more challenging, when multiple projects are shifting multiple deadlines, and it's hard to anticipate when you do or don’t have capacity to take on more work.
Strong relationships and good communication is more important than ever: Overall we’ve found that working online works really well, and has some advantages. Despite now having greater opportunity to engage face-to-face, we still predominantly work virtually. But it can be challenging to build trust and confidence with others online, particularly when there is no pre-existing relationship, You have to design in ways to build relationships, perhaps meeting (much) more regularly then you would otherwise, and allowing enough ‘chat time’ to get to know the person or people you are working with, before moving onto the content side of things. With constantly shifting circumstances and timelines, maintaining regular and honest communication with those you are working with is critical, and it's much easier to do when based on a foundation of trust and interpersonal connection.
We’ve also changed how we work as monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) consultants. Part of this was what we had hoped to do, when we first discussed - before the pandemic - setting up Cultivating Change. We wanted to be allies, coaches, mentors, supporters, facilitators and critical friends of the organisations and individuals we worked with, rather than primarily ‘in-out’ consultants on one-off tasks often focusing on data extraction.
But this way of working, engaging over a longer period of time and multiple pieces of work, also fits with the ‘new normal’, and the need to be flexible to shift foci and approaches to respond to external and internal changes, and regular reprioritisation of work. By working with people over a longer period of time we are able to build strong relationships based on trust, so that as needs change we can more easily ‘pitch in’ or step out of the way as circumstances require.
There is no going back to the ‘before’ times. The only certainty in todays’ world is change, and our ways of working need to respect and adjust to this new reality. Work - and life - is messy, and looks far more like a theory of change with multiple pathways, cross-links, double backs and unknowns, then the deceptively simple, and ultimately unrealistic, project logic.
What do you think? What are you noticing in today’s world, and how our work (and life) is shifting to adjust to these new realities?
Front image credit: Maze photo from Susan Q Yin on Unsplash