CHAPTER 9

Design EffectiveInterventions

EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS MOBILIZE people to tackle an adaptive challenge. They may be designed to make progress at any point in the process: for example, to surface a difficult issue, quash a diversion, or move people forward through a difficult period. Effective interventions are based on interpretations of the situation that are anchored on the right-hand side of the interpretation chart (see figure 8-1), in the adaptive, conflictual, and systemic characteristics of the organization’s challenge.

Even if you tactically need to move to the left column temporarily to speak to someone’s personal stakes and personal interpretations of others, staying anchored in the systemic view gives you a place to bring ...

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