Pathfinder perceived to be imposing solutions without fully engaging key stakeholders

This pathfinder authority tried to jump too quickly to solutions. There is a need to engage all stakeholders as well as establish a robust evidence base and clear understanding of the issues in the Discover and Deepen stages of the change process before working on solutions.

As targeted youth support (TYS) was positioned as part of an existing work stream, with its own existing experience and data, within the authority's wider change agenda, the TYS project sponsor had early ideas for potential solutions.

These ideas were presented to a wide range of senior stakeholders very early in the change process. The stakeholders, particularly those from health, who had not been previously consulted, reacted badly to the idea of these 'imposed' solutions. The project sponsor got vigorous feedback that the change process needed to include all stakeholders.

This really helped the sponsor to recognise the need to engage all stakeholders in the process and understand why the pathfinder process takes time both to identify stakeholders and allow them the opportunity to comment on the current situation. I now understand why we're following the process he said.

Additionally, the response from health stakeholders ensured their involvement, in-depth, later in the process.

Comments

A lot of work had already been carried out around integrated working and there was a desire to move on quickly with it. However, the need to gather a robust evidence base and clear understanding of issues through the Discover and Deepen stages became very clear.

Further information

Relevant activities for this case study include conducting stakeholder mapping which is one of the activities in the Mobilise stage.

Click for further case studies relevant to the Mobilise stage of the targeted youth support change process.