Why do so many well intentioned equity efforts have such limited success—and even produce unintended negative consequences? Leaders often assume that building equity awareness and commitment in their organizations will naturally lead to strategies that bring progress. Though necessary, such equity awareness work is not sufficient to bring about these desired changes - because it doesn’t account for the critical reality of complexity. We work in complex systems (where change is perpetual and uncertainty is a given) with complex problems where “solutions” abound but success is  elusive. 

Equity challenges are particularly complex, with many entangled factors at play (including the deep-seated effects of systemic oppression) without a singular root cause. Traditional approaches to change and leadership - e.g. that attempt to specify outcomes and timelines, enumerate solutions, and then focus on implementation - are insufficient. Rather, emergent paths forward must be discovered through dynamic interactions of diverse people learning more about the challenge and taking many small actions that inform how they find their way forward together. 

In this institute, you will:

• Learn about what complexity really means and its implications for equity work;

• Reflect on your own leadership through a complexity lens; and 

• Learn frameworks and methods that can expand your approach to leadership and change work. 

As with all work toward equity, understanding complexity requires both a “window” lens (how we see complexity in our systems and situations) and a “mirror” lens (how complexity can both challenge us emotionally and transform our own ways of working). Accordingly, leaders of complex equity work must be skilled in balancing technical and relational / cultural work. Understanding more about complexity itself, and its implications for leadership, can open up whole new possibilities for approaching change efforts for equity. This course draws on an extensive body of theory, research and practice around complexity-informed systems change, as well as the National Equity Project’s 28+ years of experience in coaching and leading in complex systems.

You will be invited to:

• Strengthen ways to see equity challenges within your system more clearly & understand the complex entangled factors leading to current outcomes and experiences

• Understand the difference between complexity leadership and traditional leadership, why it matters for equity, and when to use either 

• Explore key mindsets and approaches needed to address equity challenges and gain concrete strategies to move in the direction of your desired change 

• Build your capacity to work with the discomfort of navigating complexity and tap into your agency to tackle equity challenges with others

• Experience a supportive community of fellow colleagues working towards equity

• Feel challenged and provoked to reconsider ways that you lead - and open new possibilities for your leadership 

• Emerge better equipped and with greater confidence to navigate complexity as you lead for equity in your context and community.