1 Adaptive leadership and innovation: The key to human service organizations thriving during service system transformation Rosemary Vito, MSW, PhD, RSW Assistant Professor, School of Social Work King’s University College, London, ON, Canada Network for Social Work Managers Annual Conference, June 15, 2017 Fordham University, New York, NY

2 Welcome and IntroductionWelcoming comments Leadership focus of PhD research Reflexive statement Past clinical supervisor, well aware of challenges, need for effective leadership Reflective exercise: Consider the current external challenges in your human services context and how the leaders in your organization can respond effectively Welcoming comments: thank you for opportunity to share knowledge and PhD research findings; hope you will enjoy presentation and learn from it Reflexive statement: clinical supervisor & social work in CMH over 20 years, well aware of need for effective leadership practice, motivated to learn more

3 Presentation Overview1. Ministry service system transformation Competing ministry directives Grand challenge, executive leadership 2. Multiple case study research Rationale, overview, questions 3. Four pillars of leadership and adaptive responses (Vito, 2017) Money, mission, morals, morale 4. Conclusion and questions

4 1. Ministry Service System Transformation (Ontario, Canada)Children’s mental health agencies Shift to 34 lead agencies across province, improve service access, accountability, evidence, coordination (Moving on Mental Health Strategy, MCYS, 2012) Rising accountability expectations for quality assurance, data collection, outcomes, program evaluation, interagency coordination (CMHO, 2014) Children’s aid agencies Balanced budget legislation, new accountability requirements, new data systems/public reporting, cross sector collaboration (MCYS, 2013; OACAS ) Results in funding cutbacks, mergers, staffing losses, reduced services (MCYS, 2013; OACAS )

5 Competing Ministry Strategic Directions (‘Growing Together’ MCYS, 2014)Reality Service integration and excellence Cross-sector collaboration Organizational excellence, innovative leaders, healthy inspired workers Reduced financial, human and technology resources Competition for funding Accountability framework, performance outcomes, evidenced- based research, program evaluation

6 Leadership ChallengesCorresponds to Grand Challenge of “creating social responses to a changing environment” Leaders striving to balance business and client- centered approaches Coping with external pressures to ensure survival Executive Leadership Challenges Financial and business planning Resource development and fundraising Adaptive leadership and innovation

7 2. Research Study-RationaleEffective leadership and adaptation critical to organizational survival in market culture (Hasenfeld, 2010) Organizational culture promote staff innovation, creative ideas, key to be flexible, adapt to change (Hasenfeld, 2010; Lawler & Bilson, 2010) Adaptive strategies during government cutbacks strategic services, inter-organizational networking, business management skills (Alexander, 2000) Research Recent research on leaders managing public sector cutbacks lacking (Schmidt et al., 2017)

8 Research Study-Overview (Vito, 2016)Multiple case study design (Yin, 2009) 3 agencies (2 children’s mental health, 1 child welfare), recruited by invitation 41 participants (14 directors, 27 supervisors), majority female, Caucasian, ages 40-60 Multiple research methods (Creswell, 2007) Individual interviews with directors (14) Focus groups/questions with supervisors (5/27) Observations of leadership practice (7) Review of agency documents (extensive)

9 Research Purpose/QuestionsExplore leadership practice, influence on/by organizational culture Questions How do leaders understand/practice leadership? How does leaders’ practice influence/be shaped by organizational culture? What is their leadership training and satisfaction? How does the external context impact their leadership practice?

10 4. Pillar 1-Money Continuous funding constraints and competition for resources, financially driven service decisions Led to reduced service delivery, program closures, threatened agency viability “I have seen a move to our decisions being very financially driven…how do we continue to do the same services with less resources?” (A2FG1) Mandated balanced budget legislation (CAS) Funding cutbacks, staff layoffs “Last year was a blur because we were responding to funding crises” (A1D3)

11 Adaptive Responses Strategic planning/business management skills (Alexander 2000, Packard et al., 2008) Agency 3 viability; program closures, selling property, hybrid model, marketing services Agency 2; financial problem-solving, priority setting programs, budget preparation Agency 1; positive-restructure services Innovation opportunities (Germak & Singh, 2010) Agency 1; private fund development program ($400k annually), new service models (SOS) Agency 3; proposal for cross-sector partnerships with child welfare, new community service model

12 Pillar 2-Mission Lead agency transformation major change“It’s going to be a MAJOR change, the lead agency will be deciding what programs should be offered in your area” (A3D5) Clash agency values (collaborate vs. compete), shift identity (hierarchy) “one of you will be lead…we’re going to struggle with issues of power and control” (A2FG1) Limited human/financial/technical resources “there’s no money for anything extra, you have to do all this stuff with what you’ve got now” (A3D5)

13 Adaptive Responses Insight re need for innovation, adaptation (Lawler & Bilson, 2010) “you have to be flexible and change to the needs in your environment…or you won’t survive eventually” (A2D4) Consider big picture, strategic response (Lewis et al., 2012; Packard et al, 2008, 2013) “realistically looking at the future and what's out there, and then seeing the opportunity” (A3D1) Monitor external trends, build relationships (Lewis et al., 2012) “Keep our fingers on activities…in community, provincially…build key relationships” (A3D3)

14 Pillar 3-Morals Collaborative community relationships“Everybody in the province is trying to figure this out…in a win-win kind of way” (A2D1) Ministry mandated competition for resources “We’re in a highly competitive environment here, people don’t like to acknowledge that” (A3D1) Loss of community presence due to time constraints, competing priorities “There is an expectation to be working more collaboratively…to say NO has a really big impact” (A2FG1)

15 Adaptive Responses Share resources with service partners, despite competitive environment (Germak & Singh, 2010; MCYS, 2014) “sharing resources is a way…to even it out, it’s not about holding it all to yourself” (A2D1) Focus on broader community; inter- organizational collaboration (Alexander 2000; Packard et al., 2008, 2013) “Do it for the greater good…I'm here to help YOU, and to help US, help the community” (A2D3)

16 Pillar 4-Morale Rising ministry expectations-for accountability, data management, quality assurance, performance “TONS more around measurement, tracking, following best practice, measuring outcomes” (A2FG1) Compliance culture, reduced innovation “A regulation driven, compliance oriented way of doing business…no room for innovation, creation” (A3D1) Supervisors overwhelmed, demoralized, less time for staff and teams “The workload continues to increase and my biggest frustration right now is I feel like a MASTER of NOTHING because I'm SO spread out.” (A3FG1)

17 Adaptive Responses Be proactive, meet ministry standards (more resources required) (CMHO 2014; Hopkins et al., 2014) Develop internal supports (e.g. technology, staff training, grants for planning/evaluation) Push back/resist ministry directives (Aronson & Smith, 2010) Agency 2; resisted unrealistic accountability expectations, measurable outcomes Agency 3 cautioned tolerance “the Ministry is easy to kick, but…you don’t want to kick the people that can kick harder back” (A3D2)

18 5. Conclusions Key strategic leadership skills Ministry requirementsMonitor external trends, prepare for rapid policy shifts (Lewis et al., 2012) Develop strategic planning/business skills (Alexander 2000, Packard et al., 2008; 2013) Share resources/inter-org. collaboration (Alexander 2000, Packard et al., 2008; 2013) Look for opportunities to innovate (Germak & Singh, 2010) Consider resisting new ministry initiatives/advocacy (Aronson & Smith, 2010) Ministry requirements Provide sufficient human, financial and technological resources, pace change across sector Resolve competing directives (collaborate/compete)

19 Future Directions Multi-sector collaboration required, CMHO key stakeholder recommendations: leadership, partnership and collaboration; client services; planning and evaluation; resources; and training (Warren, Johnston, Ruffolo, Bustard & Moran, 2014). “MCYS needs to support a measured transition where the lead agency model is properly resourced, thoughtful and planned…for successful implementation” (Warren et al, 2013, p.1)

20 Questions? Review of reflective exercise:Consider the current external challenges in your human services context and how the leaders in your organization can respond effectively

21 References Alexander, J. (2000). Adaptive strategies of non-profit human service organizations in an era of devolution and new public management. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 10(3), Aronson, J., & Smith, K. (2010). Managing restructured social services: Expanding the social? British Journal of Social Work, 40, Children’s Mental Health Ontario (2014). Pre-budget submission Retrieved from budget_submission_2014_january_31.pdf Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Germak, A.J., & Singh, K.K. (2010). Social entrepreneurship: Changing the way social workers do business. Administration in Social Work, 34, Hasenfeld, Y. (2010). Introduction. In Y. Hasenfeld, Human services as complex organizations (2nd ed., pp. 1-5). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Hopkins, K., Meyer, M., Shera, W., & Peters, S.C. (2014). Leadership challenges facing non-profit human service organizations in a post-recession era. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 38,

22 Lawler, J., & Bilson, A. (2010). Social work management and leadership: Managing complexity with creativity. New York, NY: Routledge. Lewis, J.A., Packard, T.R., & Lewis, M.D. (2012). Management of human service programs. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS, 2014). Annual Report Retrieved from content/uploads/2015/08/13_14_Eng.pdf Ministry of Children and Youth Services (Nov. 2012). Moving on mental health: A system that makes sense for children and youth. Retrieved from ealth/momh.pdf Ministry of Children and Youth Services (March, 2014). Growing together: Ministry of children and youth services Strategic Plan. Retrieved from Ministry of Children and Youth Services (Jan. 2013). Blueprint for fundamental change to Ontario’s child welfare system. Retrieved from s/reports/youthleavingcare.aspx

23 Packard, T. , Patti, R. , Daly, D. , Tucker-Tatlow, J. , & Farrell, CPackard, T., Patti, R., Daly, D., Tucker-Tatlow, J., & Farrell, C. (2008). Cutback management strategies: Experiences in nine county human service agencies. Administration in Social Work, 32(1), Packard, T., Patti, R., Daly, D., & Tucker-Tatlow, J. (2013). Implementing integration and interagency collaboration: Experiences in seven counties. Administration in Social Work, 37, Schmidt, E., Groeneveld, S., & Van de Walle, S. (2017). A change management perspective on public sector cutback management: Towards a framework for analysis. Public Management Review, 19, Work, 29(3), Vito, R. (2016). Leadership practice, organizational culture and new managerialism: Strengths, challenges, variations and contradictions in three children’s service agencies. Retrieved from Scholars Laurier. (1843). Vito, R. (2017). The impact of service system transformation on human service agencies: Competing ministry directives and strategic innovative leadership adaptations. Submitted to Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership and Governance, for review. Warren, M., Johnston, J., Ruffolo, F., Bustard, R., & Moran, K. (2014). Multi-sector collaboration: Strengthening the community-based mental health sector by improving coordination and communication across the child serving system. Toronto: Children’s Mental Health Ontario. Retrieved fromhttp://www.kidsmentalhealth.ca/documents/cmho-pos-multi-sector-collaboration pdf Yin, R. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.