08. Designing Organizations for Engagement and Meaningful Contributions with Nancy J. Hess

Learning to Change

My guest, Nancy J. Hess, brings her perspective on education and organizational change based on her deep work with state and local governments. Her expertise is rooted in guiding leadership through change, developing strategies for more efficient and engaging HR structures, and fostering learning environments that address the many challenges of local government. Nancy and I have a conversation about engagement within organizations and how true engagement drives change and transcends mere visible involvement and compliance. We discuss engagement as an intricate process tied to meaningful connections, active learning, and individual experiences. We also discuss frameworks for driving engagement and collecting narratives within organizations as we tackle complex problems that require long-term thinking. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR: How Nancy convened a large group of municipal employees from multiple departments to effect change Why individuals within an organization should build a portfolio of skills and projects How politics in local government clashes with the need to solve complex problems The power of collecting stories and narratives across an organization, not just surveys Three layers of making sense for organization change Why engagement and community building are essential to learning RESOURCES: Harold Jarche: Personal Knowledge Management Cynefin Framework SenseMaker LEARN MORE ABOUT nancy j. Hess NJ Hess Associates Connect on LinkedIn LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS: Modern Learners Modern Learners Community