Overview of generative conversations and governance, including the four stages of having generative conversations.

1. Generative Governance,
Relationships and Conversations
Mark Holmgren
www.markholmgren.com
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2. GOVERNANCE
is about MAKING DECISIONS
TO ACT OR THAT FRAME or LIMIT
ACTION, based on explicit commitments
to the organization’s mission and vision,
the people served and the people serving.
STRATEGY PRIORITIES RESOURCES RISK RULES
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3. Governance Challenges
Complexity
CHALLENGES ARE:
SIMPLE like a recipe.
COMPLICATED like a rocket
COMPLEX like raising a child
YOU
ARE
HERE
YOU
ARE
HERE
YOU
ARE
HERE
YOU
ARE
HERE
YOU
ARE
HERE
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4. Governance Challenges
Unpredictable
Order
Affectionately known as “Chaos.”
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Chaos, from a static view, is
“pieces waiting to come
together,” an embryonic pattern
about to happen.
Chaos, from a dynamic view, is a
process. It has a consistency to
it.
From a scientific standpoint
chaos has a pattern, a kind of
rhythm, ebbs and flows.
Source: University of Kentucky

5. Governance Challenges
Rapid Pace of Change
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6. Governance Challenges
Unlimited
Information
can negatively
impact decision-making
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7. Governance Challenges
DOGMA EXAMPLES
Best Practice
Outcomes
This is how “we” do it
Bias-based thinking
Majority Rules
Cultural Norms
Limited Inquiry
a principle or set of
principles laid down by an
authority as incontrovertibly
true.
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8. Governance Continuum: A New Mindset?
Standalone Cooperate Collaborate Integrate
Organizational
Fixation
Our Mission
Sovereignty
Us versus Them
Our Resources
Organizational
Focus
Our Mission
Helped
Sovereignty
Us and Them
Our Resources
Leveraged
Organizational
Outreach
Our Mission
plus Your
Mission
Co-Sovereignty
Us with Them
More Resources
for Each of Us
Organizational
Weaving
Common
Mission
Loss of total
Sovereignty
We
More Resources
for the Cause
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Should the goal be
to be a
NETWORKED
ORGANIZATION
Or is it to see THE
NETWORK
AS THE
ORGANIZATION?

9. Types of Governance
Fiduciary Strategic Generative
Key Question What’s wrong? What’s the plan? What’s the question?
Board Focus Define Problems
Review Performance
Solve Problems
Shape Strategy
Frame Problems
Sense-Making
Central Purpose of Board Steward of Assets Partner with Management Source of Leadership
Board’s Role Oversight, Authority Strategist Fresh Perspective
Board Process Parliamentary Logical, Empirical Informal, Creative
Problems are… Spotted Solved Framed
Decision-making Resolution Consensus Framing Question
Metrics Facts and Figures Indicators, competitive
analysis
Signs of learning and
discerning
SOURCE:
Chait, Ryan,
and Taylor 9
Communication Limited, controlling Bi-lateral, episodic, advocacy Multi-lateral, ongoing to learn

10. Definitions
Generative: “of or relating to reproduction.”
Conversation: “the informal exchange of ideas
by spoken words.”
Generative Relationship: “produces new
sources of value which cannot be foreseen in
advance”
(Lane and Maxfield, 1996).
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Generative conversation is
practised when we are
attempting to create new
knowledge; it is creative,
divergent, and builds new
relations between previously
separate bodies of knowledge.

11. TYPES OF GENERATIVE CONVERATIONS
ACTION
SHIFTING
SPECULATION REFLECTION
Discovering
Cause and Effect
– Evaluating and
Learning
Organizing
Differently to
Create Focus
and Synergy
Identifying What
Could Be –
Building Options,
Exploring Ideas
Generating
Compelling
Action
GENERATIVE
CONVERSATIONS
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Based on and adapted from DDJ Myers, Ltd.

12. Speculative Conversation
Moving beyond issues to
strategic dialogue that wonders
about… what could be or what
wants to be.
New visions may emerge out of
the learning realized in the
Reflective Conversation.
Speculation advances curiosity
to explore possibility.
KEY ELEMENTS
What if questions abound.
Creativity and imagination are
undertaken collaboratively.
Our speculation can challenge
sacred cows, historical
assumptions.
New insights are explored.
Based on and adapted from DDJ Myers, Ltd.
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13. Shifting Conversation
New pathways open up as a result of new
possibilities being seen.
The shifting conversation works to
overcome resistance and blind spots
which prevented new possibilities in the
first place.
New commitments are pursued as a result
of these conversations.
KEY ELEMENTS
The conversation is broadened to
include more in the understanding
and the development of the new or
changed way of working.
The conversation leads to aligned
commitment to act.
There is recognition that not
everyone can come along in the
same way at the same time.
Based on and adapted from DDJ Myers, Ltd.
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14. Action Conversations
• Organizes and inspires people to move.
• Produces observable results.
• Generates requests and offers.
• Allocates resources and priorities.
Action Conversations involve negotiation
toward accountabilities and clear
conditions of success.
KEY ELEMENTS
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Conversations take place
across strategic,
objective and tactical
domains.
Proposals are made.
Commitments reached.
Metrics set.
Based on and adapted from DDJ Myers, Ltd.

15. Reflective Conversations
Explores the state of what is and the
outcomes of our actions.
• Did we do what we said?
• Was the quality sufficient?
• What did this cost?
• What is the real purpose of that
program, action, etc.?
It is “open” curiosity driven to
understand, not judge.
KEY ELEMENTS
Pulling things a part to look at them.
Honest assessment of intent versus
outcomes.
Values and beliefs are explored.
Course, direction, and destinations are
questioned.
The obvious is brought into light.
The unobvious is uncovered.
Based on and adapted from DDJ Myers, Ltd.
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16. Barriers of Generative Conversations 16
The Battle of the Certain. Inequity of Participation

17. Barriers to Generative Conversations
Limiting Possibilities
Hidden Agendas
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18. Barriers to Generative Conversations
Lack of Disciplined Facilitation
Unprepared Participants
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19. Necessary Foundation
We are here to learn.
We are here to help one
another learn.
We know that learning is
about change.
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20. Necessary Foundation
We need to be intentional
about understanding one
another.
I need to speak my truth
without having to prove
another truth wrong.
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21. Necessary Foundation
Contrast Bias
Each of us is biased. We need to
Status Quo Bias
Contrast Bias
help work with that and break
Commitment Bias
through what stops us from being
Confirmation Bias
open.
Bias Blind Spot
Commitment Bias
Silence is okay. Don’t fight it.
Negativity Bias
Normalcy Bias
Each of us is biased.
We need to help
work with that and
break through what
stops us from being
open.
Confirmation Bias
Status Quo Bias
Attentional Bias
Bias Blind Spot
Negativity Bias
Normalcy Bias
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22. How can “I” Foster Generative Conversations?
Avoid ‘YOU”
Avoid “You
Think You
Got It Bad”
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23. How can “I” Foster Generative Conversations?
Avoid Moralizing and
Being Preachy
Avoid
“Yeh But”
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24. How can “I” Foster Generative Conversations?
Avoid Show Stopping
Judgment-Words
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25. Parting Words
“We move in the direction of what we are
curious about. The more positive and life-giving
the question, the more positive and
long lasting the change” (Claire Fialkov & David Haddad).
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26. ABOUT MARK HOLMGREN
Mark’s consulting practice has delivered social housing, strategic plans,
new programs and services, innovations, evaluations, and research and
analysis for a wide variety of organizations and departments including
governments, human service agencies, funders, arts and culture
groups, health organizations, educational institutions, and faith
communities.
In early 2014, Mark was recognized by Tamarack Institute as one its
national thought leaders and appointed to the Mayor of Edmonton’s
Task Force on Eliminating Poverty.
Currently he is the CEO of Bissell Centre, a position he has held since
the spring of 2011.
www.markholmgren.com | @mjholmgren
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