Areas of Expertise

 

 

Why Mosaic Partnerships?

Traditional problem-solving and intervention places focus on specific issues, which are often points of pain. This focus will often seek to gain a result by the elimination of something else. Set goals blended with training of new behaviors and expectations are how progress is pursued. From this point, focus is often on data collection and analysis of metrics. Our experience has been this approach can work but is increasingly challenging for culture transformation and trust development in global organizations and multicultural communities. Perception of another person being a good team or community member occurs when there is a depth of understanding of who the person truly is.  Sustainable shifts of behavior in people occurs by choice, at an unpredictable pace and at the level of the heart. Mosaic Partnerships by design builds in methods for the development and sharing of social capital. A culture that seeks transformation can only do so if built on the types of behaviors and interactions that precipitate change.

 
What is Mosaic Partnerships?

Mosaic Partnerships as a structured transformational program is founded based on the ideas above and presumes goodwill of people entering a change process. It utilizes a social innovation systems approach to expeditiously build interdependent relationships between diverse people within the context that change is being sought. The relationships provide the bond needed to overcome issues relating to human difference within organizations and communities.

 
What Makes Up The Program?

In the Mosaic Partnerships Program, there are three levels of relationship that are included in the design:
 
Personal: Up to 16 individual meetings between two individual partners are the heart of the program. There are a set of co-created interviews and topics that progress in depth to guide conversation for some of the meetings. The flexible model helps get the meetings started, and the materials spur conversations that increase understanding, friendship, and intimacy over time. The rest of the meeting topics are open for customization and left to the partners themselves to organize and enjoy.  Participants are voluntary and pairings consist of people who have distinct differences but an agreement of the greater goal.
 
Relational: Each partner-pair belongs to a cluster group. Cluster groups meet on a monthly basis during the term of the program and are facilitated by a pair of coaches from the community or organization. Meeting topics cover a range of topics such as culture and friendship and there are a series of “open” meetings that will reflect goals and objectives targeted to the context the program is administered in. Clusters allow pairs to process change together while laying the foundation for a culture of learning and inclusion.
 
Collective: There are two large group gatherings, one at the beginning and another at the end. The first serves as an orientation for partner pairs and a formal kick-off to the program. It’s a time for dialogue, expressed hopes and goals as well as visibility of leader ownership. A portion of the orientation is devoted to partner-to-partner and cluster group interaction. The second gathering serves as a close of this phase, opportunities for reflection and a celebration of what’s occurred and what’s to come. If appropriate, a final report may be shared highlighting the growth and achievements during the program.
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Who Gets Involved?

Natural opinion leaders from the community and seeking unity in diversity of its subcultures or within an organization, senior leaders, divisions or global teams that are seeking alignment of enhanced collaboration and social capital tied to goals. It’s encouraged that trusted diverse leaders representative of a broad range of groups get involved first as they are individuals with broad influence that will stimulate a ripple effect. When a sufficient number of people are engaged on multiple levels, a shift in common values occurs and cultural transformation begins.

How Are Results Measured?

As program iterations and topics are customized, so are metrics to determine results. Results are also measured at multiple levels. There are a series of surveys administered that capture the sense of connection formed between partner pairs. A similar process occurs for cluster groups. As partner pairings are significant for developing new types of behaviors, survey results will demonstrate movement toward that end. In terms of solidarity of goals or discussion topics, leadership will have check-ins with coaches and receive updates. The most significant impact is often once the program has run its course and experiences of innovation and inclusion are traced back to stories of collaboration, new perspectives or ways of interacting
 
Positive Results in Community Might Be:

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• A change in people’s unconscious judgments of others based on culture and difference

• Overcoming barriers to inclusion by creating bridges across human difference

• Development of friendships, increased levels of trust, and improved communications among a diverse set of community leaders

• Increased level of social connectedness for individuals and networks of individuals

• Valuing diversity and increasing the understanding of how it can be a source of strength

• Economic opportunities gained through opportunities previously unknown or not shared

• Awareness of how issues of health, economics and education impact groups differently

• Grassroots projects and commitments implemented to make a difference
   

Positive Results in an Organization Might Be:

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• New perspectives on connecting ideas and processes not identified before

• Embedding collaboration and strengths language into daily interactions

• Methods that can create or enhance structured systems such as mentoring programs

• Activating more from talent already high-performing 

• Scalable and repeatable methods for building and sustaining a culture of inclusion and innovation that values diversity of identity, experience and thought

• Developing organization’s capacity to interact more effectively within global teams