Source: UNIV OF MINNESOTA submitted to
THE MEADOWLARK PROJECT LEADERSHIP LAB ON THE FUTURE OF THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS AND CHANGE LAB METHODOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0210899
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
MIN-28-016
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2007
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2008
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Nagel, J. L.
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF MINNESOTA
(N/A)
ST PAUL,MN 55108
Performing Department
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
Non Technical Summary
The rural northern Great Plains region is facing many significant challenges,from struggling economies to population loss and changing demographics to preserving the quality of its ecology. After nearly a century of seeking to strengthen the region through national policies and initiatives, many rural counties continue to lose population and have become some of the poorest counties in the nation; the number of family farms and ranches continue to decline; racial divisions persist; and ecological degradation remains a concern. And yet our region continues to seek solutions to its dilemmas through strategies that depend mainly upon outside or national intervention. The purpose of the Meadowlark Project is to build living examples of this region as a place of opportunity. Through pilot projects, scenario discussions and building a network of leaders.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
75%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
25%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
6086050301015%
6086050308015%
6086099301015%
6086099308015%
8036050301010%
8036050308015%
8036099308015%
Knowledge Area
803 - Sociological and Technological Change Affecting Individuals, Families, and Communities; 608 - Community Resource Planning and Development;

Subject Of Investigation
6050 - Communities, areas, and regions; 6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics; 3080 - Sociology;
Goals / Objectives
The rural northern Great Plains region (MN, IA, ND, SD, NE) is facing many significant challenges from struggling economies to population loss and changing demographics to preserving the quality of its ecology. After nearly a century of seeking to strengthen the region through national policies and initiatives, many rural counties continue to lose population and have become some of the poorest counties in the nation; the number of family farms and ranches continue to decline; racial divisions persist; and ecological degradation remains a concern. And yet our region continues to seek solutions to its dilemmas through strategies that depend mainly upon outside or national intervention. If our region is to reach its fullest economic, social, environmental and spiritual potential it can no longer seek new vitality through an old paradigm of technical solutions. Reacting rapidly to problems, reengineering strategies, or rethinking our mental models are no longer sufficient. Solutions to long-standing, systemic problems lie at a much deeper level,at the level of our beliefs and habits. To truly find new ways to address long-held beliefs requires thinking, creativity and action at a much deeper level than we have been willing to undertake in the past. This is the core work of the Meadowlark Project. Solutions: The Meadowlark Project will result in four to five projects developed and ready for implementation that will demonstrate how the region can make the kinds of deep changes that really affect the way our economy functions and society thinks.Development of pilot projects for implementation will be an important measure of success for the Change Lab methodology and the analysis of the methodology will strongly focus on this component of this social innovation methodology. Capacity: The Meadowlark Project, through the development of a set of four scenarios describing alternative futures for how our region might evolve, will engage the general public in an inclusive, civic dialogue about the choices we can make for the kind of future we all want. As a result of this dialogue and the discussion tools prepared for it, the Meadowlark Project will increase the capacity of communities and organziations in the region to have productive conversations about some of the regions most challenging issues. The Project will create a new public awareness of the perspectives, policies and practices that can help the region reach its fullest potential in the 21st century economy. The project has big goals in conducting 60 dialogue and collecting and reporting on the public comments at the dialogues. Relationships: The Meadowlark Project will further develop the leadership base of the region by establishing a high trust social network of diverse leaders who have become agents of change in helping the region create a strong future. Unique to this Change Lab is the intention of building leadership skills of Lab Team members.
Project Methods
The Meadowlark Project is using a new social innovation methodology developed by Dr. Otto Scharmer (Presence, Theory U), Dr. Peter Senge (Fifth Disciple, Presence), Joseph Jaworski, JD (Synchronicity, Presence), Dr. Adam Kahane (Solving Tough Problems)from the MIT Society for Organizational Learning as a way to address deep, complex problems. This method is a disciplined process that leads to systemic change using multi-sector dialogue, research, directed learning experiences, scenario planning, and design and implementation of demonstrated examples of systemic change. The theory and practice is based on 20 years of work by global leaders in deep and large-scale systems change including: work in scenario based strategic planning at Royal Dutch/Shell, Federal Express, PricewaterhouseCoopers and other organizations; the successful regeneration of a regional health care system in Germany; assistance with the transition away from apartheid in South Africa; and post-war reconstruction of Guatemala. The Meadowlark Project is the first time this Change Lab method is being within a large region of the US. This project provides an important research opportunity to examine the effectiveness of emerging social change methods that focus not on problem solving but creating new ways forward and specifically, an analysis of the Change Lab methodology. A comprehensive analysis of the method will be one of the research outputs of the project. The work of the Meadowlark Project is being done by 28 committed leaders who care deeply about the economic, cultural, and environmental future of the northern Great Plains and who want to work together as the Leadership Lab Team to cause long-term systemic change in the region. Lab Team members are volunteering approximately 30 full days of time over 24 months. Throughout the Project, participants will take part in five core activities: a Foundation Workshop, Learning Journeys, a Scenario Workshop, an Innovation Retreat and a Pilot Project Design Studio.

Progress 06/01/07 to 06/30/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The objective of this project was to host civic dialogues in communities throughout the region to create new public awareness of the perspectives, policies and practices that are impacting what our 21st century region could become using four scenarios developed by a team of people from the region. In mid March 2007, the staff team began hosting civic dialogues using the scenarios in communities around the region. Ultimately over 40 dialogues were held. The Meadowlark scenarios are stories about the future that are represented through the perspective of a character which then invites the reader to experience the future possibilities that face him or her. At all of the dialogues, audio tapes of the scenarios were played to immerse the attendees in the scenarios and the World Cafe model was used to create lively dialogues on the future of the local community and the region. The experience for dialogue participants was powerful and sparked rich conversations. During the community dialogues, several content areas were the focus of conversation including: ethanol development, water shortages, population diversity, and de-population. During the dialogues some participants reflected that they had never considered an ethanol bust. Others were often struck by the aging of the region and shared the realization that "we are going to die here." Many expressed doubts that racism will ever end. In other cases individuals are drawn to speak of the future they want or the scenarios of the future that they fear or believe need to be shared. Most hoped for a positive future like that described in No Place Like Home. In all cases, the conversations led to a recognition that the world is a dynamic and connected place and that people can shape their future and witness it as it unfolds. At nearly every dialogue several participants expressed a strong desire to have more such dialogues in their community in the future. Many participants stated that they had never had such conversations with people in their community before and how important it was to share ideas in this open and non-confrontational way. Another common expression, especially among youth, was that they were be listened to for a first time. Clearly there is a strong desire within the region's communities to engage in dialogue and rebuild a sense of community through conversation around issues of importance to the future of the community. PARTICIPANTS: Project participants were: Ryan AAshein, Terri Aldrich,Paul Batcheller, Jason Crain, Reggie, Edwards, Joe Bartmann, Beth Davis, Raul Fernandez, Katie Fernholz, Rand Fisher, Matk Hamilton, Christine Hamilton, Diana Vander Woude, Lisa Heinert, Russell Swagger, Rachel Emmons, Matt Schanandore, Micjael Wohlfeil, Elior Glassheim, Roberto Tapiz, Brenda Menier. TARGET AUDIENCES: The scenarios dialogues were held in rural communities in the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
At all of the dialogues, audio tapes of the scenarios were played to immerse the attendees in the scenarios and the World Cafe model was used to create lively dialogues on the future of the local community and the region. The experience for dialogue participants was powerful and sparked rich conversations. "I was surprised by their interest and what I saw was when they get to talk about their future, they don't stop talking." "There was not insight in the moment, but in being introduced to look at their worlds differently. We heard people say, "I had never thought of that before." I think people were waking up." "We're building a bridge to the region. In Aberdeen many of the 45 present said I am going to become more involved in my community. One person said, "I haven't graduated yet. I had planned to leave, but now I might stay and start a business." In Aberdeen, someone drove 100 miles and three women who had heard about the scenario presentation indirectly drove 130 miles to get there. In Deadwood there were Native Americans, white couples, a lot of people who didn't know each other. We'll have impact in small ways, person by person." In all cases, the conversations led to a recognition that the world is a dynamic and connected place and that people can shape their future and witness it as it unfolds. "We must have urgency; just talking is not enough. This place is dying, we must move quickly. I went through the scenarios with a group, they engaged, and then at the end, they said, "Yes, and what do you recommend" They were asking for an answer." "I've never seen about half the people at a community event before. This is great. We need to keep this momentum going". At nearly every dialogue several participants expressed a strong desire to have more such dialogues in their community in the future. Many participants stated that they had never had such conversations with people in their community before and how important it was to share ideas in this open and non-confrontational way.

Publications

  • Nagel, Jerry 1997.There is No Place Like Home: This is a world in which the catastrophic impact of a long-term drought caused by climate change on a robust ethanol industry led to economic and social collapse within the northern Great Plains that spawned renewal and a new, more equitable and just way of life for all people and species.
  • Nagel, Jerry 1997. The Good Lands: This is a story of the western part of the region, how their struggles differ from the eastern side, and how they find unique opportunities and niches by creating a new identity. Through active guidance and leadership from the regions Tribal Nations, a collaborative government and leadership structure is formed. The Good Lands become a leader in renewable energy research, and are nationally recognized for their economic, environmental and social reforms.
  • Nagel, Jerry 1997. The Big Empty: This is a world in which the region sees an expansion of ethanol and bio-fuel production, which provide short-term growth for rural communities and in population. But advances in technology lead to improved efficiency and increasing economies of scale. As the facilities get larger, fewer and fewer people are needed to operate them. Family farms disappear and rural economies falter as corporate farming and mega ethanol plants take over. A third of the regions population dies during this time and is not replaced. Lack of proper services and loss of rural communities lead to a region empty of people and hope.
  • Nagel, Jerry 1997. Tech-no-color World: This is a world in which choices made related to both on-line and physical access, significantly impact future lifestyle, quality of life and opportunities for people in the northern Great Plains. The region is split into two places: one shaped by advanced connective technologies and the other by a focus on maintaining the transportation infrastructure.