More than a logo, it’s a model and a map

The CLA logo honors the challenge that exercising true leadership entails.

The large dot in the center represents an opportunity for change, or what we call an adaptive challenge. It is surrounded by individuals and coalitions, represented by the navy and yellow dots, who have a stake in tackling—or avoiding—the problem we face.

Individuals “inside the room” are represented by the small navy dots inside the inner circle. These individuals have the most access – and influence – on the adaptive challenge at hand. Individuals “outside the room” are depicted by the yellow dots in the outer circle. These outside dots represent constituents and their specific loyalties, values, and losses that will be affected when progress is taken toward an adaptive challenge, as well as the influence they have on individuals who are inside the room. These outside forces are what those “inside the room” are managing, as influence from outside constituents can derail a solution.

The leadership opportunity lies in recognizing these competing commitments and helping others articulate their potential losses. This adaptive stakeholder analysis needs to involve those both inside and outside the room. Acknowledging what might be lost or may have to be given up to make progress is critical. Without this first step, the loyalties and values to those outside responsibilities can make the adaptive challenge intractable.

The CLA logo helps individuals understand the key factions around an adaptive challenge, hence increasing our success rate for recruiting allies, working with the opposition, and preparing for the casualties of the process. The diagnostic work is to observe the system by seeing the multiple relationships to the issue.