Guest blog by Karina Stocovaz, IPP ’24
For the past four years, I have led Instituto Natura, a corporate foundation that directs social investments to improve education across six Latin American countries. In Argentina, we work closely with provincial governments to design and implement literacy policies, aiming to ensure that all children learn to read and write at the right age. This foundational skill is not only key to their educational development but also to their ability to continue learning throughout their lives.
Collaborating with governments and various social actors can be complex due to the high level of uncertainty about how to drive systemic change within a web of dynamic relationships and, at times, conflicting interests. When I entered this course, I was hoping to find answers and concrete methods to address these challenges. What I found, however, was a deeply transformative experience, both personally and professionally, one that led me to rethink how we approach problems. It was a journey of learning alongside Matt, Salimah, their team, and colleagues from around the world.
Shifting Focus: From Plan and Control to Adaptive Solutions
One of the first major realizations was letting go of the traditional planning and control mindset and instead embracing the idea of building adaptive solutions. These solutions grow and evolve, gaining functionality and legitimacy with each small step forward. The “fishbone diagram” became an invaluable tool for us, helping us dig deep into the problem before rushing into solutions. It was surprising to see how my team adopted this tool with such enthusiasm. Within a few months, I started seeing “fishbones” in notebooks, whiteboards, PowerPoint presentations, and even on the walls of the office, each tackling different challenges we were facing.
Deconstructing the Problem: Building Narratives to Connect and Engage
Another key lesson was in deconstructing the problem and developing narratives. This process completely changed the level of understanding within our team, creating a shared language that enabled more effective conversations with our stakeholders. We now understand the importance of crafting public narratives that inspire people to join the cause, generating a sense of purpose that makes the tremendous effort worthwhile. In this process, we wrote and rewrote versions of the problem, why it’s important, and how we could address it. And this work continues to evolve.
The Power of Inquiry and Reflection
Throughout the course, I realized how quickly both I and my team tend to jump into designing solutions without taking the time to reflect—and more importantly, without truly probing the problem. I learned that inquiry is essential, as is identifying the right entry points based on the three A’s: ability, authority, and acceptance. This insight allowed me to expand our change space, which led us to uncover ideas we hadn’t considered before, such as positive deviance and latent practices.
Building Trust and Legitimacy with “Authorizers”
A significant shift in my approach came in how I understood the role of authorizers—those people with the power to make decisions that can affect the course of our work. I realized the importance of building trust and legitimacy, meeting people where they are, and pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable without taking unnecessary risks. This understanding led me to prepare differently for conversations and meetings, improving my relationships with authorizers and giving me newfound confidence in myself.
Progress is Built on Small Wins
One concept that deeply impacted me was the idea that public policy progress is built on small wins, and that each iteration, with its risks and challenges, provides valuable learning that compensates for those risks. The notion of keeping a “log of learnings” and viewing each attempt as a gain rather than a failure was a game-changer. Understanding that the path to achieving the goal is winding, uncertain, and unpredictable allowed me to change the way I presented project progress and to promote a new approach within my team.
Leadership: Empowering and Celebrating Small Steps
As a leader, I was particularly moved by the definition of leadership introduced in the course:
“Leadership is:
- taking risks on behalf of the thing I care about
- disappointing others at a rate they can absorb
- mobilizing others to take risks with me
- accepting others’ ideas, tolerating dissent, and allowing others to lead
- facilitating conditions that empower people to change and do impossible things”
I now understand that my role is fundamentally about getting people to work together. Motivation, I have come to realize, comes from recognition, and celebrating small wins generates momentum for progress. I also understand the importance of a team being accountable while also having the psychological safety to learn from failure and uncertainty. This is something I try to put into practice every day, especially during team meetings. While relationships are vital, I’ve also learned that organization, with clear roles and processes, is equally essential for helping us move forward effectively.
The Future: Connecting with People and the Wisdom of Relationships
Ultimately, I leave this course with a deep conviction that the implementation of any public policy is all about people—and the wisdom that can emerge from relationships. I feel grateful, inspired, and more aware than ever that the journey is long, but I am not alone. My capacity as a leader has been strengthened, and so has that of my team. This experience has left me more motivated and with a new perspective on how to tackle the challenges of literacy in Argentina, with the hope that, together, we can make a real difference in the lives of thousands of children.
This is a blog series written by the alumni of the Implementing Public Policy Executive Education Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. 42 Participants successfully completed this 6-month hybrid program in November 2024. These are their learning journey stories.