Catalysing systems leadership: A roadmap for Hawai‘i’s future through transformative scenario planning

The featured photo is a rainbow in Kuilima (Turtle Bay), Hawai'i, photographed by Brenna Atnikov.

How collaboration and systems leadership are building a more resilient Hawai‘i

The future of Hawai‘i is at a critical intersection, facing urgent and multifaceted environmental, social, economic, and cultural challenges. In response to these challenges, the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative, or HEC, embarked on a transformative journey, enlisting the guidance of Reos Partners to support strategic collaboration. This effort culminated in HEC creating the Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul network, or RHS. This joint endeavour seeks to cultivate a collective understanding of the profound significance, history, and value of Hawai‘i—the Soul of Hawai‘i, with the ultimate goal of fostering collaborative solutions deeply rooted in Hawaiian values.  

This article delves into the challenges, transformative approach, and far-reaching impact of this collaborative initiative on shaping the future of Hawai‘i.   

Transformative scenario planning to navigate complexity

When HEC needed to create a roadmap to navigate uncertainty and plan for the future, they enlisted the help of Reos Partners to guide them using transformative scenario planning (TSP). This process, developed by Reos, assists organisations and communities in collaborating and anticipating possible futures, enabling groups to plan strategically. At its core, TSP aims to foster collaboration and collective action to address complex challenges by creating scenarios of multiple possible futures that challenge assumptions and encourage innovative thinking.

 A graphic titled “What are scenarios?” from Reos Partners.

Cultivating a shared understanding for Hawai‘i's future 

The TSP process brought together 43 leaders as a scenario team—cultural practitioners, Native and non-Native Hawaiian leaders from the business community, community organisations, and individuals from philanthropy, education, housing, legal, social services, and tourism sectors. Together, they explored questions about Hawai‘i’s future. This process united leaders from various sectors across the islands to co-create a set of scenarios called Possible Futures of Hawai‘i’s Soul. These narratives depict potential outcomes for Hawai‘i from 2022 to 2050. 

In this interview, Duane Kurisu, Chairman of the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative and Founder of aio Group explains:

"I look at the document as a miracle because when we first stepped into the room, there were such diverse feelings. I thought, what’s going to happen? Is this thing going to blow up, or what? But when you talk in a trusted space, even though you might have different views, you can talk about difficult subjects with dignity. And while we could see temperatures rising, it was never a shouting thing. It was all about trust."

The Possible Futures of Hawai‘i's Soul scenarios do not predict what will happen or advocate for specific visions. Instead, the scenarios propose different ways the future could unfold for Hawai‘i’s communities, economy, environment, and culture. These stories aim to provide a common language for discussing what is feasible and what needs to be addressed to build resiliency and influence a desired future. The starting point for these narratives is the current reality. The scenarios explore the uncertainties about the future, taking into account both internal and external factors.

A graphic of the scenario summaries: The multiple possible futures of Hawai'i’s Soul.

The role of systems leadership in TSP 

Systems leadership requires an understanding of the interconnected nature of complex challenges and how to respond to them creatively. In the context of Hawai‘i, systems leadership plays a crucial role in addressing the multifaceted challenges. By taking a systems leadership approach, the leaders and stakeholders involved in the Future of Hawai‘i’s Soul scenario process could consider the interdependencies between environmental, social, economic, and cultural aspects. 

Integrating systems leadership into the scenario planning process can foster a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics at play and help identify leverage points for positive systemic change. This approach can contribute to envisioning and implementing holistic solutions that address the root causes of challenges and create sustainable outcomes for the future of Hawai‘i and its people.

A photo of RHS leaders and stakeholders engaged in the transformative scenario process. 

Impact of transformative scenarios planning 

Envisioning the future together using a systems leadership lens, allows RHS network members to collaborate in shaping the future they desire. The scenarios are designed to provide a framework for discussing the future of Hawai‘i among Hawaiians and residents. Possible Futures of Hawai‘i’s Soul addresses essential questions about the future of Hawaiian identity, belonging, community, land, and spirit. 

The impact of TSP extends beyond creating scenarios; it establishes a common language for discussing uncertainties and possibilities. By providing a framework for conversations and collaborations guided by systems leadership principles, the scenarios facilitated the co-creation of a collaborative agenda within the RHS network. This collaborative agenda focuses on pivotal “choice points” Hawai‘i must grapple with as it seeks to protect, preserve, and honour its Soul.

Building relationships and trust for strategic action 

Through a series of scenario briefings and implications workshops, the RHS network has expanded to encompass over 100 organisations and over 600 individuals. The scenarios were distributed to businesses and community organisations as a tool for strategic planning, encouraging new perspectives, highlighting opportunities and threats, and facilitating more in-depth discussions about the actions needed to preserve, protect, and honour Hawai‘i’s Soul. The scenarios provided a starting point for the RHS network's growth and laid the groundwork for the transformative efforts of its members, both personally and institutionally.

As Paul Hackenmuller of Reos Partners explains,

"We’ve seen through this work that building relationships and trust is enabling new ways of working together. As a network participant noted, ‘the relationships are the point.’ It’s through sharing stories and engaging in tough conversations that RHS is envisioning a thriving future for Hawai‘i and its people, grounded in the Soul of Hawai‘i."

Partnering for transformation 

The TSP approach used by Reos Partners has not only provided a roadmap for the RHS network to navigate uncertainty but has also sparked a collective conversation about the future of Hawai‘i. By providing a framework for conversations and collaborations, which are informed by systems leadership principles, the scenarios facilitated the co-creation of a collaborative agenda within the RHS network. This collaborative agenda aims to address the interconnected challenges facing Hawai‘i and its people.

Integrating systems leadership into the process of scenario planning enables the RHS network to be more prepared to envision and execute comprehensive solutions that tackle the underlying issues and establish lasting results for the future of Hawai‘i.

Contact us to learn more about how TSP can be applied to your specific challenge. Let's work together to navigate uncertainty and shape a sustainable and equitable future.