For his FIRST ClubX Blog post, Dr. Brandon Riddle, BGCA’s Senior Director of Quality Improvement and Impact, explores why the most important work in systems change often happens beneath the surface.
In 1870 construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge. For years there was little visible progress. No bridge stretched across the skyline. Instead, there was disruption, uncertainty, and growing frustration.
What people could not see was the most important phase of the work. Engineers were constructing massive foundations beneath the waterline, stabilizing the riverbed and building the structure that would eventually hold the bridge. This work took years, and without it, the bridge would not have stood. It would not have sustained.
This is what systems change looks like in in education and youth development.
In my experience coaching leaders, there is always a moment when the work feels slow and outcomes are not yet visible. Leaders begin to question whether it is working, especially when the urgency to improve outcomes for young people is high. That tension is real. When you care deeply about young people, waiting can feel unacceptable.
But here’s what I’ve learned. Improvement doesn’t start with outcomes. It starts with systems.
The early phase of this work is about building the conditions that make outcomes possible. It includes aligning leadership, strengthening adult practice, creating routines for teams to reflect and improve, and establishing systems that use data for learning. These shifts are often invisible at first, but they are essential. They are the foundation.
Youth outcome data is lagging data, which means that changes in results or surveys like NYOI will not show up right away. It is unlikely to shift meaningfully within a short cycle of coaching or support. By the time outcomes change, the system has already shifted. The data we should be looking at now are the leading indicators, such as how consistently staff are implementing practices, how teams are using data, and how aligned the organization is in its work.
Research in implementation science, which is the study of the best ways to put proven ideas into action, reinforces this. Change in complex human systems takes time, often three to five years to move from initial implementation to consistent and sustained practice. During this time, organizations are not failing. They are building. Early progress shows up in adult behavior, team routines, and organizational consistency, not yet in youth outcomes.
Outcomes are also tied to how well the work is implemented. Practices are more likely to succeed when they are implemented with fidelity—that is, when people use them correctly, consistently, and as designed. One organization that works with schools suggests that reaching about 70% implementation is a sign that a practice is being used well enough to work as intended. That is when positive student outcomes began showing up.
But underneath all of this is something even more important.
Most of the challenges we are trying to solve in youth development and education are not technical problems. They are adaptive challenges. They are not solved by introducing a new program, tool, or initiative. They require shifts in beliefs, behaviors, relationships, and ways of working.
And adaptive change takes time.
It requires leaders to build and improve systems that support adults in changing how they work, how they collaborate, and how they continuously improve. It requires intentional change management, ongoing coaching, and the discipline to stay focused when results are not immediate.
This is why so many efforts fall short. Not because the ideas are wrong, but because the system was never fully built to support them.
As W. Edwards Deming reminds us, a system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets. If we want different outcomes for young people, we have to build a different system.
This is also the thinking behind the BLUEprint for Youth Impact. The BLUEprint is not a program to implement or a quick solution to adopt. It is a framework for building the conditions that allow young people to thrive over time. It focuses on strengthening the systems, practices, and adult behaviors that make lasting outcomes possible. Like the foundation beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, much of this work happens below the surface. It often shows up first in stronger leadership, clearer alignment, better use of data, and more consistent practice. These may not be the outcomes we ultimately seek, but they are the indicators that the foundation is taking shape. And when that foundation is strong enough, it creates the conditions for meaningful, measurable, and sustainable impact in the lives of young people.
The story of the Brooklyn Bridge is a powerful reminder. The years when nothing appeared to be happening were the years that mattered most. The visible success of the bridge was made possible by the invisible work beneath the surface.
The same is true for our work.
If you are in a season where progress feels slow or invisible, it does not mean it is not working. It may mean you are doing the most important work there is, building the foundation for lasting change. Stay with it.
Focus on strengthening the system, not just chasing outcomes. Invest in the adaptive work, not just technical fixes. Pay attention to how adults are working, learning, and improving together. Because when the system is strong enough, the outcomes will come.
And when they do, they will last. Just look at the strength of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Learn more about the BLUEprint for Youth Impact and get support building your Club organization’s systems on BGCA.net.
How have you used the BLUEprint for Youth Impact at your Club? What are your best tips for consistent staff practices across your organization? Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org.
About Brandon Riddle
Before joining Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Brandon worked with school districts to strengthen leadership, improve implementation, and build systems that last. Outside of work, you’ll find him tackling a home or yard project, spending time with his family, or enjoying a good cup of coffee.
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