Archives
Exploding goals and their myths
Posted on July 20, 2017 1 Comment
Goal-directed language guides much of our social policy, investment and quests for innovation without much thought of what that means in practice. Looking at the way ideas start and where they carry us might offer us reasons to pause when fashioning goals and whether we need them at all. In a previous article, I discussed […]
Mindful Navigation of Complexity and Social Media
Posted on July 4, 2012 2 Comments
If we are to mindfully design our social media ecology and do it in a manner that promotes empathy and connection, rather than overwhelms us; engenders learning and insight over simple content absorption; and promotes creativity and innovation rather than just talks about it, we need to answer the question more intently and act accordingly.
A Mindful New Year
Posted on January 2, 2011
What is mindfulness and why should we be paying attention to it in our individual and organizational work in health systems? This post explores that very question.
New Year’s Resolutions: If You Must…
Posted on December 26, 2010 4 Comments
New Year’s resolutions are problems because they often set us up for failure. Perhaps the one resolution that you will want to follow this year is to skip the resolution altogether and commit to doing something small often and enjoying yourself and those around you while you do it.
Recombination: The Missing Link Between Linear and Non-Linear Views of Change
Posted on November 6, 2010
I teach a course in health behaviour change and one in systems thinking perspectives on public health. Both courses complement each other and both deal with change. However, most of the major theories of behaviour change deal with the subject in a straightforward, linear manner. Models and theories like the Health Belief Model, Theory of […]
Social Media / Social Activism Redux: Can we Learn from Behaviour Change Theories?
Posted on October 13, 2010 3 Comments
The revolution most likely will be Tweeted, but whether that is the cause or the consequence is why research on social media and social activism is needed. Otherwise, we will wind up with another chicken and egg problem.
Complex Change and Energy
Posted on December 8, 2009 2 Comments
Change requires energy and complex change requires a lot of energy. This is why balancing energy is so critical and why exhausted tired organizations so often reach for the simple and wrong solutions to complex problems.
Complexity and the Information Landscape
Posted on December 5, 2009 8 Comments
How to make sense of information in a complex learning environment and why is it important? If we think about climate change, pandemic flu and other serious issues, we may come to the conclusion that this is among the most important topics we can devote time to.
eHealth Deja Vu All Over Again
Posted on September 29, 2009
It took more than 15 years for public eHealth approaches like using the Web for tobacco control to take hold, in large part because there wasn’t the ‘evidence’. In the age of social media, are we doomed to see history repeat itself? This post looks at how in the area of social media education and adoption, it’s deja vu all over again.
eHealth and the Means-Ends Problem
Posted on September 19, 2009
Information technology provides a lot of ideas for how to change, but the tools are only one part of the equation. Without considering the culture in which these tools are used the change we want will not be the change we get.
