Strategy isn’t just about planning—it’s about preparing to meet the future, to shape it, and not just react to what comes our way. In conditions of complexity, the organizations that invest in thinking clearly are the ones that perform better, adapt faster, and lead with confidence. Why engage in strategy making? Just as a sailor […]
Strategy for Leadership By Design: A Brief Introduction Read More »
Complexity is a word we hear more and more. Understanding what it means in practice can help us navigate it with greater confidence. What do we mean we talk about complexity? It’s everywhere living systems reside, yet it’s also a deeply misunderstood or even mysterious subject. There is an entire field of study that looks
What We Talk About When We Talk About Complexity Read More »
Most of us have not seen a rhinoceros in the wild. We might have seen a rhino at the zoo and maybe on television. Only a few of us who live outside Africa have been fortunate enought to see one of these beautiful creatures in its natural habitat. Imagine we’d never seen a rhinoceros in
Rhinoceros In The Wild: System Models and Reality Read More »
Earth Day allows us to reflect upon the opportunities and challenges healthcare faces when dealing with its environmental responsibilities. Will it rise to meet them? This is Earth Day. It’s when we consider the health of the planet alongside our life on this planet. For healthcare, an environment of its own, the opportunity to bring
Healthcare’s Earth Day Challenge Read More »
If you’re stuck in the daily grind of human services delivery, leveraging evaluation data can help you see and chart your progress. Among the most difficult things healthcare and human services professionals deal with is progress. Whether you’re an ER nurse, a front-line social worker, or a palliative care doctor, seeing progress is something that
Monitoring as Motivator: Harnessing the Progress Principle Read More »
Evidence is the way we tell truth from mere belief and, when used responsibly, can positively shape our world while limiting the harms we do through our actions. There has never been more data to inform our evidence generation work, yet this abundance has brought with it new challenges that we don’t have the means
Evidence in Context: The State of Things in 2024 Read More »
Allostasis is a term that can make a big difference in shaping our understanding of change and what it means for us. Biological processes can provide explanations and metaphors that guide how we view and approach change. Among the most popular is homeostasis. Homeostatic processes view things from a set point or baseline and view
Allostatic Change And Why It Matters Read More »
Systemic changes are happening all around us and the need for preparedness for an uncertain future has never been more salient. While operational plans and strategy are critical, psychological preparedness is just as important. Preparedness is anticipating certain kinds of events and outcomes tied to those events. Let’s look at environmental issues. For example, every
Psychological Preparedness By Design Read More »
We need systemic action informed by systems thinking to address the global challenges facing humanity. Alas, too many are focused on the thinking (and talk), not action. My aim for writing this is because I believe strongly in the potential of systems thinking for action. I don’t see much hope for humans if we can’t
Systems Thinking and Systemic Action Aren’t The Same Thing Read More »
Humans tell stories to each other through narrative, pictures, and data and models can help us make sense of things, but do they help us act? Or worse: do these models contribute to inertia? If you want to get a lot of traction on social media with a certain crowd, put up a model or
Models for Clarity or Confusion: Are Your Sense-making Efforts Serving You? Read More »
