HaleyNELDWorkforce

Why do quantified performance targets/quality standards frequently fail to deliver their goals? Three core contributing concepts: 1) Goodhart’s Law: “When a metric becomes a target, it ceases to be a good metric". 2) Campbell's Law: “The more any quantitative social indicator is used for social decision-making, the more subject it will be to corruption pressures & the more apt it will be to distort & corrupt the social processes it is intended to monitor". 3) The Cobra Effect: "Incentives can have undesired & unintended results, potentially harming the very thing that they were intending to improve". In order to mitigate for these three, we need to: - regularly revisit the aim - diversify the metrics (& introduce balancing measures) - choose metrics that are as close to the aim as possible - use qualitative as well as quantitative indicators - make it easier & more rewarding to improve the system rather than game it psychsafety.co.uk/goodharts-…. By @tom_geraghty (sign up for his weekly newsletter - it's a "must-read"). Graphics by @sketchplanator & @xkcd.

Leadership roles are less about problems to be solved than about tensions/paradoxes/polarities to be managed. These are pairs of goals that may appear to be contradictory, but BOTH are necessary. An example would be in team dynamics, with a dual focus on being safe/supportive AND honest/accountable. Both are needed to create positive results for the team. @Deloitte has just published the 2nd of two papers. Part one: explores the characteristics of managing these tensions/paradoxes well Part two: describes the key qualities/conditions that leaders need to navigate in addressing them Both parts are here: www2.deloitte.com/xe/en/page…

What are the different styles of action that public services can use to tackle big issues? The "government as a system" toolkit from @PolicyLabUK sets out 28 roles that government & public organisations can play to effect & enable change. @noelito describes how it can be used to challenge the policy biases or reflexes that public services & indeed, any organisation have ("the solution to everything used to be a one-stop-shop, a campaign, and a strategy; now it’s a community connector, a nudge, and a sprint!"): noelito.medium.com/what-tool…. Here's the link to the toolkit with a revised version of the graphic: openpolicy.blog.gov.uk/2020/…

Over the years, I've learnt that the best, highest performing teams are those where everyone feels a sense of belonging & appreciation for the unique & different things they bring to the team. So I'm happy to post this blog & sketchnote on "things boldly inclusive leaders do". They build an inclusive culture through foundations of continuous learning, active listening, authentic communication & creating a psychologically safe environment for people to thrive: qaspire.com/what-boldly-incl…. Thank you @minettenorman for the principles & @tnvora for your powerful interpretation.

"Conversation is the communal air we breathe". A summary & sketchnote of "Supercommunicators" - a new book by @cduhigg. It sets out why some people ("supercommunicators") are able to connect with others, build consensus & influence people to join them. He suggests this can be replicated. The first step is working out what kind of conversation we are having. Is it: 1) analytical (What’s this really all about?) 2) emotional (How do we feel?) 3) identity based (Who are we?). Only after recognising what type of conversation the other person wants to have can we connect: qaspire.com/supercommunicato…. Blog & visual by @tnvora.

How to improve a meeting (when you’re not in charge). A recent article from @AmyCEdmondson. The tactics you use depends on the level of psychological safety: 1) The helpful workaround: works when psychological safety is low (on the team or with the person leading the meeting). You don’t explicitly name what is bothering you, but ask a question that can help resolve the feelings of frustration. 2) The solution-centric proposal: works when psychological safety is moderate. You point to the problem area by asking a question that shows how resolving the issue will increase the effectiveness of the meeting. 3) The constructive confrontation: works when psychological safety is high. You explicitly name the problem & give feedback to help create a productive solution hbr.org/2024/03/how-to-impro…. Written in partnership with @TijsBesieux. Graphic by @fosslien & @molliewest.

I want to help make sure people in the leadership & practitioner communities know about the "Cambridge Elements" series on major approaches to improving quality & safety in health & care. They're written by leading authors & free to all. In date order: 1) Design creativity (coming soon) 2) Values & ethics (coming soon) 3) Statistical process control 4) Approaches to spread, scale-up & sustainability 5) Health economics 6) Governance & leadership 7) Workplace conditions 8) Reducing overuse 9) Simulation as an improvement technique 10) Implementation science 11) Operational research approaches 12) Making culture change happen 13) Collaboration-based approaches 14) Co-producing & co-designing 15) The positive deviance approach cambridge.org/core/publicati…. Edited by @THIS_Institute, published by @CambPressAssess. Thank you @MaryDixonWoods

Radical collaboration is about working together with diverse others from across the system in a way that fundamentally transforms that system. It not only focuses on the good & harmony of the whole, but also embraces conflict & power issues. If, as system leaders, we build the practice of radical collaboration, we can create the positive relational foundations for the big challenges ahead. The Radical Climate Collaboration has produced a guidebook on the seven practices for radical collaboration. They relate them to climate change (very important). These practices can also be applied to other urgent large scale changes that really matter: radicalclimatecollaboration.… Via @adamkahane