Intensive care specialist, Peter Roberts, told me “bad health policy is more dangerous to my patients than the flesh-eating bug.”
That notion struck accord for every organisation I’ve worked with.
Peter realised his qualifications were not enough to assure a culture of safety, that enables working to do no harm. So, he studied the systemic issues in health care exploring the inadequacies of dominant paradigms. [1]
The questions Peter addressed in 2003 are pertinent around the world:
What is error and its relation to blame?
Who manages error? and,
How do the answers to these questions influence policy options?
Imagine having the psychological safety to explore these questions now and challenge dominant policy paradigms.
Peter noted, we face “significant choices between valuing and promoting blame or valuing and enhancing safety, between … control or learning, protection or production, simplification or understanding complexity, [between] accountability or responsibility.”
No matter our mission, imagine considering these questions and choices in all policy settings. NZ is reaping the rewards of doing so.
If you wish to explore higher-level thinking for systemic issues, I’d love you to join the discussion on Thurs 20 August at 1:00 - https://drrichardhodge.com/webcast
#ThisCentury #sustainability #systemsthinking #strategy #culture
[1] See Peter R. Roberts, Snakes and Ladders: The Pursuit of a Safety Culture in New Zealand Public Hospitals, Institute of Policy Studies and Health Services Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ. 2003.