Crisis and Opportunity?

I’m often pondering why making the ‘shifts’ everyone agrees are needed in health and care can be so challenging? Whether it’s integrated neighbourhood health and care, ‘going upstream’ to prevention, digital by default, or tackling long-standing unhealthy cultural patterns, it always feels overwhelmingly compelling to focus on today’s challenges. With the best intentions, we plan to focus on the ‘shifts’ tomorrow or next year. And yet, tomorrow never comes. 

There’s a Chinese proverb that resonates deeply: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” There’s an urgency and importance of acting today, despite everything. 

It’s hard to shift….. 

• Immediate Pressures: Daily demands and crises easily take precedence. 

• Comfort Zones: Change requires stepping out of comfort zones, which can be daunting and met with resistance. 

• Resource Allocation: Shifting focus requires resources— attention, time, money, and energy—that are often already stretched thin. 

• Cultural Inertia: Long-standing cultural patterns can be deeply ingrained, making them difficult to change. 

So how can we seize the moment? 

Its not easy but I suspect we start by having a clear and shared vision for where we want to go – and giving power to those closer to problems. Looking out in crisis and overwhelm, for where innovation and real shifts are a present opportunity. We saw it in Covid- where in the face of incredible challenges there was both empowerment and innovation to deliver real change. 

So how can we use today’s ‘polycrisis’ to start the shift to a healthier, more sustainable future? What’s the tree you are planting today?   Contact me to learn more about how we could help you.