A lot of partnership decisions begin with a fairly sensible calculation. We have this, they have that and together, we might be able to do something neither of us could do alone. That is usually how it should work but when the problem is difficult, identifying complementary assets is only the beginning. The harder question…
I used to think strategic partnership facilitation was mainly about getting the right people around the table and helping them reach agreement. Now, I’m increasingly thinking it is more about helping people understand what problem they are actually trying to solve. Because the problem you see determines the questions you ask, the evidence you look…
We often use numbers to make sense of performance. In the NHS, this frequently means comparing organisations: waiting times, cancer outcomes, emergency department performance, productivity, patient experience and so on. The logic is straightforward: measure performance, rank organisations, identify the best and worst, and learn from the difference. But what if the difference between organisations…
I found myself at the Midlands Analyst Network Huddle yesterday. The question on the table: Do we need more hospital beds? I was probably the least “analysty” person in the room. There I was, surrounded by people who can make spreadsheets sing, wondering what on earth I was doing there. But again, I tend to…
My daughter has a strong independent streak. Over the months, I’ve learned that if I want her to come to me, the quickest way is often to tell her to go away. Tell her to come and she’ll dig her heels in. Tell her to leave and, before I’ve finished the sentence, she’s wrapped around…