Transduction — leading transformation — Issue #174
My weekly posts
As politicians acknowledge their direct power over the NHS with the abolition of NHS England, beware the Control Dilemma!
As politicians acknowledge their direct power over the NHS with the abolition of NHS England, we must beware the Control Dilemma! The SCiO Organisational Maturity Model identifies a harmful cycle of escalating control. Senior managers, feeling out of touch due to changes in the operating environment, demand more detailed reporting from operational managers. This centralised focus diverts attention from actual challenges, leading to performance decline and further tightening of controls. To break this cycle, we need trusted reporting structures at all levels. Explore more in the Organisational Maturity Model or contact me for a chat. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_the-scio-organisational-matury-model-manager-activity-7315653950181965824-TpRB/
We all want change. But do we know what kind?
We all want change, but do we know what kind? Is the opposite of top-down really arbitrariness? Is the alternative to bureaucracy just hacking at everything randomly? I don’t think so. In 2020, I attended a meeting hosted by the Office for Civil Society and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. They aimed to bring together funds, select top ideas, and invite councils and local partnerships to bid for pilot areas. We suggested opening it up to all interested places and co-commissioning. COVID disrupted this effort, leading to fragmented initiatives without continuity or embedded learning. What would it take to stop starting over? https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_we-all-want-change-but-do-we-know-what-kind-activity-7315277530020601856-YyER
Courses and events
Introduction to outcomes-based commissioning: a 10 step introduction, cohort 9
Back by popular demand — our introductory course for commissioning. Running online with anticipated dates in May https://link.redquadrant.com/introtooutcomes9
Our sensemaking community, sharing learning on devolution and local government organisation
Join our sensemaking community for the days after — a space for public service leaders to share urgent learning on devolution and local government reorganisation. We meet twice a month to make sense of today’s complexities or follow along by email. Join the group at https://sensemaking.groups.io
The Next National Commissioning Academy — coming early 2025
We are currently working on the next iteration of the National Commissioning Academy, which we expect to launch in 2025. Dates and locations will be forthcoming! Read more here: https://www.publicservicetransformation.org/2024/09/the-next-national-commissioning-academy-coming-early-2025/
Towards Relational Public Services Conference 2025
3rd to 5th June 2025 Manchester Metropolitan University. This conference seeks to continue to explore the challenges of making Relational Public Services a reality for service users, professionals and academics alike: in an increasingly complex world, how can public services and social interventions create and sustain positive lives for the people and populations they serve? Find out more here: https://www.complexityoutcomes.org/
Complexity & Management Conference 6–8th June 2025
The conference begins on Friday 6th June 2025 and finishes at lunchtime on Sunday 8th. The currency of the conference is conversation and exploration in large groups and small. Read more here: https://complexityandmanagement.com/2024/11/04/complexity-management-conference-6-8th-june-2025/
Level 7 Systems Thinking Practitioner Apprenticeship
Work in England or Wales? Want to develop your systems thinking skills? Sign up now for the next cohort of the Level 7 Systems Thinking Practitioner Apprenticeship — Cherith Simmons, with experts from SCiO (including me) — likely start in January 2025! Register here: https://cherithsimmons.co.uk/corporate/level-7-systems-thinking-practitioner-apprenticeship/?utm_content=buffer2fd3b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Things I shared on socials:
The English neighbourhood that claims to hold the secret to fixing the NHS. BBC News.
Ministers, health staff and the public gathered in London last week for a summit to discuss the 10-year NHS plan in England. It was the final roadshow in a nationwide tour to help set out the strategy the government says will rescue the “broken” NHS, which has a waiting list of nearly 7.5 million patients and public satisfaction of just 21% — a record low. https://bbc.in/3R9lmuW
Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model — Quick Overview — Adam Thompson
Check out this super quick overview https://stream.syscoi.com/2025/04/09/stafford-beers-viable-system-model-quick-overview-adam-thompson/
The public sector needs more funding. No manner or scale of AI implementation can solve this
Without more funding, we will continue to see public services further squeezed, reduced, in some cases eliminated or risk eventual collapse, in many cases leaving the most vulnerable of society to fend for themselves. Angela Dixon. https://www.linkedin.com/in/antlerboy/recent-activity/all/
The Systems Community Alliance (SCA)
For the System Builders. The Systems Community… people and organizations who believe in a Systems Approach https://stream.syscoi.com/2025/04/07/the-systems-community-alliance-sca/
The latest publication from the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU)
offers a critical snapshot of the early narratives being generated by councils on LGR. Geoff Wild. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/geoffwild1_state-of-local-government-reorganisation-activity-7316151499003228161-yTil?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACuq-oBecVFDW6PCf3lkoG-peMeuLBeoho
The IFSR Quarterly 1_2025
a window into and mirror of the cybersystemic community. Brought to you by the IFSR. https://stream.syscoi.com/2025/04/07/the-ifsr-quarterly-1_2025-a-window-into-and-mirror-of-the-cybersystemic-community-brought-to-you-by-the-ifsr-org/
