Canadian Best Practices Portal - Healthcare

The Public Health Agency of Canada has a very interesting website: Canadian Best Practices Portal.  I think it is an excellent example of helping to spread good practice.

1. It describes interventions (best practices) without overly classifying them. The reader can make their own judgements of value and worth. I also like the way these are summarised as they are written for the reader and not as corporate sales pitches which is a temptation other organisations fall foul of. 
2. The resources have a great at-glance feature which show how they relate to define, search, appraise, synthesise, adapt, implement, evaluate.
3. Their list of systematic review sites is extensive and pitches these best practices as being based on evidence which is both appropriate and welcome for healthcare interventions.

Difficult Conversations 1: The DED Technique

Dealing with the difficult situation is difficult - usually because emotions are running high and emtoional responses tend to send all good planning straight out the window. One technique I've found useful is simple enough to remember when the flak hits the fan and tends to work well - the DED technique.

D = Describe 

E = Example

D - Discussion

Describe the behaviour you're finding difficult, how it makes you feel and explain the wider impacts of the behaviour. Without any description the other person probably has no idea why you are upset.

Then provide an example of what it is you've just described. Without an example the other person may think you're making it up and may not be able to ground the descriptions in reality.

Discussion - or I prefer the term dialogue as that presumes it is a two-way thing - is the obvious important and final step. If the first D and the E have gone well then the discussion should be fairly straightforward - though posisbly still emotive.

Do you have a favourite technique you'd like to share?

Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes - The Joy of Stats - BBC Four

This video is pure genius. For anyone who doubts the importance of visualisation for bringing insight to data, then take a few minutes to view this video:

Design a 50 minutes lecture that works

Tired of the person who stands up and delivers a repeat of their presentation (they are as bored as you)? Tired to the point of not being able to concentrate for more than the first few minutes of a presentation? Tired of making it through to someone's lecture to discover afterwards you have no idea what you learnt?

John Medina is a scientist who researches ways to avoid problems like these. He also has some very practical advice. I like his Brain Rules website, with videos (nice to see him practising what he preaches), tips and links to a new book. Each of his 12 rules are available with illustrations and videos.

Advice for a 50 minute presentation? Break it down into 10 minute segments. At the end of every segment add a hook / statement that will generate an emotional response in the listener. I'll be trying that for my next presentation.

Leadership models and theories - some links

I'm often asked what leadership theory I espouse. I'm never sure how to answer because I think leadership is a practice and not a theory. However - as we know, all models and theories can be useful (though remember none are right!).

Here is a collection of a few of the places where I go for leadership theory information

1. Academic online library - this is always my first choice (keep those fingers of the Google Search button!). Here is can find properly thought out, detailed, reviewed and practised theories. It is also here that I learn about the latest research and practice.  For me, these papers are more useful that books as they are not subject to marketing bias.
2. Google Scholar Search - bridges the academic library with the wider Google Search
3. Current books - either buy, download or go to the physical library to borrow
4. The Web...

Some useful web links:

1. Nice summary and overview for those of us who often don't have time to read a whole book or figure out the complexities of a paper
2. A review of leadership theories and competency frameworks - ok, this is a paper, but a useful one...
3. http://www.12manage.com/i_l.html has a page full of ideas and concepts to keep you thinking

Post your favourites in the comments section.

Leadership means putting personal differences aside

Mike Golding is an International Yachtsman.  He is also the man who gave up a winning position in a round the world yacht race to pick up a distressed competitor - someone with whom he'd not had the best of relationships.

Enough said.

How far out of your way will you go to help someone you may not like, but who is struggling?