Bridging the gap between evidence and action: Collaborative leadership – where do we begin?
by Emily Warrender · Open Access GovernmentPatricia (Patsy) Beattie-Huggan, President and Principal Consultant of The Quaich Inc, focuses on bridging the gap between evidence and action through collaborative leadership. But where do we begin?
This is the fifth article in a series published by Open Access Government Journal. (1,2,3,4) In my four previous articles, I advocated for collective leadership in building a healthy society, showcasing various Canadian initiatives. These stories highlighted successful examples outside government structures.
However, many questions have surfaced while writing these articles. How does one develop structures and systems within government that manifest collective, collaborative leadership? What skills are required? Do we start with knowledge, policy or governance? What role does health promotion play? How do we bridge the distance between evidence and action in mobilizing change?
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the benefits of intergovernmental collaboration in managing crisis yet also amplified issues of inequity, poverty, and mental health. Despite evidence of the need for collaborative governance to focus on these issues, progress has been challenged by concern over world peace and climate change, and the rise of protectionism and populism post-COVID. Many people do not feel heard and are expressing their disenchantment. Relationships with governments are at an all-time low. And with most of the world using inherited models of governance with bureaucratic, siloed structures and systems that impede public access and trust, there is a need for change.
Policy influence
Mindful that people live their lives holistically, we need policy and governance that engages the public with their leaders. Policy has costs to be weighed, choices to be made. In a governance structure that is siloed, who takes on this daunting work? Where do we begin? Michael McAfee’s article “Love is the Key to Democracy” (5) suggests that “embodying radical love and acknowledging the dignity of every person can drive democratic engagement”. And how does that happen? Each of us needs to examine our own beliefs and values, get involved and vote for leaders who prioritize inclusive, value-driven policies that promote equity. Healthy public policy does not happen in a vacuum.
That being the case, a shift in public expectations and accountability of those in power to the public will be essential. Elected officials and those holding public office need new knowledge and skills to be equipped for the change. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (6) clearly outlines the value of healthy public policy as a health promotion strategy. Health in All Policies (HiAP) (7) promotes a whole of government approach institutionalizing action across sectors and departments as a means of creating more equitable, inclusive policies. It is being advocated and implemented in many federal, provincial and municipal jurisdictions around the world.
Leadership and Governance
However, HiAP requires collaborative leadership and a form of governance that has the potential to rebuild trust with the public and engage them as partners in change. In Canada, action taking place at provincial and municipal levels. The recently formed Canadian Network for Health in All Policies is exploring ways in which HiAP is taking shape in the Canadian context and mapping implementation in five pilot sites across the country.
In many conversations, the quest for collaborative governance and strengthening democracy is an urgent topic and tools to do so exist and are emerging. The Tamarack Institute defines Collaborative Governance as empowering diverse participants to make collective decisions (8) and offers tools and workshops to assist fostering a structure that offers clearer paths for public engagement. The Ottawa Charter offers a foundation for more holistic, equitable governance. Expectations are that systems of governance require both fast decision-making and an emphasis on relationship building. So how do we achieve all expectations?
Conclusion
On reflection, I believe we need governments, academic environments, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to find or create platforms for dialogue where they can build relationships, share resources, negoitate a shared set of values, adopt a whole-of-society approach, foster collaboration, and work to rebuild public trust. A desired outcome would be the creation of a more equitable and flexible model of governance with improved outcomes for families, communities, and society.
Considerable challenges require creative, collaborative leadership. We need to address disparities in wealth, find new ways of measuring economic success, and foster ways for all to participate so we see our links, relationships, and contributions to the whole. Having an equal voice for all – is this not the goal of democracy? Now, more than ever, we need governance that is collaborative and holistic and meets us where we live. We need to bring democratic values to the fore and find ways to bring our colliding worlds to prosperity, peace, and, ultimately, survival.
Working together is essential for innovation and societal change. Where does one begin? I challenge that it is with me and you. By seeking motivated “others”, we can foster a shift in thinking amongst the public, our families, communities, media, and leaders. We can learn from Indigenous cultures and promote models, such as the Circle of Health©. (9) Like-minded organizations can band together to learn and spread the message that “all policies impact health.”
Policies, created at any level, have the power to promote health or risk by their impact. Health, a “resource for everyday living,” is a valuable commodity. A thriving, resilient society is built and sustained by the people who participate in it. How policies are created is, in part, an issue of governance. We need to work together for the health of the planet.
According to Michael McAfee, democracy can only be saved through love. To some degree, I believe he is correct. Shifting to new ways of doing business will take more than awareness. It will take drive and require champions, passion, time, and a vision of what society should and could be. It will also require skills of listening, empathy, caring, and negotiation. Love as a solid ingredient would be a bonus.
Note from the author
As I write these articles, I feel grateful that I have had the opportunity to reflect over the past year on my experiences in knowledge mobilization around upstream policies and collaboration with the Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities, the Advisory Committee of the PEI Project, Health Promotion Canada, Canadian Network for Health in All Policies and learning directly from Liz Weaver, Tamarack Institute as a consultant to building a network governance structure for Anko’tasik child and youth wrap-around services in seven Mi’kmaq communities in New Brunswick, Canada.
References
Beattie-Huggan, P. (2023) Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Action – The Case for Collective Leadership in Building a Healthy Society, Open Access Government, April 2023.
Beattie-Huggan, P. (2023) Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Action – Advancing Collective Leadership in Health Promotion, Open Access Government, October 2023.
Beattie-Huggan, P. (2023) Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Action for a Healthy Society: The Power of Collective Leadership and Collaboration, Open Access Government, January 2023, pp. 26-27.
Beattie-Huggan, P. (2024) Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Action For Health Promotion – Shifting The Public Narrative, Open Access Government, April 2024, pp. 186-187.
- Stanford Social Innovation Review Love Is the Key to
Democracy Michael McAfee https://ssir.org/bios/michael_mcafee May 20, 2024 - World Health Organization (1986) Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
- World Health Organization. (2014) Health in all policies: Helsinki statement. Framework for country action. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506908
- Weaver, L. (2024) Collaborative Governance and Leadership, Tamarack Institute Workshop, May 27, 2024.
- PEI Health and Community Services Agency. (1996). The Circle of Health: PEI’s Health Promotion Framework.
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