All Crises Are Local - (3)
Part 3: This Global Health Problem is a Perfect Systems Storm. Part 4: The World in Transition
PART THREE
This Global Health Problem is a Perfect Systems Storm
We are in a perfect storm of crisis. The Circle of Impact problem solving process requires that we identify one of the dimensions as the source of the problem. Let us now ask the following questions.
Do we start by trying to become clear about what is taking place?
Do we start by trying to build relationships of trust and respect to create the social capital needed to address the pandemic as a local problem on a global scale?
Do we start by addressing the crisis as a systems crisis rather than simply a public health crisis?
Which one of the dimensions is in the most critical need for change? Which one of these problems if we don’t address it right away will make the other two problems more difficult or impossible to resolve? Which one holds the highest leverage for improvement?
Without clarity about the systemic problems we face, we’ll face a culture of serial crises. The situation is different than it was six months ago. Then it was a health crisis. Now it is a global social, economic, and governance crisis. In every crisis, whether global or local, there are those who suffer from it, and those who benefit.
The problem we face is a systems one. It is a problem where all three Circle of Impact dimensions are contributors to the problem. This is why it is a perfect storm of problems.
At this point, we need to ask two questions.
Which dimension is in the most critical need for change?
Which dimension holds the highest potential for leveraging a solution right now?