As somebody who spends a lot of time with different groups thinking about messaging positive change, I am always struck by our tendency towards siloed thinking. I realize funding and passion and expertise comes easier when there is a focus, but the reality of personal change seems much more of a cascade.
Measurable silos are also a big part of medicine. We get individual cholesterol, blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and diabetes guidelines, but the patient in front of us has heart disease. We measure and lower parameters for each of these conditions yet not once in medical school did somebody teach me to measure and prescribe coaching behaviours that cross these silos such as exercise, social capital, and stress management. It’s not that the former aren’t important, but the huge downside of being something that crosses silos is there is no silo that pushes your message. I get that we need to know more about the best way to help people to improve things like their re-framing skills, their self-reflective learning, and how to have better relationships…but there needs to be more of an experiment and conversation. Maybe this is an opportunity for us in social medicine.
I made this infographic to try and reflect a healthy behaviour cascade. Not in order (is there an order?).
Download the Infographic
