Friday 23 May 2025 | 10:45-11:45

Format: Presentation

Stream: Change

Content filters: n/a

Chair: Jodeme Goldhar International Foundation for Integrated Care University of Toronto & Health Leadership Academy, McMaster University; Canada

PART ONE: Exploring the tensions of leadership in an era of complexity: A deep democracy experience

The complexities of today’s health systems require new leadership skills and approaches that look and feel different to traditional models. Leading in complexity brings new challenges – working with different sectors and integrating innovative ideas with operations. Often these challenges give rise to tension and debate. As leaders, how do we embrace this tension and facilitate the conversations needed to lead through diverse perspectives? What new approaches and skills have shown to be effective? In this interactive session, participants will explore the leadership skills needed to navigate in today’s complex health systems. Using a Deep Democracy informed process, we will learn and practise the skills to spark and facilitate authentic dialogue and to identify how to integrate these skills into your leadership practice. This session will not give you the answers but promises an experience that will foster a deeper understanding of leading in complexity and will provide practical takeaways to think and act differently as a leader.

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Appreciate the unique challenges and dynamics of leading in complex systems including the concept of “resistance”


• Achieve a deeper understanding of contemporary leadership challenges and the potential for growth opportunities for health system leaders


• Build proficiency in identifying and exploring tensions early to harness the wisdom before they become destructive

Kyla Avis Saskatchewan Health Quality Council; Canada

Tracey Sherin Saskatchewan Health Quality Council; Canada

PART TWO: How we create a social movement for improvement

In the session we will share how having a vision can become a social movement. We will cover the journey we took to create a national Quality Improvement week. How it came about, researching what was out there already and why creating a movement was vital to bringing the QI community together whilst engaging with are people partners. You have created the movement, but how do you continue to spread your reach and ensure that it becomes sustainable? We will share our thoughts on how to continue to build upon QI week and the impact it has had. This session will be of interest to all delegates that have a vision to create a movement/change/improvement, whether they are unsure of next steps, where to start or have made a start.

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Develop confidence to follow and achieve the art of the possible


• Learn from collaborating on a social movement


• Experience how you can be involved in National/International QI Week 2025

Anita DeHavilland Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust; England