At some point in the life-cycle of an innovation, there is the possibility of crossing an invisible line called the tipping point.
This happens when enough people have experienced the benefits of the innovation and believe that the innovation is the future. These lone innovators start to connect and build a new community.
It is an emergent behaviour of a complex adaptive system.
This week I experienced what could be a tipping point.
I attended the Q-Community launch event for the West Midlands that was held at the ICC in Birmingham … and it was excellent.
The invited speakers were both engaging and inspiring – boosting the emotional charge in the old engagement batteries; which have become rather depleted of late by the incessant wailing from the all-too-numerous peddlers of doom-and-gloom.
There was an opportunity to re-connect with fellow radicals who, over nearly two decades, have had the persistent temerity to suggest that improvement is necessary, is possible, have invested in learning how to do it, and have disproved the impossibility hypothesis.
There were new connections with like-minded people who want to both share what they know about the science of improvement and to learn what they do not.
And there were hand-outs, side-shows and break-outs. Something for everyone.
The voice of the Q-Community will grow louder – and for it to be listened to it will need to be patiently and persistently broadcasting the news stories of what has been achieved, and how it was achieved, and who has demonstrated they can walk-the-talk. News stories like this one:
Improving safety, flow, quality and affordability of unscheduled care of the elderly.
I sincerely hope that in the future, with the benefit of hindsight, we in the West Midlands will say – the 19th July 2017 was our Q-Community tipping point.
And I pledge to do whatever I can to help make that happen.