In a recent discussion, Morgan McDonald, the Milbank National Director for Population Health, spoke with Morissa Henn, the Deputy Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. They focused on how Henn, a Milbank Fellow, utilizes adaptive leadership to tackle complex issues in public health, such as suicide prevention and emergency department overcrowding.
Understanding Adaptive Leadership
Morissa Henn describes adaptive leadership as a way to mobilize people around challenges that can’t be solved by authority alone. This approach emphasizes collaboration and shared responsibility. Henn uses a personal story about parenting her daughter to illustrate her point. Initially, she saw the struggle of getting her daughter to take a bath as a technical issue. However, she realized it was more about giving her daughter a sense of control. When they altered the approach, the issue was resolved.
This mirrors Henn’s work in public health, where successful leadership requires diagnosing the problem accurately and allowing others to contribute solutions.
A Case Study in Suicide Prevention
In her earlier work in Utah, Henn dealt with a high suicide rate. Most efforts focused on increasing mental health services, but the root cause was misunderstood. Instead, access to firearms was a significant factor. Henn and her team recognized that a traditional public health approach wouldn’t resonate in Utah’s culture, where gun ownership is common. Instead of imposing ideas, they collaborated with community leaders who understood the issues profoundly, leading to effective prevention strategies.
Tackling Emergency Department Overcrowding
Henn applied adaptive leadership principles in New Hampshire, where emergency department boarding became a crisis. Initially believed to be caused by a lack of psychiatric beds, they discovered it was more complicated. People lacked access to timely outpatient care, leading them to emergency departments.
Henn’s team identified three main issues: access to care, chaotic coordination among hospitals, and barriers to discharging stable patients. By bringing various stakeholders together—including hospitals, mental health providers, and community organizations—they crafted targeted solutions.
Their initiative, dubbed “Mission Zero,” aimed for no one in psychiatric crisis to wait in an emergency department. This simple, clear goal unified efforts and multiplied the chances of success.
Building Trust and Sustaining Progress
To foster trust, Henn emphasized humility and the importance of inviting diverse perspectives. This openness attracted unexpected partners and allowed for collaborative problem-solving. The results spoke for themselves—the average wait times in emergency departments decreased significantly, illustrating effective leadership in action.
Sustaining progress in a constantly changing environment requires continuous learning and adaptation. Henn encourages treating initiatives as experiments, allowing her team to adjust as needed.
In Henn’s words, leaders must keep observing changes around them, fostering an environment where creativity can thrive amid uncertainty. As public trust in leaders wanes, such collaborative efforts become even more critical.
The Bigger Picture
Adaptive leadership isn’t just theory; it’s vital in today’s challenging landscape. The importance of clear, achievable goals cannot be overstated. In complex systems like healthcare, grounding efforts in shared objectives can lead to significant breakthroughs.
As Henn’s experience highlights, effective leadership lies not in having all the answers but in recognizing that solutions often come from collaboration, trust, and a willingness to adapt.
For more insights, check out resources on adaptive leadership from reputable sources, like Harvard Kennedy School.
