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In this episode, I sit down with John Mortimer, a specialist in systemic service design and founder of Impro, to tackle a concept that is silently draining the resources and morale of our health care system: Failure Demand. John explains that much of the "spinning" felt by practitioners today—the feeling of running faster while staying in the same place—is the result of a system designed to manage the consequences of its own failures rather than meeting the actual needs of the person.

If you have ever felt that you or your organization is only as helpful as the rules allow, this conversation offers ideas for finding traction in the spin and eliminating the invisible drain of failure demand.

Resources

John’s Videos on YouTube

Buurtzorg Model

Human Learning Systems

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Recorded just twenty-four hours before Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR)—formerly known as AIDS Saskatoon—officially closed its doors on April 9, 2026, this episode features a deep dive conversation with social worker and advocate Erin Beckwell. Erin shares her decade-long history with AIDS Saskatoon, starting from its roots as a community-led response to the HIV crisis to its evolution into a vital institution that provided life-saving services in the community. As you will hear, Erin and her co-workers were doing Relational Service long before it even had a name.

In this timely conversation, we explore what it means to lead with a health equity lens, the frustrations of working in a huge bureaucracy, and the opportunity to do change approaches when we think outside the health care box.

Resources

Prairie Harm Reduction (formerly AIDS Saskatoon)

Wellness Wheel Clinic (Regina)

University Health Network Housing Model

Video: How Public Policy Creates Poverty with Colleen Christopherson-Cote

This Week's Shift Shout Out:

Trillium Heath Partners AI Challenge

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In this episode, I sit down with two of Saskatchewan’s most experienced health care leaders, Dan Florizone and Marlene Smadu, to explore a fundamental crisis in leadership: why we continue to treat an infinite system like a “finite game."

Drawing on their decades of experience—from pioneering "Magnet" hospital environments in the late 90s to their current work teaching excellence in health leadership—Dan and Marlene discuss the urgent need to shift away from "command and control" culture brought in by the militaristic and religious structures of the 20th century. They reflect on how the modern health care system is often trapped by finite thinking, where leaders are pressured by four-year election cycles to "win" short-term battles like surgical wait-time targets, often at the expense of the long-term sustainability of the workforce and the system itself.

We also discuss the power of the public and the direct care workforce as the greatest untapped resources for change. Marlene emphasizes that we have a well-educated public and 44,000 staff members who are "bursting to participate" if only they are given an invitation and a "North Star" to follow. While the administrative and logistical challenges are significant, both guests leave us with a message of deep hope, noting that the clinical breakthroughs and the "Patient First" shift in the last decade have been significant.

This episode is a call to action for leaders at every level to embrace humility, curiosity, and transparency to build a health care system that is not just fit for the next election, but fit for the next century.

Resources:

The Infinite Game – Simon Sinek

Excellence in Healthcare Leadership Program

Kouzes & Posner Leadership Model

Berkana Two Loops Model

Raise Her Community

Industrial Disease