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Sam Meikle
Rekindling humanity in public services: Founder, Spark the Difference
Sam Meikle is the Founder and Director of Spark the Difference, a consultancy based in the UK that focuses on improving healthcare experiences through human-centered design and process improvement techniques. Established in 2016, Spark the Difference aims to enhance the quality of care by helping decision-makers understand and act on what matters to both providers and recipients of care.12
Professional Background
- Experience in Healthcare Consulting: Sam has extensive experience in healthcare consultancy, working with NHS commissioners, providers, and various organizations to implement effective engagement strategies.13
- Leadership Skills: As a director, Sam has demonstrated strong leadership in change management, stakeholder engagement, and operational strategy. This includes managing multi-disciplinary teams and facilitating large-scale national events.12
- Awards and Recognition: The impact of Sam's work has been acknowledged through various national awards, reflecting his commitment to rekindling humanity in public services.1
Key Contributions
- Human-Centered Approach: His consultancy emphasizes empathy and creativity, using qualitative research methods to foster better interactions within healthcare systems.23
- Training and Facilitation: Sam is known for his engaging facilitation style, creating safe spaces for discussions that encourage vulnerability and constructive feedback among healthcare professionals.23
Overall, Sam Meikle's work at Spark the Difference exemplifies a dedication to transforming healthcare through innovative engagement strategies that prioritize human experience.
Highlights
I saw this fab sign on my lunchtime walk in Southwark Park.
It seems there’s only one direction from where we stand…
(Sharing in case your day / week / start of 2024 hasn’t quite gone according to plan.)
I am constantly learning from Ian D. Quick about what it means to be in public service.
So it was a real pleasure to interview him for the finale of his podcast, One Step Forward (https://lnkd.in/gpPHr-J), which is a series of oral histories about public service in the hardest times.
Two themes from our conversation - and the podcast overall - stay with me:
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The role of stories in helping us understand who “we” are in public service (beyond what flashy headlines tell us to believe) and how this understanding can help us navigate difficult transitions. And within this - bringing awareness of not only who gets to speak, but also who we actively listen to so that we do not marginalise, or exceptionalise perspectives.
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How do we have hard conversations about our individual, and collective, wellbeing without feeling guilty? Yes, there will always be a crisis somewhere that calls for our best contributions - AND - acknowledging this, how can we survive (and ideally thrive!) in what can be structurally dysfunctional situations, without feeling guilt about our wellbeing needs (health, safety, growth, relationships)? How do we create space for our time, energy and attention in both places? Because if [when] we wilt - or break - then we aren’t in a position to contribute our best to anyone.
If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the One Step Forward podcast, I encourage you to connect with one or two new perspectives you might not yet have heard.
In this collection of stories, you'll hear from community leaders, humanitarians, clinicians, human rights defenders, researchers, photographers, journalists, graphic novelists, social entrepreneurs - from across the world, including Lebanon, the Philippines, the USA, Nigeria, Indonesia, Syria, Kenya, the UK and Democratic Republic of the Congo - to name just a few!
Huge congratulations to Ian on bringing these generous perspectives together, and a deep thank you to each person who bravely contributed their stories and experience for us to learn from.
#podcast #publicservice #leadership #wellbeing #burnout #resilience #community #hardtimes
