Every now and then you run across a book that you just have to share with your friends. We ran across one that we feel speaks perfectly to the hardships and frustrations of child welfare.
Upstream by Dan Heath is just that. Initially drawn in by the title as this is a constant theme in child welfare: How can we keep kids from entering foster care? But was surprised to find that Heath really looks at proactive problem solving.
The book argues that many of the problems we face in our personal and professional lives could be avoided or mitigated if we address their root causes, rather than just their symptoms.
Heath explores the concept of “upstream thinking,” which involves identifying the sources of problems and taking action to prevent them from occurring in the first place. He uses a variety of real-world examples to illustrate the benefits of upstream thinking, from preventing medical errors in hospitals to reducing traffic accidents on highways.
The book also examines why we tend to focus on downstream solutions (i.e. addressing the symptoms of problems rather than their root causes). One key reason is that downstream solutions are often more visible and easier to measure, whereas upstream solutions may take longer to show results. Heath also notes that downstream thinking can be reinforced by a culture of blame, where people are more focused on finding someone to blame for a problem than on preventing it from happening again.
Heath provides practical advice for how to apply upstream thinking in our own lives and organizations. He encourages readers to ask “Why?” multiple times to get to the root cause of a problem, to focus on preventing problems rather than just reacting to them, and to build systems and processes that make upstream thinking a habit.
Overall, Upstream is a thought-provoking book that challenges readers to think differently about problem-solving. By emphasizing the importance of upstream thinking, Heath encourages us to be more proactive in addressing the challenges we face in our lives and work. The book is filled with compelling stories and practical advice that will be useful for anyone looking to improve their problem-solving skills and make a positive impact in the world.
Over the next few weeks we will be presenting a few of the concepts presented by Heath and hope you will read it yourself as we all begin to look upstream of our foster system and in our day to day.
To read this for yourself; you can find the book wherever books are sold.