MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
There is a peculiar energy that can emerge from living through extraordinary times, which will certainly be a defining factor for the early part of the 21st century. Often, it feels as though we are stuck in limbo between stasis and progress, as societies across the globe continue to struggle towards the perpetual goal of the past 15 months – stopping the spread of Covid-19. While our most immediate goal has not changed in almost a year and a half, our understanding of what awaits us beyond the horizon of the pandemic continues to evolve.
There is no doubt that the experience of the past 15 months will have a lasting impact on the organisation of human societies. The question is, what role will each of us play in shaping that post-Covid reality? And, for GIS, how can we ensure that the potential of implementation science to facilitate meaningful change is not squandered, so that whatever comes next is characterised by equity, agility, collaboration, and curiosity?
These are not easy questions to answer, but part of the answer must come from the work we do within our own organisations to define and operationalise these values.
Equity is not something we can wait to develop naturally – it must be cultivated with intention throughout our organisations, so that it is a central aspect of our policy, philosophy, and behaviour.
Agility is more than a buzzword – in a world characterised by unpredictability and change, it is an absolutely essential aspect of our work and lives. We must be able to incorporate feedback, experience, and evidence into new approaches fluidly and transparently.
Collaboration not only results in more effective solutions to difficult problems, but it is a critical approach to work if we are to achieve our goal of advancing equity across sectors.
Curiosity goes well beyond our ability to ponder and daydream – indeed, a sense of curiosity can even predict an individual’s ability to creatively solve problems.
Amidst the pandemic, there is a heightened sense of urgency for all that we do, and so it should be for the operationalisation of the above values. It is our collective responsibility to embed these values deep within the foundations of our organisations and communities if we want to see them come to define the systems and structures of our world. In other words, the pursuit of these values – equity, agility, collaboration, and curiosity – should not be a side project or an organisational development goal. They should come to permeate all that we do in the work of implementation science.
As GIS continues to make progress towards engaging with a truly global implementation science community, as glimpsed at our virtual conference this past May, with 381 individuals from 41 countries represented, there is still further progress to be made. We know that the more voices heard in our discussions, and the wider the collective experience brought to our table, the more effective and impactful we will be as a society.
The launch of the official journal of GIS, Global Implementation Research and Applications, is another step in the right direction. We hope this journal will allow for a conversation that more fully reflects the diversity of experiences related to the application of implementation science and its ongoing evolution of our work, lives, and communities.
As you are reading this, odds are you have something to share, learn, and contribute to GIS. Your perspective has never been more important as we work to promote implementation science, enhanced by our collective efforts to strive to create a more equitable and responsive world. We urge you to take part in our ongoing conversation if you haven’t already, so that your expertise, perspective, and experience can inform our way forward.
