How can we rescue a week of behavioural deficits?

What do I notice about this week? Well, sadly too much that is about failure - of systems, processes, behaviours, trust and so on. Two of several notable examples were juxtaposed today.


First, Southern Cross, who having pledged in mid-May that their 'get-well' plan was well thought out and would succeed, even if it meant the loss of several thousand service jobs, simply come back two months later and says it's closing. I do suspect that the developing and almost bottom-less cesspit that is the News International story has somehow taken attention away from the largest single failure of a care housing landlord in recent history (if not the largest failure in living memory). Do also go back to my blog of mid-May on Southern Cross that highlighted the part Blackstone's played in this - but they are free, clear, back in the USA, having created the basis for the failure in the first place - according to some trusted commentators at least.


Second, the 'shellacking' today by the Parliamentary Select Committee of the top cops involved in the News International 'investigation' reflected very badly on at least two of the most senior police officers in the largest city police service in the country, if not Europe. Whilst in one of their cases I heard at least some contrition and acceptance of having done a less than thorough job (to put it mildly), in the other there was little contrition or even apology - more a faux horror at being asked if he's ever taken a payment for information. Whilst being a tad cheeky question, it was fully understandable given the context of the Committee's deliberations. With the propensity of the press to call for the heads of public servants in other cases of poor performance, are we going to have the same in this case? Or, have the 200 job losses at the NoW sated the lust for 'heads must roll'? For now, anyway.


Amidst all of this concentration on the behavioural deficits, systemic failures of trust and rampant venality, are there any rays of light?  Well, check out this link, where changing behaviours is the subject, and Alcoholics Anonymous the model of learning regarding behavioural change.


http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/scott-asalone/2011071118492