Developing personal impact and working with teams.
I am extremely grateful to the Florence Nightingale Foundation and the many generous sponsors without whom the award of leadership scholarship would not be possible. A special thanks also to the eminent Sir Stephen Moss and Lynn Betts whom have provided valuable coaching and support for time during my leadership programme. I would also like to thank The Great Western Hospitals Foundation Trust for providing the support to enable me to undertake the leadership course.
The opportunity afforded to me through the Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership Scholarship encouraged me to think well beyond the boundaries and understand in depth the meaning of effective leadership in order to deliver effective, high quality nursing care.
Given the current context of healthcare, and in particular some of the aspects of nursing that are subject to public scrutiny, approaches that enhance nurses’ feelings of inspiration, motivation, and energy should be seen as a positive contribution to practice overall.
What this brings into play is the notion of lifelong learning – a need for nurses to engage in professional development to inform their practice and enable them to fulfil their potential. Given the current climate in which nursing and other healthcare professionals are being held to account for the quality of care/practice, it is vital that nurses and midwives continue to develop their practice (Francis, 2013).
The overall aim of a lifelong learning approach is to ensure that clinical practice is evidence-based, skilled, and led appropriately (Petaloti 2009). This is akin to the values and beliefs held firmly by myself and the reason why I felt compelled to undertake a more in depth leadership course.
I started my transformational journey with the choice of leadership course. The chosen course was the Kings Fund Athena for Executive Women. The transformation journey would equip me with improved high performing leadership skills by better understanding ‘the self’ and the ‘impact on others’.
Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. Jim Rohn (2010).
The transformational journey for the Athena course started in the deliberative programme in deepest Norfolk. Sixteen like minded delegates all met in some authentic barns in the middle of beautiful countryside. The first module was designed to create a supportive learning community, develop awareness of self and others; broaden understanding of the issues associated with women as leaders, develop reflective practice, co-consulting skills and personal resilience. It certainly delivered that!
Reflective practise and journaling played a major part in all the modules and in between times. Carl Rogers taught that the ‘personal’ is also the most ‘universal’ where there is no better way to learn universal insight about leadership and management than by tracking personal ones. My journal is invaluable when evaluating my performance over time. I can see that my personal and professional practice have improved through increased confidence, in leadership knowledge and the application of this knowledge to practice.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) experience provided by the Florence Nightingale Foundation helped with the confidence building of how to use the whole body including mouth exercise and posture work. This assists in everyday presentation skills when communicating with teams in the work setting.
Developing personal impact and working with teams
This was a module on the course and formed one of the habits from the 7 Habits of Highly effective People, Covey (1990):
The course leader was able to use the Franklin Covey (2013) accredited course to teach the modules. A handbook and his book where issued to use as reference during the module and going forward.
‘Listen or your tongue will make you deaf’ – Native American Proverb.
Co-consulting was learnt and used frequently in my everyday work. It is well practised and provides excellent results with staff feeling empowered and able to grow in their ability to problem solve and find solutions. As a methodology it can help the individual to think clearly and feel more empowered when working through a particular problem or issue. In using co-consulting, individuals are helped to grow and develop. The ‘client’ is able to work through a problem or issue and the ‘consultant’ is able to develop skills around asking powerful and challenging questions and, actively listening. It provided a platform for effective listening skills, being empathic and supportive, being genuine and respectful, and not giving advice or trying to offer solutions.
kills around asking powerful and challenging questions and, actively listening. It provided a platform for effective listening skills, being empathic and supportive, being genuine and respectful, and not giving advice or trying to offer solutions.
Developing systems and organisations
The Belbin Teamwork analysis was carried out and this has helped me to understand my strengths and things that I need to concentrate on with my team working. The analysis was very clear to me, and I was able to appreciate what my seniors analysis reveals and how the team can work together and appreciate each others strengths and challenges.
One of the tasks for the leadership course was to host an evening question and answer panel with some eminent leaders in the public sector; The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP; Roger Kline and Chief Constable Lynne Owens. The event was successful and areas like equality and diversity in the workplace where discussed. The women on the panel talked about their successes and challenges in order to climb the ladder of successful leadership. Sacrifices that affected ‘Sharpening Their Saw’ where highlighted and how they had to find balance and self preservation in order to focus on the things that matter to them in their personal lives.
My project
This involved outpatient nurse staffing skill mix review which has lead to a transformational programme of all outpatients across the trust.
Conclusion
The learning style of Athena for Executive Women Leadership programme helped me to find creative ways to implement change and to grow as a leader. I now have more confidence to be a visible leader comfortable with my personal authority and power. I explored what it is like to be on the receiving end of her in a safe environment with the use of role play and constructive feedback from my colleagues. Overall it has provided an immense ability to heighten the emotional literacy, be more confident to speak on a public platform, receive and give challenging feedback on the course and know how to deliver in the work place. The political nuance, big and little P was also explored, debated and its’ application better understood. I believe excellence is a journey not a destination and the learning of effective leadership provides a heightened awareness for me in everything I do every day both for me personally and professionally.