Leading change

It's been a busy month and one for reflection and learning. The recent course – Leading Change and Organizational Renewal programme – as part of the Florence Nightingale Course gave me the following insights on the congruence model

1-Great stuff is going on in the UK as well as abroad- we need to celebrate our own success

2- Good leadership feeds the soul

3- The importance of conversation and discourse

4- RCA - why we ask why- to find a solution

5- What fantastic colleagues are on the course. My fellow scholars are all different, from different backgrounds, each with a unique project and unique skills to bring? It truly was marvellous to be surrounded by people with ambitious intent and willingness to learn. The three days left me feeling reinvigorated and enthusiastic for change.

One of my esteemed colleagues challenged me about using the words  "those we serve". But I do believe I am working to improve the lives of those we serve in the NHS. The public pay our wages after all and everything we have and do is paid from you and I. Serving to me doesn't serve up images of hand maidens but a moral responsibility to walk in shoes of the others - always striving to imagine how we would feel in the same position. So on this occasion I won’t change my intent but welcomed the challenge.

There is no doubt in my mind that it's tough out there- I'm out there too, with all the financial constraints and constant pressures. But there are also opportunities and visionary ideas that can improve care and cost less.

I used one of the tools I learnt on the FN course to map out my idea for the bid for those affected by dementia so it wasn't just words. Of course and not unexpectedly, my initial bid needs more work and I hoped that but using a different methodology it would make more sense. Telling a story of how change can have a positive impact on the lives of others will I hope make more sense. This week, I shall work on mapping out the priority and quality of conversation - also learnt on the course and plan the next few months. I’m looking forward to hearing from commissioners if my use of root cause analysis might complement the mind mapping   and create a story they understand as well as the factual data and analysis required in order to fund.

 The OCR course was heavy but I felt enlightened and full of energy when I had to return to a hectic Friday and an equally hectic week last week. Somehow sharing others frustrations and exhaustion as well as their joys and inspiration fills me with hope. I know I'm always positive but I can fall equally hard too. Whilst it doesn't happen very often, I too, can feel low and despondent. At the moment I feel excited and energised about the possibilities I have not only for me, but also for my patients.

My challenge is how to use the conversations I want to have to not only recognise the triangles emerging but to emerge others into the vision I have. Recognising others behaviours and discourse can support meaningful conversations and enrol the team into the vision.