Tailored leadership programmes to prepare senior leaders to operate at board level

The need

Three Strategic Health Authorities wanted to introduce a programme that prepared senior leaders to operate at board level, using a range of development vehicles.

Our role
The challenge for Salomons was to design and deliver a programme which allowed the participants to understand their development needs and also to take responsibility for addressing them.  The programme - lasting for 22 months - enabled participants to identify and design topics for workshops to meet their development needs depending on their emergent demands.  Workshops were interwoven with learning sets, experiential projects, reflective diaries and mentoring relationships.

Outcomes
All the participants developed an understanding of their own learning requirements and worked on their own leadership development within the programme. A number secured Director posts or were given opportunities to “act up” into a Director post during the course of the programme. The Strategic Health Authorities gained clarity of the development challenges these participants face and can now support them in preparing as future senior leaders. The success of the programme has since led to it being run in other Strategic Health Authorities.

Leadership programme to develop an integrated management team capable of driving forward strategic priorities

The need
A Scottish NHS Trust (now NHS Board) wanted to develop an integrated management team and strengthen the leadership and management competencies of senior staff in order to drive forward the organisation's strategic priorities.

Our role
We developed a tailored competency model.  We then ran a one-day assessment centre to support managers in identifying their development needs and to reflect upon the competencies they should be demonstrating within their roles. This included 360 degree feedback against the “NHS Leadership Qualities Framework” enabling participants to develop a clearer picture of their impact on others and their competencies . The learning priorities uncovered through the assessment centres were addressed through a programme of tailored modules and action learning sets in which participants worked on organisationally significant projects.

The Outcome
The programme has resulted in the key managers being able to drive forward the change and innovation agenda within the Trust through a more robust team-based approach to achieving strategic priorities.

Midwifery leadership development programme for a London Strategic Health Authority

“I’ve enjoyed being in a group, learning from others’ experiences. Its opened up ideas on what it means to be an effective leader, it’s very different than I thought at the beginning and it’s given me the confidence to influence others”

The need
A London Strategic Health Authority realised the need to improve retention of midwives and support their continued development in the face of poor midwifery leadership in the past. They wanted to provide opportunities for those who were interested in taking their careers forward and also to ensure that more junior midwives did not leave the service or move to other nursing posts.

Our role
Salomons ran a tailored programme including leadership development days, on-the-job workplace development and support and a mentor scheme. There were also practical projects and work-based opportunities to apply the learning to real challenges faced in everyday life.

The Outcome
Participants found the programme both useful and stimulating with two out of ten junior grade staff being promoted as a result of the programme. They used their new skills to implement projects which made real improvements to the service. Individuals were not only furthering their career but acting as role models of positive leadership to midwifery teams.

Senior Manager leadership development programme for a Learning Disabilities Trust in the South of England

The need

The Trust wanted to develop the leadership capability of its senior management community. It was facing a merger and wanted to ensure managers were equipped to lead the change process whilst maintaining levels of service.

Our Role

We designed and delivered a programme for the top 55 managers and a separate process for the executive team. This included participation in a development centre, 360 degree feedback using the “NHS Leadership Qualities Framework” feedback tool, workshops, coaching and action learning sets.

The outcome

The senior managers felt more confident to lead the change process. Executive directors observed that fewer operational problems were being passed up the line for them to deal with. There was greater networking and shared problem solving. Communication processes improved.

For an initial conversation please call our team on either 01892 507696 or 0141 548 8140 or email ask@salomons.org.uk.