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Powerful Leadership

With Glenn Carter and Jan Beattie

Project Lift community-hosted conversations

24 September 2020

@ProjectLiftScot#PLCommunityEvents

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community-hosted conversations: Powerful leadership

We set out to:Provide space for Glenn and Jan to host and open a conversation on a leadership issue that is important to them, and for community members to contribute to that conversation with their own experiences.

Here at Project Lift, our purpose is to offer a different way of looking at leadership at all levels, in all roles, working collaboratively and choosing to work compassionately to help our staff meet these challenges.

Our community-hosted conversations are about providing the opportunity and space for the wider Project Lift community to open a conversation on a leadership issue that is important to them.

On 24th September, Glenn Carter and Jan Beattie kicked off our first community-hosted event, focusing on powerful leadership.Glenn and Jan hosted a conversation with team leaders across the health, social and voluntary sectors that focused on using power to affect positive change.

Our primary purpose is to improve outcomes for the people we serve. But does the system get in the way of us improving real outcomes for people? Do the people working in the system easily let go of power and do they feel they have the permission to think radically and deliver true person-led rather than system-centred care?

This pack provides an overview of the discussions

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Who joined us and why?

Project Lift exists to support leadership at all levels and at all stages, in all roles across health and social care in Scotland. A core aim of the community events series is to broaden Project Lift’s reach and connect to more of the system, and so these events were open to all.

We were joined by 30 colleagues from across health and care in Scotland, including those working in physiotherapy, mental health, OD, NHS management, nursing and improvement.

This included a range of organisations across Scotland, including local NHS organisations in Lothian, Grampian, Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Forth Valley and Dide; Public Health Scotland and local government.

Get inspired by fresh perspectives

Build my leadership skills

Influencing person- centred care

How to use my power to create change

How to empower others

Changes to leadership due to Covid-19

Build trust/ engagement

Meet other leaders

Before the event, we asked registrants ‘If you could get one thing out of this event, what would it be?’

What attendees wanted to get out of the event...

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Opening perspectives

We kicked off the session with an introduction from our hosts, Glenn Carter, Speech and Language Therapy Coordinator at NHS Forth Valley and Jan Beattie, Allied Health Professionals Officer for Primary Care at Scottish Government.

In their opening session they covered:

- What we mean by ‘power’ and how this has shifted with culture and over time

- What it means to give away and let go of power, and the importance of really listening to others and admitting when we don’t know all the answers

- The importance balancing of stepping in and stepping back.- Accountability, setting boundaries and knowing when to step in as a leader,

and when there can be a place for ‘command and control’ leadership- The impact of Covid-19, and how we achieved things we didn’t previously

think was possible- The difference between red rules (things that have to happen) and blue rules

(things that have been put in place overtime but have scope to change) and the importance of questioning blue rules

Glenn CarterSpeech and

Language Therapy Coordinator,

NHS Forth Valley

Jan BeattieAllied Health

Professionals Officer for Primary Care,

Scottish Government

Before the session, Glenn and Jan shared a blog to open the discussion. Read the blog here: ‘Powerful leadership during COVID-19: Are there opportunities to affect radical change by thinking differently about power?

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Opening perspectives

Before breaking into discussion groups, participants shared some initial reflection in the chat box:

“And there may be differences between what the situation requires in terms of stepping in back, what the leader does and what individual team members want the leader to do…”

“I am interested in the possible conflict between power and responsibility”

“People need both certainty and uncertainty, the challenge is working out what folk need at a point in time. Covid has perhaps moved us too much towards uncertainty which may have driven behaviours (good and bad) that push for more certainty”

“Leaders need to know when to step back and empower others... and when to step in.. really like that” “I like your comment

Jan of when to step in but knowing when to step back! This has been very challenging for me during the COVID crisis as the instinct is to keep hold and not let go.”

“Situations are dynamic and needs us to pay attention to what works for who at what point.......for the right reasons”

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Breakout discussions - round 1

Following the opening perspectives, we went into breakout rooms to discuss our reflections from the discussion. In the first breakout discussion, we explored:

“What are your experiences of power?”Reflecting on what you have heard and your own experiences, discuss:

1. What resonated with you from the introduction?

2. What are your experiences of power?

3. What are the similarities and differences between our experiences of power?

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Breakout discussions - round 1

“What are your experiences of power?” - Key themes from discussions:

Stepping in and stepping out of power● This theme resonated with many of the groups, with discussions exploring when and how to step in and step out of. Some groups

discussed the importance of understanding the team, both as a team and as individuals. As leaders are working in complex situations, you have to create a platform for everyone to find and grow their potential.

Humility● The theme of humility cut across the majority of the discussions, especially in terms of admitting when you are wrong, don’t have all the

answers or have made mistakes, and empowering others. Being able to learn from others and their perspectives, including more junior colleagues, is important.

Context is important ● Understanding the context is important to adapting leadership styles. For example, command and control leadership is generally regarded

as negative, but can be necessary at times (e.g. setting up Nightingale Hospitals), whereas in other situations, a collaborative approach is needed. It’s important to be able to discuss and understand the situation to adapt leadership styles.

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Breakout discussions - round 1

“What are your experiences of power?” - Key themes from discussions:

Impact of Covid-19 on power● The power of the pandemic has helped some things move along more quickly, and allowed some rules to change. There is now an

opportunity for the NHS to consider is how we harness that external power for positive change.

Mistakes are part of the journey● As a leader, not getting everything right is part of the journey. It’s important to create the environment to learn from these mistakes.

Compassion● Having and showing compassion and being human is an important part of leadership and power. For example, encouraging a positive

work-life balance and providing the flexibility where possible with working from home can be important for a team.

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Breakout discussions - round 2

We then moved into different breakout groups and, building on the previous discussion, explored the question:

“What are the core principles for enabling power?”

Based on your discussions and personal experiences:

1. What core principles do we need to follow to enable power?

2. Try to decide on a ‘top 3 principles’ as a group

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Breakout discussions - round 1

“What are the core principles for enabling power?” - Key themes from discussions

Principles shared:

• Trust and respect• Showing vulnerability and when you make mistakes• Being aware of own unconscious bias• Emotional intelligence and empathy• Listening and understanding the organisation and

individuals within it• Aligning people around shared vision and common aims• Being clear on outcomes• Honesty and openness• Reflection and being able to adapt your approach• Humour• Flexibility

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Closing reflections

Group facilitators shared back the key themes discussed in their group, and then we spent time as a whole group reflecting on our discussions. We asked participants: ‘what insights will you take away personally from your discussions?’ "Behaviours breeds

behaviours" my new favourite mantra!”

“I am interested in the possible conflict between power and responsibility”

“Power isn’t a possession and how powerful it can be an is when people 'take' it. “

“Remember humour”

“Be human, be myself”

“Vulnerability, humility, strength to fail - this is real power”

“I liked the comments on humour but within the context of emotional intelligence”

“Build relationships of trust”

“Share power don't cling on”

“The shared sense that it is the qualities that enable relationships to be good are so important”

“Be honest, the human factor”

“The importance of not clinging or protecting your power but being vulnerable and prepared to step in or step out”

“Be true to yourself, honest, open and compassionate”

“Key to not take yourself seriously”

“Permission not to know!”

“Permission to let go”

Being true to yourself

Importance of humour

Letting go of power

‘What insights will you take away

personally from your discussions?’

Relationships

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Closing reflections

Finally, we ended on our practical learnings, asking participants to answer the question “One practical step I will take away to help manage power well and create change for good is…”

“Red and blue rules”“Be aware of how the power I

am experiences from above is impacting my wellbeing and how I then show up to others“

“Creating opportunities for, and prioritising time to actively listen”

“Don't take myself too seriously! And nudge those around me to take themselves less seriously too”

“Thinking of facilitating effective action”

“The importance of emotional intelligence - know myself”

“Compassion for others and for myself, underlined today”

“Don't be afraid to make mistakes, own them and share the experience with others to empower them”

“Creating positive cultures where trust and respect is a focus”

“Plan and prepare but be prepared to ditch them all with honesty and humour”

“Create the space to reflect”

“Take the permission to challenge the ‘blue rules’”

“Psychological safety” “Using the power that

I already have and might not be using”

“The power of reflection”

“Look for feedback, what works well for that individual/ group/ project.”

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Thank you and evaluation

4.4/5

% of participants would recommend an event like this to a colleague91

Average Score:

Participants particularly liked the facilitated breakout space, having a chance to explore with others, and some would have liked more time to delve deeper into the discussions.

Finally, thank you so much for being a part of this Project Lift event.

Thank you for your energy, perspective and contributions to the session, and for helping us to explore what good leadership means.

If you have any questions about anything in this pack or any of the events in our series, feel free to contact us at hello@kscopehealth.org.uk.

What our participants thought...

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Upcoming events in the series

Leading Change In The Context Of Covid-19 &

Beyond

Wellbeing & Resilience In The Workplace In The Context Of Covid-19 &

BeyondAgency: Power & Purpose

Registration Opening Soon

Collaboration & Working Across Boundaries

Registration Opening Soon

Moving Forward Registration Opening Soon

9th Sep 2020 1st Oct 2020 25th Nov 2020

10th Dec 2020 25th Feb 2021

Find out more and register: projectlift.scot/events

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Would you like to host a conversation?

Our community-hosted conversations are about providing the opportunity and space for the wider Project Lift community to open a conversation on a leadership issue that is important to them. Like Glenn and Jan, you could host your own conversation, too, with support from Kaleidoscope and Project Lift.

If you have a leadership topic you would like to discuss with the wider community, then we would love you to be a host! Let us know by emailing hello@kscopehealth.org.uk.

We hope to hear from you soon!