Here at the College, we have been thinking about leadership a lot lately. In this blog, I will share some of the questions we have been considering, my thoughts in response to these and what we, as a College, are doing for members. Ultimately I hope to provoke thought and reflection because for me, leadership is partly about sticking your neck out and asking “can this be done differently?”
So, here are some of the questions we have been considering…
What is it about the current climate that makes leadership such a hot topic? What does this mean for occupational therapists? Why do we not see ourselves as natural leaders? What can we do as the professional body to support our members?
All four countries in the UK are trying to change the way health and social care is delivered. The dominance of the medical model, condition-specific delivery, and hospital, acute care has to be challenged and shifted to a more prevention, place-based, whole person approach. New policies inevitably refer to transforming services. The term “health” is now automatically followed by “wellbeing”. Innovation and new ways of working are actively promoted. To change the culture and system, however, takes not just a top-down steer but local projects, demonstrating what an alternative service might look like.
Certainly, when we hold roadshows or other events, there is a sense that occupational therapy leadership is lacking in many services. Old structures have been washed away with endless rounds of restructuring or recommissioning of services and many organisations are left with Band 7 as the highest grade, sitting under a nursing or social work directorate. This leaves staff feeling rudderless and unsupported when actually it could be argued that the changing direction of health and social care delivery is a good fit for the profession.
So we have to think differently about how we grow leadership within the profession. First, we have to stop dismissing our expertise and clinical reasoning as "just common sense". It is crucial we recognise our expertise and clearly articulate how we can apply it within service delivery. Collectively, we are prone to the assumption that no-one "gets" occupational therapy, so "what is the point?" The other myth is: "If I keep my head down I will be left alone to get on with my work". Unfortunately, people using our services and feeling the benefit is not enough on its own. We have to demonstrate to colleagues, managers, and commissioners what we do and the impact.
Next, we have to start recognising ourselves as leaders. In our RCOT roadshows, we ask participants to reflect on when they last acted as a leader. What behaviours and skills have they adopted, where and how do they have influence, who are their natural partners? What aspect of service delivery would benefit from occupational therapy leadership because we have the right clinical reasoning and expertise?
We know the difference between leadership and management when we stop and think about it, but when you have any ongoing discussion the two become confused. RCOT is using the definition of leadership as “the action of leading a group of people or an organisation, or the ability to do this" (Oxford English Dictionary). Leadership involves developing a vision or idea and inspiring others with how that vision or idea can be realised. We may have, in many areas of practice, lost our traditional management structure but that does not have to mean we lose leadership within the profession.
The College has responded by developing a Career Development Framework – with a whole pillar on leadership designed to help members consider where their strengths and experience lies and what they might want to do next. This year’s roadshow leads members through a series of exercises to take away and consider in more depth with colleagues and peers. Our website has resources and opportunities on leadership mapped to the Career Development Framework and we are working with the Elizabeth Casson Trust to support leadership opportunities. The Occupational Therapy: Improving Lives, Saving Money campaign has leadership as a thread and is all about promoting our expertise.
For shorthand, I have been making sweeping generalisations about the profession but if my characterisation has any truth then maybe we should collectively start owning our expertise, put ourselves forward more and all take responsibility for nurturing the talent we see in our occupational therapy support staff, students, and recently qualified occupational therapists.
Share your story
What do you think? Please get in touch and send your leadership story to karin.orman@rcot.co.uk
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