case study*

Learning & Development at NHS Trust in SE England

case study*

A University Hospitals NHS Trust based in the SE with a Good CQC rating engaged Hennessy Consulting to help build their newly formed executive team into a High Performing Team whilst continuing to provide great care to the local population.

 

The learning intervention we designed focused on both individual leadership capability and executive team development. Objectives included:

 

  • Build trust
  • Balance support and challenge
  • Appreciate and work with diversity
  • Adapt strategic thinking for complexity
  • Maintain wellbeing/resilience
  • Build authentic communication
  • Become a high performing team

 

The objectives were reviewed throughout the intervention, ensuring we didn’t lose focus and adjusting objectives as necessary to add stretch and further growth for individuals and the team.

 

Our team development approach is underpinned by Patrick Lencioni’s work on the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Our programme design turned each of these dysfunctions around to build high performing team layer by layer.

Diagnostics informed the design of the learning intervention and give a foundation to for executive coaching:

 

  1. Leadership Profiling using the Kantor Team Profile Suite and the Harthill Leadership Development Profile to explore team dynamics, potential team derailers and provide a map for development.
  2. Executive Team Individual Interviews to assess team members’ understanding of current context, challenges, priorities and ambitions.
  3. Wider Data Gathering pulling in board member input, Employee Engagement Survey findings, CQC reports, other relevant documents and observations of team meetings.
  4. Themed Diagnostic Report to inform the finalised objectives for team development.

Four Workshops form the core of the programme and consist of:

  1. Building trust and collective leadership
    • Styles, strengths, hopes and fears
    • Team dynamics
    • Individual and collective shadows
    • Collective response
    • Differences & managing conflict well
    • Speaking with one voice
    • Values-based team charter
  2. Building collaboration and achieving commitment
    • Mindsets for collaboration
    • I and T-Shaped Leadership framework
    • Tensions, gaps and overlaps
    • Listening and building techniques
    • Increased synergies
    • Joined-up delivery approached
  3. Storytelling and authentic communication workshop
    • Specialist actor input and practice
  4. Holding each other to account
    • Team behaviours and team working
    • Outcomes together and individually
    • Celebrating progress and success
    • Finding ways forward

 

Individual executive coaching is used to embed the learning:

 

  • 3 coaching sessions in between development modules and option to continue

 

The following outcomes were observed at the end of the programme:

 

  • Collective leadership of Trust values, living them across the organisation
  • Pulling together in the same direction with a shared sense of urgency
  • Engaging colleagues in the vision and continue to develop high quality services
  • Holding each other and their teams to account to deliver
  • Higher internal and external credibility and profile
  • The team flying at the “right altitude”