Three big challenges greet new clinical team leaders from their first day in the role. If you are considering a leadership position, or are still settling into your new role, here’s what to expect, writes Judith Chapman.
Ingrid dropped into her chair, relieved to be back in her office. She felt drained. Was it just three weeks since she had stepped into her new role as clinical team leader? Back then she was so excited and idealistic. Her CEO was counting on her to bring forward some important changes at their small facility. With her team on side she could do so much more to care for patients.
But now she was wracked with doubt. With so many new responsibilities to sort through she felt overwhelmed. There were rosters to organise, supplies to order, budgets to plan and meetings to attend.
Ingrid now realized that leading people was not as easy as she had assumed, either. Staff don’t always do what you say just because you ask them to. One in particular was downright demanding. And here she was now, peering in at Ingrid through the glass partition, no doubt expecting to take leave over the long weekend. Again. With a sigh Ingrid turned away from the new patient safety protocol she was keen to get done, and motioned the staff member to come inside.
Leading a team committed to the highest standards is highly satisfying for people like Ingrid. They really care about their patients and want to provide the best outcomes possible. But it isn’t easy. With so many competing demands on their time, they feel squeezed between the conflicting expectations of senior management, patients and their families and of course, staff. And with resources stretched as they are, leadership training or even a word of advice from those more experienced can be hard to find. Often, it feels like a case of sink or swim.
Three big challenges come out to meet new clinical team leaders from their first day in the role. If you are considering leadership as the next step, or are still settling in to your new role, this is what to expect.
Challenge 1:
Prioritising leadership as a time commitment
It can come as quite a shock to discover that being a leader is rather time consuming. So much tedious paperwork, and so many policies and procedures to get your head around! Not to mention all the other ‘distractions’ to take you away from your patients. No wonder Ingrid feels snowed under and a little helpless.
It would be a mistake to try fitting leadership in around your old role while continuing as before. You have stepped up and people are looking to you for guidance. Here’s what you do:
First, take the time to familiarize yourself with your new responsibilities, including legally binding matters governing staff (HR and IR) and patient care. As a manager, you are now accountable.
Second, get organised as quickly as you can, firstly to manage yourself so you can fit everything in and, secondly, because organizing the work of other people is part of the job. If organisation doesn’t come naturally to you, find a colleague who is good at it and ask for a few tips. It’s a matter of finding a system and sticking to it.
Third, get into good habits around reading and responding to emails and other communications. If something requires a response, try to do it straight away, rather than stacking up little jobs for ‘later’. There are few things as demoralizing as an in-basket that is always overflowing.
Fourth, compartmentalise your time as well as you can, making it clear when you are available, and just as importantly, when you need time by yourself to do the thinking. Expect to be interrupted sometimes because real emergencies happen. On the other hand, emergencies tend to have a low threshold for some people – the day is full of matters that need to be fixed now. Ingrid has one of those people on her team. She will have to create some ‘rules’ for such people and be consistent in applying them.
Challenge 2:
Transitioning from expert practitioner to leader
You were chosen for leadership because you are very good at what you do. But what counts now is how well you harness the expertise that others have to offer. It is no longer just about what you can do professionally, but how you use your knowledge and experience to make judgements that affect the whole team. Ingrid has prioritized patient safety because she knows the team can do better.
You are a leader, but no-one expects you to know or do everything. The leader’s role is to take a helicopter view of things, rather than become too immersed in the everyday. Here’s what you do:
First, don’t feel that you have to make your mark right away. Its okay to build your confidence and credibility slowly as you grow into the role.
Second, take the time to gauge the level of your team’s knowledge and experience. Note your team’s strengths and be vocal about what they are – these are the building blocks of future success, so reinforce them with your staff.
Third, resist the temptation to slip back into your old role as clinician or content expert. Know the difference between coaching a less experienced team member and taking over. It’s best if staff feel confident in approaching you for advice when they need it.
Fourth, your actions and behaviour define your quality as a leader. Be a role model for the standards you expect of others. With the patient safety issue, for example, Ingrid now has ample opportunity to ‘walk the talk’.
Challenge 3:
Building collaborative team relationships
You might have inherited a team of efficient, productive staff, but it would be a mistake to take this state for granted. With relationships, you have to keep building. And here is another shock – after your promotion to leader your relationships with friends who used to be at the same level necessarily evolve into something different.
Encourage staff to be emotionally invested in the team and the job they do. When engagement is high people contribute more, do the best they can for their patients and help one another out when the pressure is on. Here’s what you do:
First, it’s up to you create a work environment that feels trusting and supportive. Set the scene by treating people with civility and respect, being consistent in your dealings with others and showing the same consideration to staff as you do to your patients. If just one person feels excluded or put upon, the whole atmosphere will suffer.
Second, talk to staff about the meaning they find in their work. What difference do they make to the lives of their patients? What do they find deeply satisfying? Find the common themes and link them back to your organisation’s vision. If Ingrid does this, she will feel inspired and reenergized, and so will her team.
Third, with old friends and colleagues try to cultivate a degree of professional distance by, for example, ceasing to discuss your feelings about people and company policy as freely as you used to. You will find that most genuine friendships will continue. Indeed, others will also seek ways to transition the relationship so that they do not lose you as a valued friend.
Ultimately, if you follow all the advice outlined here you’ll be off to the best start possible as a clinical team leader.
In aged care, nothing is as critical for patient care and quality outcomes as frontline leadership.
The research is unequivocal – leadership is essential for building a skilled workforce, maintaining standards and creating a shared learning environment where evidence-based knowledge is practiced every day.
Dr Judith Chapman is an organisational psychologist and author of You Can Lead: your complete guide to managing people and teams (access her website here).
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