Writing in AAA, the Aged Care Leadership Project Committee responds to Andrew Larpent’s critique of its leadership strategy and framework.
Andrew Larpent’s opinion piece, ‘Leadership matters – from bedroom to boardroom‘, (published on AAA online, 22 May) was timely and appreciated.
The Aged Care Leadership Capability Framework is exactly that: a framework, not a compliance system. It provides capabilities that leaders can use to flesh out what is important to their role and context. As the report itself states: “the framework should be used flexibly according to the requirements of the role”, “targeting those with organisational authority as the key enablers of organisational change” and that leadership may be demonstrated by any member of the organisation regardless of role.
It’s a reference document for organisations to use as a starting point in creating a specific leadership development strategy for their workforce and respecting diversity. The Strategy and Framework provide clarity that organisations can draw on when developing a group of leaders, and move beyond the clinical. As Andrew Larpent intimates in his opinion piece, leadership should be included in all qualifications.
The Strategy and the Framework would not have reached their current stage without the involvement of the 440 members who signed up to the leadership project network.
However, this is only the start of the work, and the Aged Care Leadership Project Committee (led by ACSA and LASA in partnership with CS&HISC) appreciates feedback such as that provided by Andrew; which is filtering through as network members begin to contextualise the framework for their own organisation. This feedback will help work through next steps and identify what needs to be considered as related to diversity of our workforce and clients, and design of effective and efficient leadership development programs. Boards require another level of analysis and were deliberately excluded in developing this work, as the focus was workers directly employed by organisations.
From the beginning this project has aimed to bring people together from across the industry to share thinking about leaders and leadership development. We agree with Andrew that this is the start of something and it is a test of our resolve and commitment – a document is a piece of paper unless you give it life, and this is a framework not a prescription. Let the debate begin.
Signed: The Aged Care Leadership Project Committee
