Page 23 - Tale of Transformation

How to Progress
From the Transformational to the Neighborhood Stage
in Leadership
Leadership should be a quality and characteristic, shared by those in formal leadership positions, and those who are stepping up to be leaders in this culture change. Everyone willing to be a leader should be provided with the opportunities to grow their leadership skills. This means creating opportunities for speaking up and for listening up. The learning circle provides a strong vehicle for growing this new shared leadership style in the culture.
“If I want it done right, I have to do it” or “I might as well just do it myself” are two mantras frequently heard among leaders resisting empowering others. We genuinely believe that no one else can care as much, be as committed to, or as knowledgeable as we are in accomplishing the goals.
Often though, people are held back, not by their own unwillingness – but by the barriers that exist in the structure of the organization. Everyone will begin to see their shared vision and commitment when they begin to listen to one another – leaders and potential leaders. Formal leaders and informal leaders.
Grow this new atmosphere by creating open discussions to identify barriers and then begin to persistently and consistently tackle these barriers. For example a barrier may be the lack of knowledge about regulations.
Other barriers often include the lack of time for direct care folks to participate in meetings, the lack of resources available to informal decision-makers. Lack of comfort with confronting a formal leader and little confidence to speak up in meetings can also get in the way. The lack of some technical knowledge or the lack of process knowledge can also create barriers.
Join together to reduce barriers and the desired changes will begin to happen.
ATTRIBUTES STAGE 3
Decision-Making
• Learning circles and other group processes
encourage real input – it’s no longer symbolic
• Daily life decisions determined by group process
Staffing
• Staff are permanently assigned and rarely float across neighborhoods
• Work in self-directed teams lead by coordinator
• The administrator, DON and Dept. heads may work
evenings shifts and/or weekends
• Staffing schedules are more flexible
Physical Environment
• Decentralized dining offered without full kitchen • Some food prep is done closer to the residents • Nursing stations and med carts are still used but
often less intrusive and more home compatible
Organizational Structure
• Neighborhood coordinator position is formalized
and added to the worker’s primary duties on the
neighborhood team
• Org chart emphasis is resident-centered
• Neighborhoods are often named by the people
who live and work within to create identity and a sense of community
Leadership Practices
• Leadership becomes more decentralized
• Many decisions made by consensus in neighborhood teams
• Leaders develop skills in conflict management
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