Building a Leadership Team
It is important for staff to see a unified leadership team working together daily toward this transformation. Each department head has to be provided with training and an understanding of the importance of giving our residents, families and staff a voice in daily decision making, and of strengthening relationships to make life in the facility more like life within their home. When the department heads are on board with this way of thinking, it will begin to filter down to those that they supervise.
It is important for staff to see a unified leadership team working together daily toward this transformation. Each department head has to be provided with training and an understanding of the importance of giving our residents, families and staff a voice in daily decision making, and of strengthening relationships to make life in the facility more like life within their home. When the department heads are on board with this way of thinking, it will begin to filter down to those that they supervise.
Begin by opening your culture change meetings to all that would like to attend — staff, families and residents alike. Encourage them to speak out and provide the input needed to transition the thinking process. Use formats like the "Communication Connection" tool to encourage everyone to have a voice. This will help you select members of the actual Culture Change Team. Use the information collected earlier when you asked the question "What does culture change mean to you?" The culture change team needs to be people who understand that transforming our hearts and minds is the foundation of a changed culture in the facility.
The Leadership Team does not have to be composed of people with a leadership title, just individuals who are ready and willing to help lead and infect others with this highly contagious new way of thinking. It is helpful to have a member from each department and from various shifts represented on the Leadership Team.
The Leadership Team will serve as coaches to the Culture Change Team. The Culture Change Team will help get the Nursing Home Growth Surveys to residents, families and staff. The results of the Nursing Home Growth Surveys will guide you to the focus areas that are important to these individuals. The Culture Change Team will communicate, lead and work alongside staff and families to implement the changes.
Remind the team that the changes made need to be what our residents and families want, not corporate or upper management.
Use these tools to help with this step:
Team members:
- Should not be shy about asking questions or making suggestions. They must have a full understanding of their involvement in the process. No suggestion should ever be dismissed without serious consideration.
- Should always show respect for each other and respect for the ideas and suggestions given by others
- Should think of their participation in the culture change process as a meaningful necessity, not as something
that prevents them from doing their job
- Should be a group of people who can work closely together
- Should include all levels of staff, residents, family and community
- Should be chosen based on their genuine desire to make the facility a better place to live and work
Rules:
- The team must be made up of self-directed individuals who represent each area of the facility
- Everyone is treated with common respect and courtesy
- Each person on the team has an equal voice
- The leader of the team is the coach or supporter and his/her say is equal to that of the other members
- The team will be responsible for developing their own goals and each person’s role
- A team meeting can be called and led by any team member
Use this technique in your team setting to give each person an opportunity to express their view of a particular topic and allow for many views when problem-solving. It will also broaden the views of all who participate.
- Move around the room and open the floor up to each person for a specific amount of time.
- If a person chooses not to speak, and only listen, that is acceptable. Come back to that person at the end and give another opportunity.
- Someone has to lead the discussion to ensure ground rules are followed and moderate the flow to eliminate over-talking or cross-talking. This person (the Connector) does not have to be the one in the group who knows the most about the topic, just the one who can moderate and keep the communication flowing in a productive manner. This role should not always be filled by the same person.
- Let everyone have a say in the topic before it is opened up to a discussion type of communication.
- If your group is large, consider breaking into smaller groups and have someone take notes and try to narrow the outcomes in order to share with the team as a whole.
- Include residents, families, and community.
- Try to have everyone in the Connection in a position to see everyone else in the room.
- The flow of the conversation can be decided by the group. One suggestion is to draw numbers, with the person holding number 1 can begin the discussion and others following in numerical order.
Be creative and base the topics on your facility. Some suggested topics:
1. What will be our greatest challenge with transforming our culture?
2. What are we doing now that is resident centered?
3. How will giving our residents the opportunity to decide when they will awake in the mornings change the way we plan our day?