What is it?
Involving individuals and demonstrating that their contributions and ideas are valued and important for delivering outcomes and continuous improvements to the service.
Why is it important?
Leaders promote teamwork and a feeling of pride by valuing individuals’ contributions and ideas; this creates an atmosphere of staff engagement where desirable behaviour, such as mutual respect, compassionate care and attention to detail, are reinforced by all team members.
What it is not:
- Building plans without consultation
- Autocratic leadership
- Failing to value diversity
- Springing ideas on others without discussion
Essential
Involving the team:
- Do I recognise and actively appreciate each person’s unique perspectives and experience?
- Do I listen attentively to my team and value their suggestions?
- Do I ask for contributions from my team to raise their engagement?
Proficient
Fostering creative participation:
- Do I ask for feedback from my team on things that are working well and things we could improve?
- Do I shape future plans together with my team?
- Do I encourage my team to identify problems and solve them?
Strong
Co-operating to raise the game:
- Do I enable my team to feed off each other’s ideas, even if there is a risk the ideas might not work?
- Do I encourage team members to get to know each other’s pressures and priorities so that they can co-operate to provide a seamless service when resources are stretched?
- Do I offer support and resources to other teams in my organisation?
Exemplary
Stretching the team for excellence and innovation:
- Do I stretch my team so that they deliver a fully ‘joined-up’ service, and so give the best value they can?
- Do I support other leaders to build success within and beyond my organisation?
- Do I create a common purpose to unite my team and enable them to work seamlessly together to deliver?
- Do I encourage my team to deliver on the shared purpose, as much as on their individual targets?