So you’ve made a start on your leadership skills and you’ve transitioned into a core level training role – what next? If you didn’t get the chance to consider the Edward Jenner leadership programme in foundation training, then have a look now. Both the Launch and Foundations modules are free to study and lead to an NHS Leadership Academy Award in Leadership Foundations. The programme is designed to be self paced and is completed online. Modules cover a wide range of leadership skills and introduce you to the healthcare leadership model. If you’ve completed Edward Jenner, take a look at the leadership modules on the e-Learning for Health website.
You’re directing much of your own development at this stage with the support of a core training curriculum and the healthcare leadership model may help you choose which domains to focus on. For example as you take more of a leadership role within your ward team you may wish to reflect on what the ideal ward team looks like and how you encourage the creation of a well functioning team working with you when you’re the most senior doctor on the ward. If you choose to explore the ‘engaging the team’ domain of the leadership model published by the NHS leadership academy then consider what are the essential, strong, proficient and exemplary behaviours of a leader who is working effectively with their team. Consider days that work really well and others when things don’t go according to plan and reflect on what might have led to the differences.
Reflection will help you explore your approach to leading a team more effectively and you might choose to do this alone, with a group of peers learning the same skills or with a supervisor or mentor.
You may choose to develop a leadership portfolio separate to that of your college curriculum or other tools to support you with this aspect of your professional development.
Have a look at the resources on the faculty for medical leadership and management (FMLM) website especially the leadership development passport in the members resource section. The faculty offer great resources, events and coaching to those exploring their leadership skills so its worth joining, but many of the resources are available free to non-members such as the passport
Or you may wish to start with a self assessment tool to help you to identify which domain of leadership might be appropriate for you to work on in your current role. The link to the 360 self assessment tool is above.
Many of our core training programmes incorporate leadership development into their local and regional training offers. Some offer opportunities at a national level linked to college based programmes
KSS Leadership 