Recently I collaborated with consultant-facilitators, Sue Sampson and Scott Arbuthnot on the design, developed and implementation of the Medical Leadership in Action, targeted at Senior Medical Officers.

The MLIA Program was one of the major outcomes of a high profile strategy designed to motivate greater ‘clinical engagement’ in leadership in Queensland Health. The program was targeted at Senior Medical Officers (SMO) who had very little insight to this type of development and had very entrenched mind-sets about leadership. Many SMO believed leadership was not their responsibility and that it was the role of the often maligned "bureaucrats ".

 As the purchaser, I was seeking development partners who would work closely with me on program design. The early research and design phase is critical to the success of the program. Sue, Scott and I established formal design process, were we would share research, undertake consultations with key stakeholders and team up on the design elements of the program. I was delighted with the level of collaboration as this had not been my experience when working with other consultants or business schools.

 I chose to partner with Sue and Scott because I wanted a different and intensive experience for participants.   This required different relationships where Scott and Sue would bring experience and process and I would bring organisational insight and context.  Together we have designed, tested and refined a highly successful new program.  The 7th cohort will commence in June 2012

 Partnering is about establishing a long term win-win relationship based on mutual trust and teamwork, and on sharing of both risks and rewards. With Arbuthnot & Associates, both parties benefited from the intimacy of working relationships and collaboration.  Arbuthnot & Associates are generous with sharing learning and are always looking for process improvements and offering possibilities and solutions. 

 It is worth noting, that there is a flow on effect of these close working relationships to the participants. Participants feel the facilitators know them and are genuinely interested in them, their challenges and their development.   This achieves greater participant engagement through use of contextual research and individual objective setting.  Facilitators build developmental relationships with participants before workshops and are, therefore, able to align multiple learning experiences, assist with coach selections (a unique service feature) and refine cohort-specific designs for sign-off before workshops.  

One more thing  - expect partnerships with Scott and Sue to have good contract and project management.  The relationship is underpinned by a shared understanding of the program costs and administrative processes. Arbuthnot & Associates are good at transparent budgeting, planning invoicing and reducing potential for scope creep.  Transparency in the cost services is part of their early relationship and understanding building.

 Jennifer Witheriff, Senior Medical Officers’ Leadership In Action (MLIA) program manager, 2009 to December 2011.  0408787088

 

 

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