The Make or Break of Your Organisation
It is no doubt I am passionate about leadership, and over the years I have learned the importance of this. As a leader, you are the person who can guide, mentor, protect and ultimately ‘lead’. People look up to leaders? Well, you would think so, but you must do so much more than simply walk with the title. As a leader in Social Care (in particular), you must put in effort. Don’t think you will gain respect simply because you are someone’s ‘boss’. And if you are in a position where oversight is required – make sure you are providing that oversight, this matters, and it will certainly matter to your directors and CEO’s.
I have been the Registered Care Manager and the Managing Director of T2Z Care Services Ltd for over 4 years now, as well as holding the position of Nominated Individual, I take responsibility of being the DPO (Data Protection Officer) and DSO (Designated Safeguarding Officer). I am the ‘LEGAL’ responsible carer over ALL our service users. It stops with me. Moreover, when it comes to employment law and ensuring we are compliant and meeting contractual obligations. As a leader, I need to be a ‘fit person’ (just as your regulatory body would expect of you during your registration process).
In no way, shape or form must you believe that it’s okay for you to step way back simply because you have a structure to your organisation. It’s okay to step back a little, but you MUST retain that oversight regardless (been there and done that, got the t-shirt). You will learn an enormous lesson here if you feel it’s okay to trust everything is flowing smoothly — as it should.
One thing I have noticed is the increase in Registered Managers becoming exhausted within their role and the increase in care provider business sales. RM’s feeling they are lacking support from their directors. Providers feel the sector is crumbling. Yes, there was an increase in leavers over the Covid pandemic (understandably), and we are still recovering now – no doubt. Support workers feel they are lacking support from their managers…
The true reality is – standards filter from TOP – down. It all starts with leaders, and if you want to be the best at what you do, and you have a true passion for providing quality care and service delivery, then you need to learn leadership, become a leader and teach leadership mindsets throughout your organisation. Hence, the importance of consistent leadership.
In reality, the best leadership examples come from support workers themselves, working the frontline and although it may feel there is a shortfall in support workers with leadership qualities, we can-not avoid the fact that we are ALL teachable, and if we (at the top) filter a leadership mentality, we have the ability to create a synergy within our organisations, by leading examples, sharing organisational progresses, and if we can bring our workers to fall in line with our vision and philosophy then this is the finest of starting points from a leadership perspective.
https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/reports/social-care-leadership
https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/guidance/good-leadership-means-better-care/
