Leadership training starts at induction
Angela Mucic1, Steve Woollard1, Teekay Harbidge1 1Neurorehab Allied Health Network, Deer Park, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
NeuroRehab Allied Health Network places great importance on developing tomorrow’s allied health leaders. Whilst new allied health courses are growing in number and producing more new graduates each year, we also see experienced allied health professionals leaving the profession each year – the net result is not enough allied health leaders to keep up with demand. Leadership development should be invested in from induction with curated informal and formal learning opportunities throughout levels.
NeuroRehab Allied Health Network measures achievement in organisational leadership capability at the local level, and at an organisational level. At the local level, individual’s leadership capability is measured during 6-monthly appraisals. At an organisational level, we measure the impact leaders have on culture and growth via monthly Net Promoter Scores, annual Great Places to Work survey results and EFT changes.
Leadership capability development is attributed to a number of specific initiatives: Leadership programs targeting multiple levels of leadership; Business coaching; Online learning for managers; A career pathway that develops leaders across three distinct streams; Monthly leadership communication meetings; Quarterly organisation planning meetings; Manager supervision.
You can’t grow a team or a service without growing leaders to steer it. This is a longer-term strategy that requires planning and investment from induction.
Biography
Angela is a registered physiotherapist with an MBA. She has experience in learning delivery and allied health management across the disability, public and private health and tertiary education sectors. She has won awards and been published in allied health leadership. She is Head of People at NeuroRehab Allied Health Network which is Top 10 Best Workplace Australia (medium size category), improving on last year’s top 20 position. As Head of People at NeuroRehab, Angela has embedded a culture of leadership without titles, developing informal and formal leadership learning opportunities at each level within the organisation.