PURPOSEful management development:
Management consulting in the nursing and care sector
Tailor-made leadership development. Consulting case of a religious order in the context of Neuwaldegg’s management consulting and development.
How to establish religious values in the secular working day
A globally active order, which has been supporting people in need since the 15th century, is facing a challenge: there are less and less members of the order in hospitals and nursing homes and more and more secular employees are taking on leadership responsibilities. The monks are asking themselves how they can sustainably support the order’s values in the members’ everyday work. This is exactly what they want to address during a leadership course.
An interdisciplinary course has a specific purpose and professionalises leadership
The order’s leadership course focuses on professionalising the leadership work and at the same time on intensively analysing one’s own organisation. The following objectives set the framework:
- To promote a culture of leadership based on the order’s values by constantly addressing them
- Experience-based learning using concrete, own examples
- Developing personal leadership skills through theory, reflection and exercises
- Action between the modules that supports transfer and implementation
- Interdisciplinary exchange so networks can be established
A cultural analysis is started to ensure that the leaders’ specific topics can be picked up on in the programme: Group interviews are conducted with different professional groups and discussions are held with employees, managers and monks. Different areas and facilities are also visited and observed.
Individual as well as organisational learning ensures the transfer to practical experience
A leadership programme is designed based on the cultural analysis. In doing so, we pay particular attention to small details, to the choice of the seminar location, rituals and room planning, which underline the order’s values.
Or in the group compositions, we make sure that they represent a good cross-section of the organisation and are made up of managers from a wide range of professions. This creates a deeper understanding for each other, promotes interdisciplinary exchange and enables learning from and with each other.
The programme extends over 14 days and is divided into several modules. We choose the systemic view on leadership in chronological order: leading systems, leading teams, lean management & healthcare, leading employees. Each learning group is accompanied by a Reflection Guide, who also offers individual coaching sessions outside the course hours. The new trainer provides fresh input with professional expertise and a lot of experience.
Different common threads run through the programme: in terms of content, positive leadership is always worked on in a practical way and the participants learn about interventions for their everyday life. Socially, learning groups focus on shared experiences in the evening. Transfer measures are designed around the learning partners, for example with shadowing. Organisational learning takes place again and again by jointly evaluating and passing on experiences.
A shared learning space to unleash potential
Going through this programme is a unique experience every time for the learning groups and will continue to make waves within the order for a long time to come. An intensive examination of the organisational culture, a tailor-made programme, the attention to detail and the intensity of the meetings create a unique learning space in which managers can develop – in line with the organisation’s values.
Elisabeth Dudak & Barbara Buzanich
Read more about this: SINNvolle Führung / Neuwaldegger Buchbeitrag zum Buch Positive Leadership (in German Language)