Comment / (Just like) starting over

Commentators tell us why we can’t deliver – we need ambitions that create conditions where we can

The beginning of a new calendar year is traditionally when we reflect on our personal and family achievements during the outgoing year and set new goals for the months ahead. So as we flip from one financial year to the next, it is important we similarly take time to reflect, reset and reload.

I was reminded this month that there is difference between just working in a team and being part of an effective, high-performing team. This usually comes down to being able to answer ‘yes’ to three questions:

• Does your team have clear objectives?
• Do you have to work closely together to achieve these objectives?
• Do you meet regularly to review your team effectiveness?

This is pretty obvious stuff, I know. But it is also backed up by a strong evidence base.

Why, then, do we and our teams often pay lip-service to our individual and collective objective setting? Especially after having usually invested so much time and energy shaping the business planning priorities and objectives of the organisations we serve?

Maybe John Lennon had the answer to that conundrum in 1980, when he wrote: ‘It’s been so long since we took the time. No-one’s to blame. I know time flies so quickly.’ In this context, I think we can all relate to John.

So, back to the evidence. What it tells us is that when teams do get it right, there is a demonstrable increase in staff (and user) satisfaction, wellbeing and engagement. 

This happens alongside a significant decrease in waste, turnover and sickness absence. Furthermore, this stuff leads to reduced cost and a virtuous cycle of innovation and improvement. The opposite is also true of course. So it would surely follow that this is one of life’s ‘no brainers’? 

Providers across England have recently received benchmarking reports highlighting relative financial investment in business support services. 

Across Dorset, as I’m sure is the case across all the 44 sustainability and transformation plan footprints, this further challenges the pace at which we move towards our ‘one NHS’ vision. And similar questions will be being asked in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Inevitably, this creates uncertainty for our highly valued and much needed staff across finance, information, procurement, estates and human resources – at a time when we need to draw on the skills of these staff more than ever. 

Not only do we expect them to continue to meet daily demands, but our colleagues are central to moves towards greater use of data and evidence-based decision-making.

So it is crucial we take the time to ensure we can answer those three earlier questions in the affirmative. Let’s get our goals clear and ambitious and work closely to achieve them. And, I’ll bet that, by ensuring we are working effectively as teams, this clarity will provide a framework for individuals to feel more personally empowered to make the best decisions at the right level.

So as we put 2016/17 to bed and set forward with a plan to deliver on 2017/18 challenges, let’s make sure we are individually and collectively ready to be our effective best. 

After all, as I keep saying, everyone counts.