Leadership and development programme
We know how challenging it can be to step into a medical director role. So we’ve created a leadership and development programme, which aims to create a community of emerging leaders, and upskill and inspire them to perform confidently.
Why you might need us
While medical training is both lengthy and intensive, the necessary focus on clinical skills leaves little or no time to learn how to be an effective leader. The result is that many new clinical or medical directors find themselves having to learn the management side of their job as they go along, which can feel both daunting and, at times, extremely lonely.
What we offer
Our year one course is made up of six, bi-monthly sessions, led by medical directors Professor Matt Makin and Professor Derek Willis. The first five are 1-2-1 coaching sessions, allowing participants to work through live issues in their organisations in a safe space. The final session brings all the participants together as a group to share what they have learned.
Following positive feedback and input from our first cohort, we have also developed an optional second year course, for year one graduates who want to keep learning. It involves three group sessions exploring popular year one topics in more depth, and three flexible 1-2-1 coaching sessions.
Year one
Session 1: Getting the best from your board
Explore the relationship between medical directors and their boards, and understand the main responsibilities of board trustees.
Session 2: Leading a professional team
Dig into the strengths and weaknesses of different personality types (including your own), and understand the causes of team dysfunction and how to fix it.
Sessions 3: Communication skills in a leadership role
Work through scenarios in which good communications skills are vital, and learn how to deliver constructive criticism or bad news more successfully.
Session 4: Governance of the medical workforce
Examine your and others’ governance responsibilities, and understand how to manage health, capability and conduct concerns.
Session 5: Clinical effectiveness, quality and safety
Get to grips with why clinical efficiency is so critical, and explore how to create and maintain a safety culture, underpinned by well-managed feedback.
Session 6: Group discussion and reflection
Join our other course participants to share learnings and experiences, and start building a professional community for ongoing support.
Year two
Group session 1: Challenges of solo clinical leadership
Discuss the challenges of being a leader with your fellow graduates, and share your strategies for developing resilience and confidence.
Group session 2: The medical director and the board
Go deeper into how medical directors act as a bridge between their clinical team and the board, and explore ways to communicate in a way that helps influence others.
Group session 3: Small team management and dysfunction
Think together about the best ways to manage small, multi-disciplinary teams, including how to tackle dysfunctional behaviour and inspire a collaborative culture.
Personal coaching sessions 1, 2 and 3
Create some space in your schedule to work through your leadership challenges and goals with one of our medical directors.