Elizabeth Casson Trust: Professional Leadership Project

To help develop leaders in occupational therapy with the capability of taking the profession forwards within the context in which it needs to operate Objectives to explore, develop and implement, as appropriate, partnerships between occupational therapists and relevant national organisations that promote leadership  to explore, develop and implement scholarships, fellowships and other formal learning opportunities to enhance and support leadership and professional growth across the profession.

The Elizabeth Casson Trust considers that professional leadership is the ability to envision, articulate and clearly demonstrate by example, the scope and benefits of occupational therapy to individuals and society as a whole thereby positively promulgating the profession to as wide an audience as possible. In working towards this, the ECT would wish to support the development of the potential and actual personal leadership attributes and capability of qualified occupational therapists e.g. creativity, signposting, influencing, leading change, respecting and supporting others, so that occupational therapy professionals are able and have the confidence and commitment to set directions for developments and deliver quality services to current and future service users.

personal confidence and self advocacy communication, influencing and impact building skills opinion formers and thought leaders pride and confidence in the health outcomes created by occupational therapy persuasive to draw confidently upon an evidence based business case for the broader use and promotion of OT promote OT clearly and effectively, saying what you do and doing what you say professional confidence and resilience dealing with reticence and diffidence developing self-belief and commitment influence others positively additional attributes might include creativity, signposting, leading change and the ability to respect and support others

Phase 1 outcomes What goes up can also come down. Is it worth the risk? The higher you get the more snakes there are to bring you down Take the risk or is it better to do nothing?

Tall poppy syndrome We don’t all have to be the same

Its not just about having the right or same leadership skills. Although having a toolbox you can use is important.

How you use leadership skills is context dependent and therefore relies on leadership behaviours to be effective.

Phase 3 – Implementation Brand material – value of OT Building capability – skills focus Support for the future – mentoring, coaching Network building to overcome personal and geographic isolation Creating hubs and spokes

How could Phase 3 be delivered to meet your professional leadership needs? Could include products, training, support Longer term – how could professional leadership be sustained over time? Would you be willing to invest in your professional leadership future by paying a fee to support an infrastructure for example? What other suggestions can you propose?