What is it?

Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) leaders the teams in the network of leadership academies understand that systems leadership takes complexity and inherent difficulty as a given. It’s about how you lead across boundaries and when no one person is in charge: when you have to influence rather than pulling a management lever.

It describes types of behaviours that can be helpful when people face large, complex, difficult and seemingly intractable problems; where they need to juggle multiple uncertainties; where no one person or organisation can find or organise the solution on their own; where everyone is grappling with how to make resources meet demand which is outstripping them; and where the way forward therefore lies in involving as many people’s energies, ideas, talents and expertise as possible.

Why do it?

Systems leadership recognises that leadership isn’t vested in people simply because of their title or position. It is possible – indeed, necessary – for leadership to be shared and power to be given up – and that you can come together on the basis of a shared ambition and accept partial or clumsy solutions on the way to getting there. And citizens, patients and service users are always at the centre of the work.

Because of its cross-sector nature, systems leadership is particularly relevant for people involved in large-scale or fundamental change, like much of the work involved in implementing STPs. It’s a practical, grounded approach to joined-up working and long-term behaviour/culture change. And as such, it’s a really useful tool to have in your armoury.

Cost:

The relevant Local Leadership Academy is linked with each Local Workforce Action Boards (LWABs) and to each STP. Please contact your local Academy to find out more.

How to take forward:

For further details, contact your local academy:

North West - Tel: 0161 625 7348
Email:nwla.info@nhs.net
www.nwacademy.nhs.uk

Last Updated: May 2019