What is ASC? What does it mean to the staff? What are their hopes and goals for ASC? These, and many others, were the questions being asked in a thought-provoking, team-building day last week.

ASC has a fortnightly leadership meeting, on top of their monthly staff meetings, including the management, nurses and team leaders, across all areas of the campus. The meeting has a pre-set agenda that is considered, along with extra topics as arise.  Service Manager, Leanne always starts the meeting with a ‘fun task’ – which can always generate some groans – but she’s convinced they love it really!

For the team-building day, split into groups, the task was to create a poster about what ASC means to them; who ASC is; and why do they do what they do? And they had just five minutes. Each group then had to ‘sell’ their angle to the rest of the team in a one-minute pitch. With minds well and truly focussed, this emerged to be a dynamic and positive activity.

Other aspects of the leadership meeting were reviewing compliance requirements, discussing recruitment, referrals and admissions, as well as work creating some more structured training packages for our teams. The team also touched on ‘what builds morale’ and Leanne took this opportunity to announce an external team-building day for the whole staff team, kayaking and axe throwing at a local Activity centre. The goal, besides of course being great fun for all, is the chance to connect outside of a work context, and the important and continued focus on teamwork at ASC.

Leanne explained, “I am always mindful good leadership is all about making the lives of my team members better. That is where I will see the results in their work too. Good leadership should empower them to focus on the positive outcomes they can support our service users to achieve. And the team always leave with a smile, motivated and determined to succeed. It’s so important to continue to dedicate that 1½ hours every fortnight. Yes, to establish strong and consistent leadership, but also their unity and that there is no ‘I’ in team!”