Alas, here were are with our final article on the “pillars of intervention”, put in place by the Foundation and the CSSS des Sommets to promote co-management at the core of the CSSS. In the previous articles, we addressed five concrete measures that can contribute to better management within the CSSS:
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Pillar 1 – Initiation and integration of doctors
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Pillar 2 – Workshops on management principles
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Pillar 3 – Co-management in administrative functions
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Pillar 4 – Co-development between medical directors and clinical staff/administrators
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Pillar 5 – Incentive workshops to promote the co-management model
The following article will examine the last two pillars: thematic workshops for doctors in a managerial role as well as coaching.
Thematic Workshops: supporting doctors in their managerial role
The thematic workshop is an interactive and dynamic conference. In this case, it aims to provide additional tools to doctors who must also act as managers, so they can successfully attain their co-management objectives.
In these thematic workshops, we review the perceptions and beliefs related to credibility and influence by addressing the following topics:
• The characteristics of a credible person;
• The fundamental and secondary factors that influence their level of credibility;
• The necessary conditions for developing personal and collective credibility.
The thematic workshops are a part of the general support strategy for co-management at the core of the CSSS des Sommets. They are geared towards doctors who are already in a co-management role, and they pursue a simple objective: to raise awareness about the importance of the co-manager’s influence and credibility.
These workshops are essential for the success and effectiveness of the doctor-manager dyad.
Coaching
Coaching is a
catalyst for development. It is a collaborative and reflective process that focuses on
action; in other words, it allows for reflection of concrete examples and, it is followed by a change or adjustment in management interventions as a result of this evolving process. The progress can be seen for both individuals and pairs.
The CSSS des Sommets called upon the services of a professional coach to guide a number of co-management and clinical-administrator teams. The purpose of this coaching was to support the process of implementing the co-management model, at the director and clinical service level.
Our Coaching Method
An initial communal meeting allowed the pairs to discuss the issues, the importance of self-assessment, the three conditions for success (sharing the project, the operating mode for the pair and collaboration within the relationship), targets for development, and other modalities of co-management.
This is usually followed by a discussion between the coach and the pair during which they explore different means needed to support the development of the pair:
• A review of the co-managers responsibilities;
• Exchanges on the possible avenues for improvement and their applications;
• Reflections on how to understand or react in certain situations (ex: managing change and the management matrix);
• Feedback on attitudes, gestures, reflections and modes of communication or decision-making;
• Discussions and advice related to problems they are experiencing.
Conclusion
Although it is somewhat early to fully appreciate the results of the five measures of intervention, we have already noticed some notable changes in co-management relationships. The co-managers confirmed that a better communication was established in the dyads, and that both members now have a better understanding of each other’s reality.
