We spent some time with Natasha Salmon, Matron, Trauma and Orthopaedics, to talk about the challenges she faced when moving into a Band 7 role on a respiratory ward, which she managed during the Covid Pandemic. Natasha shares the people management, leadership skills and knowledge that she quickly had to acquire, not only for her own ward but for staff across the trust. Despite it being a difficult time, Natasha reflects on how it was the making of her as a leader.
3 Quotes to lead by...
1. BE EMOTIONALLY AVAILABLE
‘I had to quickly learn about people management, being emotionally available, being a social worker, being a caretaker. I just became a leader and a leader for everything. I didn’t just manage a ward. I managed people and not just people on my ward, people across the hospital.’
Q. How can you demonstrate that you are emotionally available to your staff? Sit down with your team and ask them what they need from you.
2. FIND YOUR OWN WAY
‘Every piece of information the trust wanted me to share, I did, but I did it in my way, and the main thing that I made sure of was that I was transparent and I was open… That’s the most difficult job as a Band 7 because you are sandwiched between the powers that be and the faces in front of you, and you have to find a middle ground of getting things done but also making sure you’re supporting your staff.’
Q. How do you strike a balance between operational demands and what your staff are experiencing? Natasha started the safety huddle to keep her staff up to date. How do your share information with your team?
3. ALWAYS ASK YOUR TEAM FOR THEIR OPINION
‘I’ll say this is what I’ve been told to do. How do you want to tackle it because equally, it’s not me who is tackling it. Although I was on the frontline, they were really on the frontline, so I always asked for their opinions… At times, I didn’t know what I was doing. I told them, guys, I don’t know what I’m doing; help, what should we do? I made them feel part of the decision-making. That was really important and that they felt appreciated. They were on the frontline, and they needed to know that their ideas and their thoughts mattered.’
Q. Are you taking the time to ask your team what they think? Do you include them in the decision-making process?
External Resources
Emotional Availability In Leadership
How to Share Information With Team Members Effectively
Why Managers Should Involve Their Team In The Decision-Making Process
