Who are these people, the “front line” leaders?
Well those are the ones who get their hands dirty. The people at the coal face who have to implement what is filtered from the top down.
How well do you know these people? Is what is being sent down for implementation feasible or even practical?
Are you overloading the front line leaders so they burnout, become dissatisfied and give up and leave?
How well do you listen to the people at the coalface or even ask for their opinion or input? Do you sit in your ivory tower and send down yet another compliance issue for implementation?
It’s Different At The Top
Why do I ask this?
Well it is very easy to sit at the top and deal with another compliance issue.
You can see all the implications of not implementing it… but have you actually worked at the coalface?
You Have To Understand Your Employees
Have you ever been the one who has to deal with all the complex issues that come up on a day to day basis that disrupt your day?
Have you ever been a manager at the beck and call of everyone in sundry –the staff, residents, families, auditors, regulatory bodies, visitors, prospective new clients… and everyone that walks in the front door of the facility?
Have you even been a caregiver who has to work to the demands of the client, family, registered, nurses, managers, other caregivers, cook, cleaner, laundry person… ?
If you haven’t then I suggest that before you send down the next directive you have a little thought for the person or people you are expecting to implement the directive.
Why Is The Front Line Important?
So why am I talking about this? Well my team and I talk to a lot of people around the country who are these people – those at the frontl ine.
Many of these would love to have Care Training Online available to use but they can’t because those who sit in their ivory towers say No.
Why do they say No?
Well I don’t really know but what I have discovered are the following possible reasons:
- Money
- Power and control – you must do as I say
- Lack of understanding of the life of a front line manager
- Poor communication skills
- And many more reasons known only to those at the top
Where Is Your Time Spent With Your Managers?
From these possible reasons we can gather that all the power is at the top with none of it coming down to other employees.
But you see, if you spend more time training your managers to be managers…
Then they have more skills in their toolbox to discuss things with you.
These skills are so lacking among front line managers who have just drifted into the job because they are a nurse or a caregiver who is perceived to have the skills necessary.
Until they take on the job… and frequently crash and burn as a result.
Spend Your Time Wisely
If you spend more time thinking about “how can I save my manager or frontline worker time”…
And “Is it feasible or workable to ask them to do this?”
Rather than throwing more at them to do without thinking about it…
There may just not be a constant stream of new managers needing training.
If you spend more time thinking about how you can get consistency across the organization and less time about sending yet another directive or saying No to something that would work for the front line manager and make life easier for them…
If you stop and listen, just for a minute or just once, then you might get to the heart of the front line manager.
Because if you don’t you will be forever in the cycle of fighting fires.
True Leadership
Leading and leadership are two different things.
To lead you must have the interpersonal skills to do it.
While leadership is having the social skills to be part of a well-functioning team.
If either you or your front line manager do not have the skills then you can forget about group cohesion and business growth.
Happiness Isn’t Overrated
And an unhappy team is not a productive team…
Overloading your front line manager is problematic as this will filter down to the whole team, not just the stay with front line manager.
So treasure your front line managers/workers.
Help them to develop the skills to be your support not the cause for dissatisfaction.
Don’t assume they already have the skills but work with them to get the skills so everyone wins.
So if they say “I want Care Training Online” or some other online material then maybe you need to listen to them? After all it could save you time as well…
Get started with your training with these printable Infection Control Protocols. Share them with your team and learn how to deal with 19 different infections & communicable diseases in your care facility.