The Organisational Workshop and the UK National Health Service
by Sue Beckman
Currently the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) is undergoing a vast programme of modernization. One area that is frequently overlooked in the change process is the human element, that is, how this modernization programme is going to affect the lives of the various stakeholders. When I first experienced the Organisational Workshop (OW), it became clear the contribution this work could make to the NHS effort.
A chance workshop at the IHI (Institute for Healthcare Improvement) Forum in Orlando in 2001 brought the Power + Systems work to me. I was so impressed with its relevance to NHS issues that I vowed I would bring it back to the UK. I began by introducing some of the systems concepts into our Human Dimensions training programmes. In 2003, I was privileged to train to deliver the Organisational Workshop, and I have been delivering the one-day version ever since. My clients have all been NHS staff of different disciplines and levels throughout the organisation. My hope was, and still is, that the workshop would be driven centrally by NHS; thus far, this has not happened, but I continue to work my way in through personal requests from individual organisations such as Hospital Trusts, Mental Health Trusts, Primary Care Trusts, and Training Networks.
There are few training inputs that give people tangible strategies for understanding and dealing with organizational “stuff,” the day-to-day give and take that too often leads to misunderstanding, stress, and unnecessary conflict. The OW fills this gap. Participants leave the day with a deeper understanding of what partnership is and what it really means to work together in a committed way.
What always stands out for me is that, no matter what the group is, the key learning points still emerge. In an atmosphere of compassion and empathy, the contextual effects of organizational life are laid bare. The dilemma of the “Tops” with their sense of total accountability instead of shared accountability. The “Middles,” absolutely torn and trying desperately to please everyone, yet often treated with suspicion from all sides. The feeling of vulnerability for the “Bottoms,” needs not fulfilled. The Customers, obviously neglected, even though the organization knows that its survival depends on them. This is fascinating stuff for participants to see: things they thought were personal to them or unique to their setting are revealed in a very different light, a light that both liberates and empowers.
Typical participant comments:
“I feel that a burden has been lifted from me.”
“The stress has gone out of my job; I feel I make more rational decisions now.”
“I’ll always remember what it feels like at the top.”
“We do have a choice.”
“It was nice to do a workshop about feelings, not just about methods.”
“One of the first courses where I feel that I can use some of the things discussed in my everyday work.”
“A fun day with a serious message.”
“It made me think about how others feel.”
“TOOTs are a way for us to get off the ‘treadmill’ and should be protected times for teams.” [Editor’s note: TOOTs, or Times Out Of Time, are an integral part of the organization exercise and a useful intervention for any organization. In the TOOT, all organization activities are suspended; the entire system – Tops, Middles, Bottoms, and Customers -- are brought to one location to simply share with one another what life is like for them in their parts of the system. TOOTs are experienced as extremely illuminating events in which misunderstandings are dispelled and barriers to partnership are removed. Participants often bring the idea of TOOT back to their organizations.]
I love to share this work with others and help make a difference to their lives while supporting the important work of organizations they and I care about.
Please do contact me if you wish. I am always delighted to share my experiences with this amazing work. I feel privileged to be involved in what has become so much a part of my life.
Support one another and get the job done. Energise, empower, enjoy!
The following are clients who could be contacted through Sue:
Essex Mental Health Partnership
Cancer Services Collaborative
Trent Training Network
West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority
London Learning Partnership
To contact Sue Beckman directly:
sue.beckman@roh.nhs.uk; Annb83@msn.com
To learn about becoming an Organization Workshop Trainer:
