NHS Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Clinical Commissioning Group and Accountable NHS Darlington Clinical Commissioning Group – Joint chief officer position (job share)

Context 

Following the bringing together of these 2 CCG’s it was also decided that the Leadership would change too. The clinical chair from Darlington CCG wished to explore a future career in the NHS management structure and the current chief officer of the Hartlepool and Stockton – on – Tees wished explore the opportunity to reduce her hours to be less than full time.

Which gave the opportunity for 2 leaders to hold the joint responsibility of one position – the chief officer of the 2 organisations that was also changing the whole management and governance structure to operate as one orgnaisation. They would both bring different skill sets and approaches to the role which if harnessed would bring added benefit for the organisations.

Job shares can go well or become a huge challenge for the organisation and the individuals, recognising this the team of 2 decided to take up joint team coaching.

Approach

The joint coaching took place initially every 4/6 weeks and then we have a space and completed a 6 month review

Initially they scoped out what they wanted from the joint coaching which gave us a framework to work with throughout the sessions.

Areas covered were:

• Working principles
• Recognising their differences
• Identifying their joint future vision
• Exploration of personal values
• Stakeholder expectations and management
• Exploration of assumptions and limiting beliefs
• Strengths inventory and how to maximise these between them
• How to communicate with each other
• How to hold each other to account
• How to make decisions

At the review session we reviewed their joint successes and key learnings, they gave each other feedback and focused on the next steps

Outcomes and feedback

They both felt that the coaching enabled them to have conversations they wouldn’t have had that definitely supported their collective understanding of each other. It enabled them to face the difficulties and challenges without upsetting the relationship. It helped them focus on distribution of role and tasks , to assist the organisation, understand what they might need to do as a result of them being a team of 2 holding one position.

At the feedback session and future learning session they recognised the journey they had been on was challenging however one where they had both developed and grown as a result of the opportunity. They have clear aspects to focus on over the coming months to continue their collective development.

Executive Coach Julie Hickton  works with senior executives, managers and clinicians across the private and public sector who want to increase their wellbeing, leadership capability and impact, emotional intelligence and build their resilience.