Evaluation of the Shared Leadership for Change award scheme

Background

The scheme was designed to test a hypothesis that provision of structured support to teams to improve functioning, using a model called ‘shared leadership’, would lead to improvements in team processes and patient outcomes. The scheme focused on diabetes managed clinical networks (MCNs). Six multidisciplinary diabetes teams took part in the scheme between October 2005 and July 2007.

What is it about?

The independent evaluation drew on quantitative and qualitative data to understand processes and outcomes. It sought to be ‘summative’, to establish whether the initiative had worked, and ‘formative’, to help it perform better as it proceeded. For evaluation purposes, each team was assigned a comparator group to facilitate the assessment of the outcomes.

Characteristics of teams exhibiting shared leadership:
• team members have a shared vision
• there is a strategy and plans for implementation are in place
• team members are jointly accountable for progress
• team processes are fit for purpose
• there is a recognised leader, but responsibility for outcomes is shared
• teams are not dependent on one or two key individuals
• teams have identified key stakeholders and means by which they keep in touch.

Who wrote it?

John Burgoyne, Henley Management College
Sadie Williams, Henley Management College
Jan Walmsley, Jan Walmsley Associates

Contents

• Part 1: Scheme and evaluation findings
• Part 2: Details of the evaluation methodology and its results.

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