We introduced new values for UHB in February 2022. We are now supporting the vital work of embedding these values and behaviours at the heart of everything we do, in all areas of the organisation. Without this work, the values will simply become words on a screensaver.
People managers have a key role to play in bringing these values to life in the way they lead themselves and their teams.
This values toolkit has been designed to support you to reflect on where you are now as a leader and a team, giving practical ideas you can use to create kind, connected and bold teams.
If you have any feedback on this toolkit, especially on how you have been using it, we’d love to hear from you. Please email leadership@uhb.nhs.uk.
Kind
Being kind: the kindness people show to each other every day
- Kindness means being generous and helpful, and thinking about other people’s feelings
- It means valuing and respecting everyone, and treating people fairly
- We want UHB to be a place where we show kindness every day to our patients, our colleagues and ourselves
Living the value
I communicate in a clear and open way
I recognise great work and say thank you
I take care of myself and others
Bringing the value to life
Lead yourself
- Are you consistent in making time for 1-2-1s and team meetings? How well are you communicating with your team? How do you know?
- Who do you need to recognise and thank?
- How can you take better care of yourself? What energy and attitude are you bringing into work?
- Identify team members who may be struggling. Can you reach out and offer support?
- What small, kind gestures can you make? Make the tea, buy some treats and spend some offline time with the team
Lead your team
- How well are you communicating as a team? How can you improve?
- What do you need to celebrate this week? What are you all proud of?
- Start a meeting by asking: "How are we all feeling, and why?" Give scores out of 10
- What can you do this week to be a little bit kinder to yourselves?
- How can you be generous and helpful in your interactions with colleagues this week?
Connected
Making connections: the connections we build with everyone around us
- Connected means being united, joined together and linked
- We want to build strong connections with colleagues in our teams and sites, across UHB, and with our health partners
- We want to connect with our patients to understand and meet their needs, joining up their care across providers, and to be connected to the communities we serve
Living the value
I develop and nurture my relationships
I am curious and fair, and appreciate difference
I seek out and listen to the perspectives of others
Bringing the value to life
Lead yourself
- Who are your key relationships with at work? Which need nurturing? Are there any new colleagues you need to connect with?
- Think about growing your network outside your team/division and UHB
- Consider getting a mentor to connect with someone outside of your area
- Remember key dates, birthdays and family information for your team, and be curious
- Seek out views from people who have different perspectives to you
Lead your team
- How healthy are your team relationships? What could you do more of? What is getting in the way?
- How could you connect away from the workplace? Could you have away days, social events etc?
- How healthy are your relationships with your work partners? How can you strengthen these?
- What unique skills and perspectives does each of you bring to work? How can you all utilise your strengths?
- How connected do you feel to our patients? What feedback do you have from our patients/service users? What is it telling you?
Bold
Thinking bold: the ability to be bold in how we think, speak and act
- Bold means daring to go beyond the usual limits, not being afraid of difficult situations
- We want to be bold in the way we transform care for our patients, acting on their behalf, embracing change and always evolving
- We want to invest boldly in our people, to support our colleagues to thrive at work
Living the value
I approach change with a positive mind set
I am prepared to tackle difficult situations
I seek out ways to support my colleagues to thrive
Bringing the value to life
Lead yourself
- Embracing change requires a willingness to manage it, adapt to new situations, and focus on handling unexpected demands. How open and positive are you about change? How can you bring your team with you?
- What difficult situations or conversations do you need to face this week? What are the elephants in the room? What can you do to address these?
- Who in your team is thriving? Who isn’t? What can you do to nudge both along?
- Think about how you can develop individuals. How can you support the team member who wants to progress alongside the team member who wants to stay where they are?
Lead your team
Being bold for patients and colleagues
- What needs to change in the way you currently work to make it even better for our patients/colleagues?
- What have you done lately that was going above and beyond the usual ways of doing things, being bold for patients/colleagues and acting on their behalf? What else could you do?
- How can you challenge yourselves to speak up and help to find solutions when things aren’t right?
- What impact is your team really having, on your colleagues, on our patients and on the wider Trust? How do you know?
Being bold with our people
Ask your team the following:
- What does a healthy work life look like for you? Be bold, and don’t hold back
- If there were no barriers, how would you like your career to develop?
- What can you do for your development, which is above the bare minimum or that is a bit different?
- What can you all do to make the team even better? Don’t settle for how things have always been done. Be bold in your approach
Last reviewed: 12 October 2022