The context
An Improvement Coach was asked to support a microsystem leader in a healthcare setting.
Communication across the team had started to break down, and it was clear that a team-based approach was needed rather than working with individuals in isolation.
The challenge
The service involved many different stakeholders across the patient-care pathway, including, patient representatives, consultants and nurses, administrative and clerical staff, educators, charity representatives, digital team members, improvement specialists, to name just a few.
While everyone was committed to patient care, there was limited shared understanding of each other’s roles and pressures.
The approach
The Improvement Coach, fully qualified in Team Coaching, focused first on building strong foundations for teaming:
- Created psychological safety so all voices could be heard
- Used structured activities to build a shared purpose
- Brought the group together to define Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles
- Used tools such as the Fishbone (cause-and-effect) technique to:
- Clarify the burning platform for change
- Agree a compelling vision
- Show how each role contributed to that vision
The emphasis throughout was on collective intelligence, not hierarchy.
The impact
The team moved from fragmented conversations to coordinated action, with clearer ownership and momentum.
Participant feedback:
“R. (Brilliora coach) is excellent at getting the best out of a team. She knows how to be inclusive of every staff member and understands which ideas need our focus to move a project forward. The Microsystem is now moving forward to enable real changes to our department, which will benefit both staff and patients. R. always brings much-needed enthusiasm, dedication, and proactivity in her work and communications.”