From swampy lowlands to giddy heights: A case study of leadership development in a mental health setting

Purpose – The purpose of this case study is to describe the design and delivery of a leadership programme for a diverse group of clinicians and middle managers within a British mental health organisation.Design/methodology/approach – This paper shows how the course was co‐designed between managers, clinicians and higher education, specifically to meet the needs of individuals, teams and the organisation. The authors' thoughts and impressions are presented based on their experience of developing and facilitating this program. Particular attention focuses on notions of leadership, adult learning and organisational change and how these influenced the design of the course. Furthermore, consideration is given to aligning the programme to the organisational culture and strategic plan.Findings – Drawing on Kolb's experiential learning cycle, a process map for the learning journey emerged which shows how the participants were able to critically blend theory with experience and practice. Using a three‐dimensional ...