facilitator: paul donnelly, general secretary physio first
TRANSCRIPT
Facilitator:Paul Donnelly, General Secretary
Physio First
Presentation 1
What are we going to do today?
Today in perspective
As a Member Organisation representative your thought processes in
coming to these IPPA meetings will include
all or some of the following:
Yippee … a chance to go to Quebec!!!!
A chance to meet colleague private Physios from another country!!!
Now how do we decide to send someone?
How do I convince my colleagues that I am the one to send?
How do I justify the COST?o To my Organisation?o To Myself?!!!
Hang on a minute … what exactly:
• Do I hope to get out of this?
• Does my Organisation hope to Get out of it?
• Do we expect our Members to get out of this?
So what is today all about?...
…3 workshops •These have been requested by the IPPA
Executive, to help them make some
important decisions
•One workshop will build on the next
•Before each of them, I will try to give you some background about each workshop, based upon some experiences of Physio First (the UK Private Practitioner Association) as this will provide (I hope) some help : )
Our 3 workshops:
1. MO Representatives – What should
our Role & Responsibilities be?
… & finally
3. An Organisation Culture!!!!
• Workshop 1 is the longest both in terms of my presentation & the time we will need to consider, discuss & conclude
1. So, what is IPPA for?
• Workshops 2 & 3 will build on our conclusions in Workshop 1 & will be shorter …… but no less interesting!
One last point before we start:
• It IS NOT our job to make
decisions today
• It IS our job to come up with
thought through working
conclusions
… the rest is up to the IPPA Executive : )
Presentation 2
So, what is IPPA for?
So, what is IPPA for?
I want to tell you about a similar journey that Physio First has been on …
… now, please do not think that we know all the answers … because we don’t!!!
… even now, we are still not clear enough about what Physio First is for …
… but we are clearer than we used to be & that has had a profoundly positive effect on us!!!
… first let me share Physio First’s journey …
… as it is designed to give you some background to help you …
Discuss the question as to what IPPA
should be for in a groups
AND
Feedback your thoughts
I will facilitate a discussion between all of us about this, so that we come to some working conclusions
Scott – will record these conclusions for use in Workshop 2
… firstly “Physio First” & “IPPA”…
Every 2-years or so when an IPPA meeting came up we wrestled with he same questions as everyone does i.e.
oWhat do I hope to get out of this IPPA meeting?
oWhat does my Organisation hope to get out of it?
oWhat do we expect our Members to get out of it?
… having discussed this (& worried about this) many times …
… we came up with our own specific answers …
… I am not going to tell you what Physio First’s answers to these questions …
… this would spoil the fun …
… & anyway our answers to these questions are merely ours …!!!
This workshop will help IPPA to help individual Member Organisations to answer what we, our Organisations & our Members get out of IPPA meetings!!!
So back to the question … “What is IPPA for?”
I want to tell you about a similar journey that Physio First
went on i.e. so that you have the benefit
of our experience, just to try to help you
all think about …
“What is IPPA for?”
Just who asks such a question?
• This “what are we for?” question is the ultimate question that needs to be answered before any Member Organisation can begin to answer what our Members get out of us
• Think about it … how is it possible to
answer “what do our members get out of us”
without being very clear about what we are for
Everyone should ask this Question!
The fact is that ALL organisations who really want to succeed, HAVE to ask this question & to keep asking this question at least once “formally” every 5-years….
… BUT soooooooooooooooo many never do!
So…
… how did Physio First get on with asking the question?
It took us 3-Years of trying to come up with “an” answer!!!
We found this to be a really easy question to ask …. … & a very difficult question to answer!!!
This was really illustrated when we did a simple “positioning” exercise
To explain, here is a little background as to what I mean when I use the term “positioning”
What is “positioning”?
There is a lot to say about “positioning” … but no time for details today : )
In the “commercial world”, “positioning” is the first step
in forming a Marketing Plan
Marketing professionals define “positioning” as:
“… the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their
target market for their product, service, brand, or organisation”
Or put simply …
“… what precisely have we got to sell & who exactly are we trying to sell it to?”
“Positioning” = A review of “Product”, “Market”, “Price ”& “Service”
In private physiotherapy practice: “Product” = “Physiotherapy” “Service” = “How members deliver Physiotherapy”
examples …..
Examples …
How are patients greeted when they make a booking? E.g. Are they given advice from a clinician or do they book on a website/through a receptionist?
How are they greeted when they arrive? E.g. With a coffee? Collected from reception by the clinician? Taken to a treatment room by a secretary?
Examples …
Who are they treated by E.g. A specialist or a generalist? An experienced clinician or a new Graduate? A Physio or a Physio Assistant? Until they are symptom free or until they can self-manage?
What is said to them during treatment? Is it “up-beat/cheery” – a pleasant experience? Is it dead-pan/clinical – an unpleasant experience? Is it nicely paced or rushed?
Examples …
How is a patient treated upon discharge–are they offered? A further opportunity to attend? The opportunity to ring up for advice? Access to advice on-line? No further options?
How are they treated after discharge – are they sent? A written summary of what is wrong and how to self-
manage? A newsletter? A discount for their next session
For themselves? For a friend?
Etc, etc
Examples …
When and how are they asked to pay? Immediately after every session? Upon discharge? “Less” if they are loyal? Not at all, as it is collected directly from an Insurer?
Times patients can be seen e.g. 10am to 3pm & no flexibility? 9am to 5pm – office hours & weekdays only? 8am to 8pm and later if needed, and at Weekends?Etc, etc
An overview of “positioning”:
Product Market Price ServiceWhat do we sell?
Who do we sell to?
How do we price?
What service do we
provide?
−− −− −− −−
Product Market
Price
Service
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
Product Market
Price
Service
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
The Physio First “Realisation”
We learned that the “positioning” exercise for Physio First works just the same as in Commercial Organisations We needed to be clear about:What we are “selling”? (Product)Who were we selling to? (Market)How much were we selling it for? (Price)How are we delivering what we sell? (Service) To answer these questions, we had to be clear about the original questions i.e.What is Physio First? ANDWhat is Physio First for?
A Simple Positioning Exercise:
We asked the Physio First Executive Committee, our most informed members … “What do you think Physio First is for?”
We got a long list of answers e.g. To
o Provide business advice to members
o Provide education for members
o Provide “other benefits”
o Be an extension of the CSP
o Provide representation to the CSP and elsewhere
o Negotiate with Insurers such as Bupa & AXA PPP
o Protect members in the market place
We got a long list of answers e.g. To
o Help members when they were in trouble
o Produce a Journal
o Produce a Business News Letter
o Produce an Annual Conference
o Solve members problems
o Represent the Profession
o Promote members to the public – Insurers – Others - etc
The problems were:
When we looked at these answers from the point of view of:
A Member – “Yep” … this seems like a reasonable list – not too bad really for the price we pay : )
An Executive Member – “Yep, proud of that ….” – right up to the point where we have to deliver “all” of this!!!
… and actually some of
these are illegal !!!
The problems were:
Even when we looked at them from the point of view of:
•“So what is our priority”
AND
•“Where should we spend our time,
energy and money?”
… it was really difficult to be clear!!!
Physio First’s conclusions were:
If we were getting this sort of list from our Executive Committee, the most informed members in the whole Organisation, there was no chance of ordinary members
being able to say “what Physio First is for …”
… with any consistency or accuracy
The acid test of “positioning” = Could an ordinary member say more or less the same thing as an Executive Committee member when asked ”what is Physio First for?” …
… with quite a lot of consistency & accuracy!!!
Our conclusion - Physio First had a lot of work to do on “positioning”!!!
So where is Physio First now in Positioning?
Since then (2009) Physio First has working up to re-doing our exercise on “positioning” …
… but in the meantime, we have
answered two of the fundamental first
questions i.e.
What is Physio First?
AND
What is Physio First for?
Our Mission Statement (from 2010) OR
“What is Physio First for?”
To deliver professional & business support to enable “us” to develop more successfully as private practitioners
… our best explanation of what Physio First is for … after a whole year of talking!!!
… so where is Physio First is now?
… well … we are not finished yet!!!
We are still comfortable with our definition of
what Physio First is i.e. “a Trade Association”Note: The word “Trade” was and remains hard to swallow –
but accuracy is better than vanity!!!
We are less comfortable with our definition of
what Physio First is for …
… & we will test this in March 2013 when we review it again AND when we re-do out “positioning” exercise
You will remember …
Product Market Price Service
What do we sell? Who do we sell to? How do we price? What service do we provide?
−− −− −− −−
Product Market
Price
Service
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
Product Market
Price
Service
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
What will this last piece of the “positioning” exercise achieve for Physio First?
Our Executive Committee
will agree what Physio
First is for, for the next
5-years & in the process
agree:
What do we offer? (Our “products” )?Business Education Courses – on & off-lineClinical Education Courses & Annual Conference Facts about the market place – on paper & on-line“Other” Member Benefits such as discounted credit/debit card facilities, discounts on Physio products, a contract drafting service, etc, etc
Who we are aiming our products at? (Our Market/Members)Are we aiming at all UK Private Practitioners?What about those who hate paying/won’t pay our subs?What about those who are happy to take from the voluntary efforts of our Post Holders, but who will not even respond to our surveys?Practice Principles AND/OR self-employed contractors?
What are our subscriptions (Prices/Subscriptions)?How much cash do we need to run the OrganisationIs it reasonable/possible to run the Organisation the way we want to on the fees we charge?Should we be paying our Post Holders more than we do?
Perhaps not as a full return for what they give up, but more than we do? If we don’t will members continue to volunteer in the future?
Remember - Our prices = the “resource” that we need to “deliver”
How will we deliver our products (Service)?How up to date is/should our website be?How long should our office telephone lines be open for?Should we expect members to wait for 2-days for an email reply?Should we meet Insurers each year for information & if so how many?Should we produce our Journal electronically/to a higher standard/as often as we do?Should we bother with Trade Stands to subsidise the cost of Conference?Should we expect Post Holders to reply to members questions?What should we expect of our members – a massive question!!!
This last piece of the “positioning” exercise will achieve for Physio First?
An Executive who will KNOW what Physio First:
•IS FOR i.e. what we have agreed & planned to deliver based upon our available resources,
which includes a great deal of
volunteer time & (very importantly)
•IS NOT FOR i.e. so that we do not
embark on “good ideas”
This last piece of the “positioning” exercise will achieve for Physio First?
An Executive who will BE ABLE to:•PLAN & DEVOTE ALL OF OUR LIMITED RESOUCES - our
time, energy & money - to achieving
our specific aims
•COMMUNICATE “what Physio First is
for to our members all of the time” so
that they become really clear about what
1. They get from us i.e. can measure/“feel” success enabling us to “manage their expectations)
2. Physio First expects from them!!!•
In short Physio First will reap the benefits of being really clear about our “positioning” to ourselves & our members – we will know much more precisely:
• What to deliver (product)
• How to deliver it (service)
• Who we are aiming at (market)
• What we have to charge (price)
So to summarise:
Physio First, having been consciously through
this process, is now only part way through it
We know who we are (i.e. a Trade
Association)
We know what we are for i.e. to “deliver
professional and business support to enable
us to develop more successfully as private practitioners”
But we also know that whilst this definition really helped us because it was much better than any definition we had before, it is not good enough (precise enough) for the future …
… so we are going to do it again!!!
So what are we going to do today for IPPA?
We are going to work our way through the question that is simple to ask and really difficult to answer …
“What is IPPA for?”
This means that we are also going to formulate ideas about …
“What IPPA is not for?”
… because we have to take into account:• What we want IPPA to be for (naturally)!!!!• What resources we, as IPPA, have available?• How specific can we be …
… remember the more specific we can be aboutwhat IPPA is for, the easier it is to succeed, because it becomes more possible to:
•“understand” what success looks like AND•“explain” what success is…!!
Workshop 1 – So, what is IPPA for? (70-Mins)
As a group or in smaller groups (number dependent) you are going to spend a short time thinking about the question in point 1 below & then another short time in a facilitated discussion talking through your thoughts, observations & conclusions on each session:
There are 2 sessions in this first Workshop:
Workshop 1 – Session 1 (30-Mins)
“So, what is IPPA for?”
(Resources)
Session 1 - “So, what is IPPA for?”1. Discuss in groups just what : (10-mins)
1. Resources IPPA has available?
2. Resource difficulties IPPA has experienced so far (with help from IPPA Executive Members)?
3. Brief discussion upon how current resources might change in the future i.e. might we find more or less?
2. Feedback from each group from a spokesman from each group about: (10-mins)
1. What resources IPPA has available?
2. What difficulties IPPA has experienced?
3. Conclusions reached upon how current IPPA resources might change in the future?
3. A facilitated discussion to agree some working conclusions upon: (10 mins)
1. What resources IPPA has available?
2. What resource difficulties IPPA has experienced?
3. Conclusions upon how current IPPA resources might change in the future?
Workshop 1 – Session 2 (30-Mins)
“So, what is IPPA for?”
(for MO Rep, MO & MO Member)
Session 2 - “So, what is IPPA for?” (60-mins)
Based upon the working conclusions from Session 1 i.e.1.What resources IPPA has available?
2.What resource difficulties IPPA has experienced?
3.Conclusions upon how current IPPA resources might change in the future?
1. Discuss in the same groups (20-mins):
1. What is IPPA for, for a MO Rep, an MO & a MO Member? (10-mins)
2. What should IPPA be for, for a MO Rep, an MO & a MO Member? (10-mins)
2. Feedback from each group from a spokesman from each group about: (20-mins)
1. What is IPPA for , for a MO Rep, an MO & a MO Member? (10-mins)
2. What should IPPA be for, for a MO Rep, an MO & a MO Member? (10-mins)
3. A facilitated discussion to agree some working conclusions upon: (20 mins)
– What is IPPA for , for a MO Rep, an MO & a MO Member? (10-mins)
– What should IPPA be for, for a MO Rep, an MO & a MO Member? (10-mins)
Presentation 3
Member OrganisationRepresentative “Roles & Responsibilities”
“Roles & Responsibilities” – In Context We now have working conclusions about what IPPA might be for,
given available resources for an MO Rep, an MO & an MO Member
It is now up to the IPPA Executive to take these on board &:
o Conclude on what IPPA is for, for an MO Rep, an MO & an MO Member – as specifically as they can
o Then to undertake the “positioning” exercise so that they understand where the work needs to be done to align IPPA’s
“Roles & Responsibilities” – In Context
This next exercise, which will
also help the IPPA Executive
Committee, is for us to discuss
what the Role & Responsibilities of a Member
Organisation Representative should be
Roles & Responsibilities in Context
If you remember the process that we all as Member Organisations go through, when faced with the possibility of coming to an IPPA meeting i.e. we ask ourselves:
o What do I hope to get out of this IPPA meeting?
o What does my Organisation hope to get out of this IPPA meeting?
o What do we expect our Members to get out of this IPPA meeting?
Roles & Responsibilities in Context
If we now have some working conclusions as to what IPPA is for it would really help to have the Role & Responsibility of each Member Organisation Representative defined (our role defined) …
… in writing …
… so that each of us knows exactly what is expected of
us (as individuals)…
… because if our earlier discussion has
told us anything, it is that “we” are a big
part of the IPPA resource …
… so we have work to do, to give IPPA any chance of succeeding!
What Physio First learned : )
• We found this to be one of the quicker jobs to do, but it was by no means easy!!!
• So helpful was the “Roles & Responsibility” exercise that now
every post holder in Physio First
has a Job Profile & we are now
into reviewing them all again some 6-years later
• The purpose of a Job Profile is to make it clear what every individual’s Role in an organisation is i.e.
What Physio First learned : )
• What is my Job – precisely
• What are my responsibilities
– precisely
• What are the tasks associated with my responsibilities – precisely
What Physio First learned : )
… so that we are clear about what it is & is
not our Job i.e. where does my job start &
stop & someone else’s start?
•So that I do not get overloaded,
stressed, frustrated & give up
•So that what we have agreed to get done;
what we have planned to get done actually gets done … &
the whole Organisation moves on successfully
Workshop 2 (30-Mins)
Defining the Role & Responsibilities of a Member Org Representative (i.e.“us)
The MO Rep – Role & Responsibilities
So our job now is to determine what the ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES of Member Organisation Representatives i.e. of “us”
Based upon the working conclusions from Workshop 1 i.e. what our working conclusions as to what IPPA should be for based upon available resources:
1. Discuss in groups:
a. What resource do we think that our Organisation at home has to support us, as an MO Representative? (10-mins)
b. What resource do we think that we, as individuals, have to support IPPA? (10-mins)
c. What, therefore, should the responsibilities of IPPA MO Representatives be? (10-mins)
2. Feedback from each group (10-mins)
3. A facilitated discussion so that we can capture some working conclusions (20-mins)
… & finally …
Presentation 4
Organisation Culture!!!!
… the Physio First Executive has been talking about defining our “organisational culture” since 2008 …
… only this year did
we do it!!!
… defining it meant being able to
agree it so that we could write it
down …
… sounds easy, but it wasn’t!!!!!!!!!!!
Physio First & our “Organisational Culture”
In very quick summary an Organisational Culture:
oIs what makes the best companies
& organisations in the world
… the best!!!
oIt is essential if Organisations
want to succeed
… yeh, but what is it?
What is Organisational Culture … & why is it important?
An Organisational Culture is …
… “agreed behaviour” …
… technically behaviour in this context is:o What we “do” & “how we do it”o What we “say” & “how we say it”o What we “do not say or do not do, when called upon to say or
do”
… don’t let this last point confuse you …
… it is just “agreed behaviour”
The best way to illustrate this is to take you through the Physio First Culture:
An Organisational Culture is …
… perhaps the best way
to show you is to take you
through the Physio First
Culture …
Physio First Organisation Culture – The Headliner:
“Doing Business through Relationships
i.e. through Respect, Communication,
Structure & Planning”
Physio First Organisation Culture …
… our own explanation to ourselves:
“The culture of an organisation is among its most powerful elements
It drives:•What we do•How we do it•How we treat each other •How we communicate with Each Other, our Members, our Office Team & our Sub-Contractors & how they communicate with us•How well we will be able to achieve our aims”
Physio First Organisation Culture …
… first our own note to ourselves:A Note about Culture•Definition of Culture – Principles, identity, structure, processes, governance and behaviour – all applied through an agreed framework and due process.•Our culture is established by how those who “lead” the Organisation “behave” – all the time.
Note: For clarity, within Physio First the Organisation “leaders” are the elected members of the Executive Committee, the General Secretary, co-opted & appointed members of the Executive Committee, the Office Manager, Sub Committee Members, Office Team Leaders and Regional Officers, and these have been placed in the order where a deviation from accepted behaviour as expressed here is likely to have the most negative impact. •Our culture represents a standard of behaviour that accords with the “values” of those who lead the Organisation i.e. the values by which each “business leader” lives his or her life and makes decisions. •Our culture can be:
Defined if those who are responsible take time to reflect upon it (as below). Changed if those who are responsible agree what is appropriate behaviour
•Our culture is among the most powerful aspects of Physio First & something that competitors will struggle to copy.•Physio First is a stronger organisation for having spent time defining, agreeing and expecting all to comply with our Culture.
Physio First Organisation Culture …
… at last … our Culture:The Physio First Culture – “Doing Business through Relationships i.e. through Respect, Communication, Structure & Planning”RESPECT – Total respect for each individual who volunteers and/or works for or with Physio First, even if in dispute with them.COMMUNICATION – Physio First as a group of people understand:The value of excellent communicationThat relationships are founded on good communication and that the better the communication the better the relationshipThe importance to always strive to:
Provide and seek both CLARITY & CONTEXT all of the timeListen – really proactively listen!Look at the proposition from the other persons position – a measure of “respect” Reassure that there is no such thing as a stupid question and that each meeting is a “safe place”Provide complete openness Meet deadlines whether self-imposed or agreed Encourage energy through optimism and discourage pessimism (e.g. long faces, complaints without suggested solutions, criticism without balanced affirmation)
Operate a NO BLAME regimeNote: If anyone in Physio First makes a mistake we “feel” very comfortable to communicate our mistake as soon as it has happened as we can expect everyone in Physio First to respond by rushing to help and NOT to blame.STRUCTURE – We hold the 3 structural elements to any organisation in equal importance:PLANNING - Detailed planning of whatever we do is the way that we do it as we know that planning reduces risk, which reduces frustration, which reduces misunderstandings which reduces conflict which, combined with “respect”, “communication” & “structure” makes for better relationships
Physio First’s culture
Are we going to define IPPA’s culture?
NO!!!!!
We are NOT going to try to define
a culture for IPPA, as this can
take too long
… & remember that we are only
here to provide the IPPA Executive with ideas!!!
… but we are going to take the first few steps!!!
We are going to try to pull together some thoughts about how Member Organisations (MOs) & Member Organisation Representatives (“us”) might agree to behave
… because behaviour is the essence of “culture”
So the Questions that you are going to discuss in groups for 10 minutes & then we will have feedback followed by a facilitated discussion are:
Are the following “rules” appropriate, acceptable, do-able for:o IPPA Member Organisations (our Organisations at home)
ANDo Member Organisation Representatives (Us):
What are these “Rules?
1. If any of us agree to do something by a deadline, that we either:
a. Do it
b. Communicate why we cannot do it & provide the date by which we will do it?
2. If anyone of us receives a communication from an IPPA Executive Member or a Member Organisation Representative, that we reply within 14 days
3. That with any communication that we send, that we try to provide as much “context” and “clarity” as we can, so that the person receiving it understands
… & the reasons that these particular “Rules” might prove to be so important are what?
•If we do not discuss & expressly agree them, then no one will understand or adhere to them
•We are all members of Private Practitioner Organisations, and in that role we will all be able to say just how frustrating … how mad … how angry … how helpless … how unappreciated … how ARRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!! … we feel if people that we communicate with either:
o Ignore deadlines or assume they can be moved
AND/ORo Simply do not respond to a communication
AND/ORo Simply do not provide enough “context” or “clarity”
So if we can agree these as our rules …
…. as part of our written down culture …
… i.e. how we expect of each other to behave all of the time, in relation to “deadlines” & “how we communicate” …
… then as an Organisation IPPA will be in a much better place than so many other similar Organisations …
Workshop 3
Can we agree
3-Rules of behaviour?
(30-mins)
Can we agree 3-Rules of behaviour?
Workshop 3 – Can we agree 3-Rules of behaviour?
1.Discuss whether we can agree
these rules in groups (10-mins)
1.Feedback (10-mins)
2.Facilitated discussion (10-mins)
The 3-Rules of behaviour are …
1. If any of us agree to do something by a deadline, that we either:
a.Do it OR
b.Communicate why we cannot do it & provide the date by which we will do it?
2. If anyone of us receives a communication
from an IPPA Executive Member or a
Member Organisation Representative,
that we reply within 14 days
3. That with any communication that we send, that we try to
provide as much “context” & “clarity” as we can, so that the
recipient understands
