The role of personal mastery in clinical practice: how personal leadership can transform the workplace

In a climate of impending staff crisis related to looming retirements, challenging recruitment realities and the demographic realities of an aging population creating increased demand for services, the Interior Health Authority in British Columbia recognized the need for the creation of a workplace that would both attract and retain engaged employees. One of the identified ways of achieving this was to provide professional development that was also personal development for each individual in the organization. This personal /professional development involved the creation and implementation of a program in personal leadership for all front-line staff of the organization. This learning, it was believed, would lead to the transformation of the work environment and, subsequently, the culture of the workplace. This article describes the development and implementation of a pilot program in personal leadership within Interior Health. Results to date demonstrate the promise of this program to effect profound cultural change through the development of personal mastery and personal leadership...for everyone.