Our Business Leadership Program (BLP) is a 10-month program designed for those with a minimum of 3 years of experience and who are current or aspiring business owners within the Healthia group. The BLP involves two face-to-face workshops and monthly small group mentoring sessions, facilitated by both internal and external experts and business leaders.
The BLP is a bespoke program designed specifically for Healthia staff and appropriate for those who wish to develop skills in:
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Business leadership, financial analysis and management for success
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Understanding financial analysis for business planning
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Leading high performing teams
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Communication and organisational resilience
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Would like more formal involvement with experts and business leaders
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Aspire to have clinic ownership
Workshops
The BLP has two workshops, one in February and one in July.
These workshops are an integral part of the program. The first workshop focuses on financial literacy and has been developed by BDO specifically for Healthia. The second workshop focuses on leadership and communication skills.
Learning Activities
Over the course of the year, there are a series of self-directed activities that participants undertake individually and within their allocated small groups. These activities assisting participants prepare and get the most out of the mentoring sessions.
The Big Pitch
What is the Big Pitch? Think Shark Tank but kind and encouraging!
The Big Pitch is the culmination of the year’s program and provides participants the opportunity to present the idea they have been working on over the course of the program. Pitching on the night is optional (i.e., it is not mandatory for all participants to pitch) but it’s a great night and provides an exciting opportunity to pitch new ideas to a panel of renowned business leaders.
Small Group Mentoring Sessions
At the beginning of the BLP, you will be allocated to a small group, usually of five people, for the monthly mentoring sessions. There are six sessions over the course of the program, each with activities to complete independently and with your group prior to the facilitated session.
The sessions are facilitated by experts and business leaders. The monthly sessions are designed with busy private practitioners in mind and held outside of work hours and online at a time that suits you and your group.
Ideas Lab
Over the course of the year, participants develop and submit a business proposal for a new idea or business opportunity, specifically applying skills acquired throughout the program. The proposal is written as if it will be presented to the Healthia Board – and many are!
Feedback is provided over the course of the program from experts and business leaders and is designed to help participants get ready for the Big Pitch!
Business Events
A range of events that focus on developing business leadership skills are held each year. These events range from online sessions, workshops and events specifically for our Clinic Partners and involve both internal and external speakers
Cost
Time
The BLP requires commitment to self-directed learning, participation in group activities and the cost of dedicated personal time. The total minimal contact hours for the BLP is 27 hours over the course of the year plus time involved in the development of business plan and time to receive feedback and discuss these activities with a designated mentor.
If you require time out of the clinic/store to attend the workshops, this will need to be discussed with your clinic or regional partner or area manager.
Financial Contribution
For Healthia staff members, Healthia subsidises the cost for the BLP. To find out more about your co-contribution amount, please click on the link below
Please note, participants are responsible for any costs associated with travelling and accommodation for attendance at the two workshops.
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Is attendance at the face-to-face workshops compulsory?The workshops are very interactive and involve group work as well as the opportunity to get to know those in your allocated small group. This makes the online learning sessions much more enjoyable, collaborative and informal. At this time, the workshops cannot be delivered online or in a hybrid fashion. That is, they are designed to be conducted in person.
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Will I be in a group with people from my discipline?Everyone enrolled in the CLP will attend the same workshops together although each discipline will have slightly different tasks to complete. For the monthly small group mentoring sessions, you will be allocated to a group with people who are from the same discipline and/or who have similar roles to you.
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How many hours a week should I spend on the CLP?This is a tricky one to answer! Previous participants have estimated an average of 2 hours a week of self-directed learning and putting into practice some of the key learnings is about right. Some of the enthusiastic participants have spent up to 4 hours per week!
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Should I catch up with my group between the mentoring sessions?Yes! This is a key part of enjoying and getting the most out of the CLP. The people who have found it most enjoyable and rewarding are those that organise a time with their group to discuss the tasks that will be discussed in the upcoming session before the actual facilitated session.
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I have heard there are ‘assignments’ to complete and they involve videotaping myself – I don’t like the sound of that!Yes, there are ‘assignments’ that are designed to help you reflect on your clinical reasoning and communication with patients and with a colleague. You receive feedback on these tasks from those with recognised clinical expertise. It can be very confronting being watched and even more confronting watching yourself! But the feedback about these tasks from previous participants, (even from those who were a little resistant at the start!), has been overwhelmingly positive.
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Can I claim CPD points for the CLP?Yes. Just like any PD you do, as long as you are documenting your hours, your key learnings and your reflections, the CLP is certainly appropriate to log as CPD hours.
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Is there a formal qualification for completing the CLP?No. Other than getting a nice certificate of completion from Healthia, there are no formal qualifications associated with completing the CLP.
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What if I start and have to withdraw?We are acutely aware that unexpected events occur that may impact on your ability to attend some sessions or complete the CLP. If this happens, please contact the PD team and we will work with you to sort out the best option.
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What have other people said about the CLP?Here are some quotes from previous participants: The CLP allowed me to build on my clinical reasoning and critical thinking of patient care. The course was very interactive. Part of the assessment was to video yourself with a patient and reflect on your reasoning throughout. It is not often that we stop and think why we are asking things the way we do! But it was really useful. We had small group catch ups with a program facilitator, which was a great way to meet other passionate clinicians from other clinics. We all certainly learnt off each other throughout the year and will continue to do so. One of the other many benefits was to learn how to give feedback and educate, which was helpful for those that are planning on being a clinical educator or those that spend time mentoring junior staff. Overall, the program was well run and extremely beneficial for even the most experience clinicians.