What is everyday leadership?

Rob Newby, Senior Responsible Owner - L&D Proposition at Skills for Care discusses the concept of everyday leadership within adult social care.

Our latest campaign, running throughout June and July, is titled ‘Everyday leadership’. The goal of this campaign is to help more leaders and managers recognise what good leadership looks like. However, we also want this campaign to focus on the idea that it’s not just senior staff and managers who can demonstrate leadership skills in the workplace, and that everyday acts of allyship and support can be essential parts of what makes a well-led and successful care provider.

Everyday leadership isn’t about job titles or seniority, it’s about the actions, behaviours and attitudes that people bring to their roles each day. Some of the most impactful leadership happens between regular colleagues, as opposed to between manager and staff, often when they support or advocate for those they care for, and take initiative to improve the service around them.

At its core, everyday leadership is about staff stepping up to take an opportunity to make something better. It’s the confidence to share ideas, try new things, raise concerns about poor practice, or guide a colleague through a difficult situation. These behaviours are vital to creating safe, effective, and compassionate care environments. Workers who demonstrate leadership use their initiative, make decisions, support others, and take accountability for their own wellbeing and development. They model best practice, lift those around them, and contribute to a culture of openness and continuous improvement.

For managers, encouraging leadership at every level brings significant benefits. When staff feel empowered to lead teams become more engaged and confident. People feel trusted and valued in their roles, which can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction and lower staff turnover. Managers may also spend less time addressing performance issues, as individuals are more motivated to take ownership of their actions and performance. Teams who exhibit strong leadership behaviours tend to provide clear evidence towards CQC quality standards and inspections, and, most importantly, contribute to better outcomes for the people who access care and support.

For staff, perhaps one pertinent examples of everyday leadership is allyship. Evidence gathered through the survey on Adult Social Care shows that only 4% of LGBTQ+ people surveyed felt they were able to balance their caring responsibilities with their own quality of life. This suggests that there is a significant need for increased allyship in the adult social care community and that many LGBTQ+ people working in the sector face challenges. Where staff are able to take the lead on allyship by challenging stereotypes and speaking up for marginalised voices, they’re demonstrating an important leadership quality.

But how do we push for more ‘everyday leadership’? Embedding leadership across your organisation involves more than just providing training and requires recognising and rewarding leadership during everyday activities. A simple way to start is by introducing initiatives that celebrate leadership in action. For example, you might create a monthly ‘team member of the month’ scheme where colleagues and supported people can nominate those who demonstrate leadership qualities. You could also explore ways for staff to take on additional responsibilities, such as champion or mentoring roles.

Supporting professional development is another opportunity, whether it’s offering access to further training or arranging learning visits on topics staff are passionate about. By actively pursuing learning and showcasing opportunities available to staff, leaders help create an environment where continuous development is normalised. Empowering colleagues to take control of their own career development encourages engagement in continuous improvement, fosters a sense of ownership in their roles, encourages innovation and trying new things.

Like most of the concepts discussed here, it’s not just those in traditional leadership positions who can engage with them. Regular acts of leadership shape the culture of care organisations every day, from supporting colleagues to inspiring them to take on further learning. This campaign will look to offer insights that are applicable to those in all areas of social care and at all levels.

Make sure to visit our ‘Everyday leadership’ campaign landing page to find out more.

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