Opportunities to Grow and Connect

Consistently deliver care that is person-centered, and demonstrate the importance of person-centered care to patients, families, caregivers and colleagues.  

This is one way to engage in collaborative leadership, and involves excellent coordination and communication skills, both with other health professionals as well as patients, families and caregivers. 

Leadership involves working to understand and improve health outcomes, services and evidence, at the individual and system levels. Data from outcome measures improves direct patient care and can drive systemic change through quality improvement and program evaluation initiatives. Embedding measurement strategies, with a plan for follow up and how to leverage or disseminate data and analysis is an important part of leadership.

By promoting more inclusive and equity-based practices in your communities, you are engaging in leadership by working for change that positively impacts your patients, colleagues, communities and the physiotherapy profession.  

• Primary care module 3: Creating Safer and Braver Spaces for Clients, Support Networks and Team Members 

Opportunities for advocacy are also examples of leadership, whether that is advocating for services for your patient, for changes in the services or processes at your workplace, taking opportunities to advance projects in the community, or working for change in other systems such as at the government level to advance the physiotherapy profession. 

Teaching and clinical instruction for learners is as essential part of leadership in physiotherapy, through formal teaching, professional development and especially acting as a clinical instructor. Clinical instructors supervise PT learners and are eligible for a discount on CPA membership. Clinical instructors are in high demand across the province; to get started contact one of the physiotherapy programs in Ontario.  

Relationships build leadership skills for both mentors and mentees, as you are in a dialogue about your work, career and goal setting, with opportunities for mutual learning from each other’s perspectives.

Leading and contributing to research, including as a participant, sharing your insights in research and clinical advancements at conferences, and seeking out evidence-informed developments are all ways to engage leadership qualities as a lifelong learner.