FOCUS ON get involved in a further round of consultation , through a survey and discussion groups .
The emergent strategic themes focus on : building a social movement of proud and confident occupational therapists that show the world the power of what we do ; providing a real , practical offer to support every occupational therapist to be the best that they can be ; grasping the biggest opportunities for occupational therapy to evolve and maximise our impact in a changing world ; and becoming a modern , high-performing , insight informed and values-led organisation .
‘ People loved having an opportunity to engage and shape the future , and they liked broadly what the strategy was setting out to do , but the language wasn ’ t quite right ,’ Steve explains . ‘ We ’ ve since been working on the strategy to make it more dynamic , to remove the management speak and to show us taking a clear leadership position .’
Expanding on this , he says : ‘ We are recrafting some of the original themes ; we are not losing the original emphasis and intention , but what we have been able to do is to bring it to life in a more vibrant , powerful and memorable way .’
He adds : ‘ We have also been working hard on our brand – how we talk about ourselves – and our values . If our strategy is about what we do , then our values are about how we are , how we behave and how we act , which in many ways is just as important as our strategy .’
Of the experience of talking to so many individuals , Steve reflects that the most unexpected thing for him was that ‘ every time I spoke to someone , I learned something new about a different way of working ’.
He says : ‘ From people working in emergency departments , to primary care , to housing , or even town planning … it was just that understanding of how much occupational therapy has to offer .’
It ’ s clear that the # TalktoSteve conversations have been incredibly inspiring on both a professional and personal level .
He adds : ‘ What was great was that I ’ ve met occupational therapists at all levels . But I was really struck by the positions of influence that so many senior occupational therapists are in . People who are working in their health and social care systems to be really positioning the profession and grasping the opportunities . It made me think that we could be doing more to support those inspired leaders .’
‘ When we launch the brand , strategy and values in January , that ’ s going to be really exciting ,’ he concludes . ‘ It ’ s a great opportunity to do these three together , and we will also share the actions we ’ ll be taking over the next year . But it is just the start , there ’ s so much we need to grow into …’
Tracey Samuels , editor , email : editorial @ rcot . co . uk
A strategic shift that reflects our changing priorities
Clare Cochrane , RCOT assistant director – communications and marketing , talks about the development of and rationale for RCOT ’ s new brand , which will be launched next month
In developing the brand , we have consulted with colleagues , members and other key stakeholders , through a brand survey , focus groups and interviews , and conversations with members at Annual Conference 2019 . We also used feedback we received from the membership survey and communications review .
We need our brand to help us stand out to a wide range of audiences , not just our members . The brand will be crucial when we raise the profile of occupational therapy through the media to the general public and existing service users and their carers , and in the work we do to influence policy in government and with commissioners of services .
Every organisation has a brand ; you can think of it as the thoughts and feelings that come to mind when people hear our name or see our logo . It ’ s built and reinforced by everything we say and do . A brand that ’ s recognised , understood and cared about , can be a huge asset for an organisation . It can mean more people want to work there , more people commission its services , and more people will listen to what it has to say .
For us , a strong brand means we can grow the understanding of occupational therapy , attract more people to the profession , and help more people get the life-changing therapy they need .
Our refreshed brand will help to take us from a focus on heritage to a more forward-looking organisation , ready for the challenges of the 21st Century . From an organisation that just represents the profession to one that proudly leads , with a stronger voice . From a sometimes-inward-looking organisation to one that is proudly and boldly inclusive , welcoming new generations of occupational therapists and truly reflecting our diverse society .
From an organisation that has often focused on the practice of occupational therapy , to one that celebrates its outcomes – the life-changing results we are able to achieve for people and society . A strong brand isn ’ t a ‘ nice-to-have ’ – it ’ s an essential , especially if we are going to realise the true potential of occupational therapy to increase wellbeing right across our society . Refreshing our brand isn ’ t a lick of paint , it ’ s a strategic shift that reflects our changing priorities .
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OTnews December 2021 17