Project MORALE: The Empowerment of Managers in Their Everyday Work

Ashworth Hospital has undertaken a management development program for 80 first‐line and middle managers, at the centre of which is the concept of empowerment. To avoid the pitfall, which many other such programs have fallen into, of paying lip‐service to the notion of empowerment, a“Project” has been established entitled “MORALE”. The project begins and ends with an evaluation emphasis on “M” for mentorship and “E” for empowerment. Sandwiched between these interdependent focuses are,“O” for ownership, “R” for responsibility, “A” for accountability, and“L” for learning, these being the accepted prerequisites for the success of empowered managers. Focusses on the delivery team′s belief that the effective development of managers, and their associated organizational benefits, can best be achieved through implementing strategies specifically designed to help empower them. Empowering managers is about helping them to take ownership of their jobs so that they can take personal and collaborative interest in improving the performance of the hospital.