When we talk about aged care, it’s easy to get lost in words like ‘compliance’, ‘audits’, and ‘accreditation’. But fundamentally, aged care isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about people upholding the rights of other people. It’s about ensuring every older person receives the kind of care they expect, deserve, and genuinely value.

With the upcoming strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, we have a real opportunity to meet the minimum requirements and build stronger relationships, clearer understanding, and shared commitment across our organisations.

To achieve this, we need to shift our thinking.

We need every voice heard, every heart engaged, and every hand actively involved. We all need to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

Leadership Throughout an Organisation

Leadership in aged care is often perceived as something that happens at the top, where

Boards make decisions, and managers direct operations. But true leadership isn’t possible without followers. The new Standards are clear about this: effective leadership means ensuring that every person, including individuals (older people), carers, frontline staff, managers, and governing boards, is heard, valued, and involved in shaping and providing care.

Leaders play an essential role and are accountable for workforce planning and human resource management. Yet, these leaders cannot and should not lead alone. Real leadership is inclusive, shared, and collective. It recognises that everyone has a valuable perspective and role in creating better care.

The expectation statement for Standard 2 beautifully captures this:

“The organisation is well run. I can contribute to improvements to care and services.

My provider and aged care workers listen and respond to my feedback and concerns.

I receive funded aged care services from aged care workers who are knowledgeable,

competent, capable, and caring.”

Imagine your organisation if everyone, be it Board members, managers, frontline carers, the individuals (older people) you care for, and their families, fully understood and aligned with this vision.

That’s a genuine, collective leadership in action.

Everyone’s Voice Matters

Inclusivity is not just a nice to have; it’s essential for real, meaningful progress. Everyone at every level of the organisation needs to understand why their role matters, how they fit into the bigger picture, and how they can practically contribute.

But how do we achieve genuine inclusivity, especially in complex, busy environments like aged care?

Simple visual tools like Program Logic models offer a surprisingly powerful solution. By clearly mapping resources, activities, and outcomes in an accessible way, we ensure everyone can see where they fit and how they contribute, regardless of their literacy, language skills, or role.

Why a Program Logic Model?

Think of a Program Logic model as a visual roadmap or a song sheet for your organisation. It clearly and simply communicates your shared goals, how you plan to achieve them, and what success looks like. It aligns the hearts, hands, and minds of everyone involved, making sure everyone is working toward the same outcome.

Workforce Capability Planning Roadmap

Consider this simplified example of a workforce capability planning roadmap adapted to bring clarity to Outcomes 2.8 and 2.9.

Inputs/Resources	Activities	Outputs	Outcomes
Workforce planning documents, leadership oversight.	Skill gap analysis. Staff and individuals (older people) contribute to workforce planning.	Workforce plans documented. Regular competency assessments.	Staff capable, competent, and aligned to care needs. Individuals (older people) experience consistent care
Training resources, psychological safety programs.	Structured assessments of psychological safety embedded in training.	Improved staff competency and psychological safety. Open communication and feedback loops.	Staff engaged, empowered and safe. Individuals (older people) feel safe, cared for, and respected.
LMS, governance oversight.	Regular conversations to review and monitor plans. Regular capability tracking. Board oversight.	Real-time data. Triangulation of multi-source data. Proactive risk management.	Effective governance. Staff and individuals (older people) contributing to continuous improvement.

These simple visual models ensure that everyone shares the same understanding, from the boardroom to the tea room table.

The visual models can also shape the workforce capability monitoring framework, serving as an interactive dashboard that allows everyone to track progress transparently and opens opportunities for feedback, input, and meaningful conversations.

Applying Kotter’s Principles: Practical Tips for Inclusive Change

Real change doesn’t happen because we have to do it. It happens because we believe in it. John Kotter’s four change principles offer valuable insights into building genuine shared leadership and workforce capability.

Here’s how to use them practically and inclusively.

1. Connect Head and Heart

Clearly explain why building workforce capability matters. Use stories, not just data. Explain how building capability directly impacts the lives of individuals and staff. Make it personal, emotional, and relatable.

2. Include Everyone (Select Few + Diverse Many)

Form a coalition that represents your whole organisation. Engage people at all levels: boards, managers, frontline staff, individuals, and their families. Create spaces for authentic participation and shared decision-making.

3. Balance Management and Leadership

Combine clear management (structured training, supervision, reporting) with authentic leadership (open conversations, psychological safety, acknowledging mistakes openly). Both structure and culture matter equally.

4. Move from “Have To” to “Want To”

Compliance alone never inspires lasting change. Instead, help people understand and feel how their contributions make a difference. Celebrate wins, acknowledge efforts, and continuously reinforce the collective goal.

Practical Next Steps for Your Organisation

Here’s how to practically move towards shared leadership and inclusive capability-building.

• Build your shared vision together
• Use simple visuals
• Pilot inclusive practices
• Invite and listen to feedback

Build Your Shared Vision Together

Co-create your capability vision with people at all levels. Clearly link it to how it positively impacts individuals’ experiences of care.

Use Simple Visuals

Develop clear, easy-to-understand Program Logic models or visual dashboards to communicate goals, track progress, and encourage feedback at every level.

Pilot Inclusive Practices

Introduce regular team huddles, conversations, and capability-building sessions. Ensure these practices are genuinely inclusive, safe, and valued by everyone involved.

Invite and Listen to Feedback

Actively invite and genuinely consider feedback from staff, individuals, and families. Create a psychologically safe environment where every voice genuinely matters.

Singing from the Same Hymn Sheet

Genuine, human-centred aged care is about aligning hearts, minds, and hands, truly singing from the same hymn sheet. When we move beyond compliance towards genuine collaboration, we create environments where everyone feels heard, respected, and valued.

By using simple, accessible tools like Program Logic models, applying Kotter’s inclusive principles, and genuinely sharing leadership, we can create meaningful, lasting change. The result is meeting standards and surpassing them, creating aged care organisations where everyone thrives, from the tea room table to the boardroom.

Relevant Resources

• Program Logic Model - NSW Health
• Insights - Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
• How Teams Are Engaging and Retaining Direct Care Workers (2025) - IHI
• 4 Core Change Principles - John Kotter

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