How to strengthen trust, build shared experiences and lead with greater courage and clarity.

THIS LARGE NHS TRUST OVERSEES CARE ACROSS MORE THAN 100 LOCATIONS AND 4,000 STAFF.

With a new improvement strategy underway, the board recognised that the culture they model would shape the entire organisation.

Challenge

Courageous conversations are easy to postpone in a high-pressure environment. The challenge was not about knowledge, but confidence. If board members could not speak openly and constructively with one another, decisions on the issues that matter most would slow down and, in time, patient outcomes would suffer.

Solution

As part of a 12-month board development programme, Polaris designed a one-day session that was practical, stretching and psychologically safe. We kept the design simple and human, giving leaders space to reflect, talk honestly and practise new habits.

We also produced a short report with recommendations for how the board could strengthen capability further.

What we did

• One-day board workshop for around 15 senior leaders
• Exploration of what courageous conversations means in the NHS context
• Identification of the conditions that enable or block open dialogue
• Introduction of a practical, repeatable conversation framework
• Real-time practice with peers in a supported environment
• Written recommendations to guide next steps

Impact

The session created a shared language, clearer expectations and greater confidence across the board. Leaders reported deeper trust, stronger collaboration and a shift towards more open conversation in the moments that count.