A strengths approach to governance and management is a philosophical core providing an anchor in stormy seas. The strengths approach has enabled our own organisation to be responsive to constant changes in circumstances and to be nimble-footed while retaining financial probity, policy compliance and quality assurance, as well as remaining true to its values. The approach described by Atul Gawande as essential is difficult, but it is possible to sustain. In our view, there are three preconditions:

• • trust that everyone in the organisation will do the best they can to deliver the shared goals;

• • respect for different specialist knowledge and attention to detail;

• • constant communication between team members to ensure that they all own strategic decisions.

These features underpin a strengths approach to governance and management based on mutual respect, shared goals and a system of supervision that encourages everyone to contribute. Responsibility is shared collectively but individual accountability is never abdicated.

In this chapter we review the neoliberal context for practice and specifically the influence of NPM. We discuss the elements that are part of a systemic strengths approach to management and governance, namely non-hierarchical structures, leadership and supervision. This is followed by a detailed examination of the way electronic systems, as an instrument of NPM, can undermine an organisation's core practices and how the strengths approach can be applied in mitigation.

The political context

The current climate for many western democracies has been explored extensively by political analysts and commentators.