‘Summary progress of theIntegrated Leadership Development Network’

James Mehmed – OD & Learning Manager, Suffolk County Council

The story so far …

The Big Ticket Issues …

• The context of Local Government is constantly shifting

• Different skills and capabilities are required to operate within the new context

• Achieving financial savings is going beyond internal programmes

• More creative ways needed to explore alternative ways of delivery

• Efficiency and working smarter

• Whole system view needed – thinking across organisational boundaries

Development for managers and leaders tends to be done within our own organisational boundaries, mainly to improve functional role skills yet the current and future context demanded whole systems, Suffolk wide, collaborative development, against a backdrop of severe savings plans.

Birmingham University’s papers about the future of public sector employees signposted important skills for the future and ways to develop them by sharing with others across boundaries.

We created the 4 Cs (Collaboration, Connecting, Composing, Co-producing or Co-delivering) to provide a focus for the development – keeping it simple so that it could be understood and used by many organisations.

Response from Suffolk Chief Executives was positive and we brought together leaders from across the main public sector partners in Autumn 2013 to try this approach to learning.

Backdrop to ILD initiation

Integrated Leadership – Explained …

• Network – connecting people, organisations, resources and capabilities

• Not a programme – organic in its design and future…

• Shared values – 4C’s

• Learning from one another

• Actively sharing what we know and our collective resources

• Developing relationships built around trust and mutual interest

• Shared objective of delivering better services … together

Steps to success – Current Phase Step 1 (initiate and build)

• Recruit partners

• Share and own the joint ILD vision and principles

• Initiate shared experiences

• Deliver high quality learning experiences

• Do some work together

• Demonstrate the interdependencies

• Create space for networking and relationships to develop

Current partners engaged in the ILD … and growing …

Leadership subject areas

• Authentic Engaging Leadership• Fit to Lead• Context and Analysis• Developing Commercial Acumen• Cultural Mapping: Working Across Boundaries• Transforming Thinking and Doing

• Fit To Lead Follow up (Autumn 2014)• Inspiring Through Stories (Autumn 2014)• Connect and Learn (Autumn 2014)• Perspective is Everything: Rethinking Public Services (Autumn 2014)

Over 250 attendees at events so far

A look at what we have been up to …

A look at what we have been up to …

• A mix of high quality leadership development activities• Networking time, space for discussion and exchange of

information, ideas and creative approaches to real challenges• Online resources – Linked In and Learning Pool• Open space events• Partner led learning offers• Action learning and targeted problem solving for shared issues

Collaboration via Linked In

• Post work based challenges• Use in context of problem solving• Share insights and experiences from others• Collaborate, offer expertise and opinions• Share topical articles and online resources

“Every ILD event has been of a very high standard with excellent guest facilitators”

“I have made changes in my personal life as well as work”

“The course is engaging and practical and I can see how I can apply the learning in a variety of ways”

“I thought the event was incredibly worthwhile and I have returned to my team with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and with a useful toolbox of skills and techniques”

“Fantastic event, I came away feeling I had learnt more in 2 hours than I have ever done before”

“I enjoyed the opportunity to work with other colleagues”

What network members have said …

Short case study – the spirit of ILD is to share …

Scenario: The ILD member has reported that the network has given herself and peer managers the opportunity to develop relationships with District, Borough andHealth colleagues. New connections have been made.

Outcomes: • Enabled culture change ‘way we do things’ to break-down barriers to open

plan working and how to use shared workspace.

• Sharing experience has helped others to understand the principles of flexibleworking and identify solutions to the challenges that will inevitably arise.

• Potential costs savings and efficiencies through not duplicating avoidableissues.

Short case study – the spirit of ILD is to share …

Scenario: Following an ILD event where members pledged to offer access to theirresources and specialisms / areas of expertise new connections have been madewith a colleague that may lead to support for resources and potential funding.

Outcomes: • New connection made to professional network and shared with other colleagues.

• Ongoing discussion regarding drawing down external funding.

• If successful, the external funding will directly support up to three business objectives.

• The connection was made directly through the ‘pledge’ made at the ILD event.

Next Steps…

• Moving from step 1 – ‘Initiate and build ‘to Step 2 – ‘grow and sustain’

• Evaluate and review feedback

• Shift governance from Suffolk County Council to a shared partner base

• Jointly author the strategic direction of the partnership network

• Review investment requirements to fulfil future needs

• Recruit new partners and members / maintain existing membership

• Build on step 1 development and create more shared learning events

• Facilitate more ‘joint issues’ and develop joint solutions taking a whole system perspective

• Thinking broader than just with the confines organisational boundaries

Questions?

What questions do you have?

Presentation End.Following slides can be retained and used as additional material if questions Arise from panel can be answered by the slide e.g. more detail on 4C’s

The 4 C’s

4 C SurveyResponse count – 45

Application of the 4 C’s:

Context & Analysis – SNOIdentifying leadership challenges and finding ways to solve them

29 participants, 10 organisations

Authentic, Engaging LeadershipChallenging thinking about leadership behaviour in 21st Century

95 attendees, 13 organisations

“I thought the event was incredibly worthwhile and I have returned to my team with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and with a useful toolbox of

skills and techniques.”

“Fantastic event, I came away feeling I had learnt more in 2 hours than I had ever done before!”

Practical output with many taking the diagnostic tools to use with their team

Inspiring through StoriesDelivering compelling and impactful messages

98% success rate

“The course as engaging and practical and I can see how I can apply the learning in a variety of settings”

“I would recommend that other leaders attend”

Immediate impact of the workshop, delegates apply skills in:• Large conference setting• Promotions board• In a political setting

Cultural Mapping

Real-time working with partners to explore cultural differences

40 attendees, 11 organisations

Action Learning set quotes:

“Questioning improved as we went on”

“Worked together better as a team”

Fit to LeadDay 1 – Building resilience and maximising performance

Day 2 – Influencing through change

43 attendees, 5 organisations

“I took lots of new ideas and motivational techniques away with me and enjoyed the opportunity to work with other colleagues”

“Fantastic, relevant, useful and interesting. Top tips to improve performance and quality of life”

Pedometers – all embraced and exceeded personal challengePhone app – messages well received and motivational

Developing Commercial Acumen

A private sector perspective to provide insight into procuring public sector services

Using pledges made shared knowledge about commercial acumen

Also provided an opportunity to have conversations with others with commercial experience

Evaluation

C %

Collaborating 65.7

Connecting 64.8

Composing 67.1

Co-producing or co-

delivering 64.5

November 2013

20 situations – all with pledges made

Key themes:Cultural understanding and developmentCo-location Commercially Savvy

May 2014

Personal leadership challenges coached & addressed on the day

”free flow of sharing experiences and

discussion”

98%said they would recommend the

event to others

83% said they would recommend the

event to colleagues

83% Rated the event a good or excellent

100% said they would recommend

the event to others

100%rated the event 8/9/10 out of

10

Least used area:Composer – using

commercial acumen to benefit commissioning

58.8%

Most frequently used :Co-producer/co-deliverer – ensuring understanding

about levels of accountability and

responsibility77.9%

Creating opportunities to learn from one anotherActively sharing what we know & our resourcesBuilding sound networks & trusted relationships across organisations…to deliver better services together

Covering the Suffolk System, 18 partner organisations

74 pledges made

June 2014

Suffolk County Council NHS Norfolk & Suffolk Police Waveney & Suffolk Coastal District Councils West Suffolk CouncilsBabergh and Mid- Suffolk District Council Suffolk Family Carers Community Action Suffolk Access Community Trust The Befriending SchemeKier MG Suffolk Family Focus Concertus Sensing Change ServestCMT – London EELGA Anglia Community Leisure & Abbeycroft Leisure

Leadership subject areas

• Authentic Engaging Leadership – half day seminar, (Professor Beverley Alimo-Metcalfe)• the Integrated Leadership Development approach• how you can contribute to developing our leadership community • how you can develop your own skills and knowledge

• Fit to Lead – 2 days (3 groups for each)Building Resilience and Maximising Performance – Day 1, Anna Hemmings MBE• practical techniques to strengthen individuals to become more resilient, improve energy levels and build

capacity, whilst at the same time reducing the impact of stress. Influencing Through Change - Day 2, Mary Keightley• how to develop strategies to effectively sail through change and connect with people who work in a

different way to you• Context and Analysis 2 hours, Nadia Harrington

• small groups to discuss current leadership challenges and offer pledges to support others• Developing Commercial Acumen – 3 hours, Andrew Sugars, SERVEST

• sharing challenges of working with public sector procurement • Cultural Mapping: Working Across Boundaries - 3 days Jan/Feb/June (Grahame Smith CIPD, Catherine Mangan

Birmingham Uni) • Focus on ‘multi-agency working’• Leadership & the relationship cycle• Culture & diagnostic approaches - ‘Cultural webs’• Action planning

• Transforming Thinking and Doing – 1 day, Dr David Hall• The strategic role of creativity - challenging existing ways of working, to free up thinking, generate fresh

and novel ideas that then feed innovation

Still to come…….

• Fit To Lead Follow up (Autumn 2014) half day, Anna Hemmings, Mary Keightley• Revisit key principles from previous workshops and some action planning to work through

real life examples • Inspiring Through Stories (Autumn 2014) 2 days, Helen Eyre & David Willis

• Build relationships and work across boundaries• Connect, influence and inspire through storytelling• Deliver change messages and keep relationships intact

• Connect and Learn (Autumn 2014)• Market place to exchange skills• Interactive sessions to share experiences

• Perspective is Everything: Rethinking Public Services (Autumn 2014) 2 hour seminar Rory Sutherland