Creating Leaders
When a public sector organisation was privatised, it necessitated a change in the skills set of its managers to compete in the Facilities Management market. It needed to shift the emphasis from being systems-focused to focusing on its people so that they could contribute and share in the new vision. It also wanted to attain Investors in People accreditation to be able to meet pre-qualification requirements from its potential client- base.
A tiered development programme was designed which equipped the organisation with a ‘Leadership Toolkit’ and provided a core set of knowledge and skills on which to build. A common language and house-style of leadership and management was instigated so that staff could readily move from one project or site to another without the environment appearing alien to them. Instead of having divergent management styles or cultures dependent upon the individuals concerned, a uniformity of ethos and approach was put in place such that the organisation had an identity of its own.
The training of nearly 400 leaders and managers took place over two years with a foundation programme for groups of twelve at a time for two days. Within two months they returned for follow-up days when they presented to Board members how they had applied learning and made a positive gain, either for themselves, their team or their client. In many cases recommendations were made and approved by the Board enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.
The ‘bottom-up’ approach we adopted created open channels of communication that sustained the emphasis on development and change. The management team felt empowered rather than dictated to, and the organisation was successful in achieving its stated mission.
Please click a link below to view a case study:
5. Customer Service and Standards Development