1. Leadership is a people business: Towards a fairer Britain
28th September 2010

2. “If leadership is done properly it empowers people”

3. The Project challenge
Improve understanding and awareness of how equality communities can overcome barriers to leadership
Widen the pool of the equality community interested in and prepared for public roles.

4. The Centre’s approach
Action enquiry – working with volunteers to explore their own story and explore a specific issues in their own organisation
Appreciative inquiry – to explore notions of leadership and personal leadership journeys
Desk review of current practice and literature on leadership development

5. Appreciative Inquiry 75 interviewees
3 major sources – Steering Group contacts, RSA (Edinburgh) personal contacts

6. Notions of leadership Vision and direction Sense making
Impact – on individuals and the organisation
Communication
Empowerment, engagement
Inclusive and valuing

7. “good leadership gives opportunities to influence and shape programmes of work – gives you time and space to put forward ideas and take people with you”

8. Leadership at its best Rare People relationships critical
Vision and drive
Seeking to help others learn and grow
Creating sustainable legacy

9. Journeys to leadership
Importance of early experience – school, youth groups etc
Openness of recruitment – valuing experience that is different
Impact of experience in first jobs
Self awareness
Valuing difference

10. Journeys to leadership
Impact of organisational culture
Impact of organisational approaches to leadership development

11. Journeys to leadership – the development that was best
Establishment of strong peer learning processes
Support of mentors and exposure to learning through observation and experience e.g. Common Purpose
Academic learning rooted in strong experiential base

12. What is required? Build opportunities through schools and youth groups
First jobs with opportunities to learn and grow
Build self awareness
Build value for experience and self knowledge that comes from difference
Formal programmes following experience

13. What is required? Respect as the basis for all development
Communication skills
Learning communities

14. “I am utterly convinced that unless and until we attend to basic communication skills within a learning community that is based on respect, all the great resources available to enable growth and development will be built on sand: information sharing; reflective listening; problem solving; assertion; conflict management and resolution – these are the basics and all depend on respect for the individual and the community.”