Background: The Social Services Department wanted to improve its CPA rating, and in the process support the Council’s move towards becoming a ‘good’ authority. A key part of the improvement process was the drive to extend the leadership levels of its senior managers. This group was seen as the ‘engine room’ of future change and development.

A key aim of the leadership programme was to introduce the senior managers to contemporary approaches to leadership and change in local government. The Council wanted to encourage senior managers to be accountable beyond the conventions of counting indicators.

The programme also had to run across the Council and the PCT to support partnering initiatives, joint-working and joint post-holding.


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The Solution/Process: Q. Learning worked with the Director of Organisational Development, and the Learning and Development Manager to devise an 11-day modular leadership programme.

Launch sessions 1 to 1 with delegates
The objectives of the sessions were to;
• Identify starting points for leadership development.
• Establish hopes, fears and challenges around leadership.
• Build early rapport and identify any issues or challenges for that person.

Leadership Diploma
This module introduced senior manager to some of the skills that enhance communication, rapport building and goal setting applicable to the business world. They gained specific skills for dealing with people who perceive the world differently so that they can influence others.

Culture and organisation change plus leadership projects
In this module, we introduced senior managers to leadership models around the dynamics of change, especially across organisations. We then moved on to put those models into practice with a simple four-step project management frame.

Mentoring and coaching
In the final module, senior managers;
• Revisited earlier learning from in the context of mentoring and coaching.
• Learned strategies for getting clear on what people need.
• Experienced models for coaching that fitted with their operating contexts.
• Explored feedback as a coaching tool.
• Practised coaching whilst being observed.

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Outcome: The programme has produced an upward drive for change and performance improvement. Managers have grasped the responsibility they have for change and have gained a set of skills to support their renewed focus on performance.

A clear sense has emerged of what an ideal manager in Social Services looks like. This has created a means of bench-marking personal performance against a model. And in turn there is a now a language for improving performance which is shared across an entire population.

Key outcomes from the programme have included;

• Drives to do things better, and to achieve sustainable compliance with inspection targets
• Shifts in behaviour patterns, people-skills and beliefs
• Movement away from ‘we can’t’ towards ‘we can’
• Acting as role models for change and performance improvement
• New networking opportunities across the PCT and Social Services
• More motivated managers who feel invested in and developed


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