WHAT WE SET OUT TO EXPLORE

At 1.30 on Friday November 24th, 2017 an unprecedented event was happening. A group of staff, who had worked in a voluntary capacity as “Visioneers” and “Discoverers” were publicly sharing, for the first time, their 5-year strategic vision for their organisation.

Their audience included: The Group Senior Management Team and members of the Non-Executive Board. They shared their collective vision in an interview with the Group Director of People and Culture.

Overall, this undertaking to create strategy collaboratively with staff has represented a rather unique research and learning opportunity, to explore in greater depth the shift in leadership approach at this organisation. This is a shift from one, conventionally favouring the exclusive authority and control of a given leader and senior team, to one that facilitates a de-centring of authority and instead the adoption of a more collaborative attitude and approach, in leadership terms. This journey has been researched with those staff who participated in this unique undertaking. The resulting story or “learning history” is what you are now reading here.

WE WANTED TO..........

Examine in greater depth the nature of the shared leadership relationship itself, to understand more fully how staff actually felt and experienced working in this new collaborative way.

Identify and explore key leadership skills and the new ways of working, or 'practices' that have been developing as a result.

Understand more fully the key events and activities that have led to and informed this shared leadership approach to strategic planning:  

Consider by reflecting together on this Learning History, in what ways staff may therefore continue to 'share' leadership and to what effect?

CLICK ON RESEARCH CONTEXT FOR FURTHER BACKGROUND TO THIS ORGANISATION'S APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP.