Setting and maintaining standards
The position
Our client is responsible for ensuring that safe meat is produced in hygienic conditions in line with the regulations and for ensuring animal health and welfare. Like other agencies who act as the legislative arm of the government, our client was keen to demonstrate its effectiveness and value.
Its culture needed to change from inspection and enforcement to a different approach: one of advice, influence and cooperative working. This had huge implications, not only for how it worked with industry members, but also for how staff work with each other. Empowerment and responsibility were the way forward - led by senior managers.
How did we tackle it?
We had a specific brief from our client, but we also worked with them to create the right intervention for the industry and its managers. Our first piece of work was to design a leadership and management competency framework. The focus of the framework was behavioural and we worked with our client to develop it after more than 70 telephone interviews with managers from across the business.
The second piece of work was to use the framework to design a leadership development programme for managers from across the business. We wanted the programme to be creative and practical and to get underneath the changes in behaviour that needed to happen for the business to move forward. The programme was delivered to 320 managers who were a mix of grade and locality; 25 cohorts attended 75 modules within 12 months.
The programme consisted of three 2-day modules. They were experiential and used a combination of outdoor leadership activities, professional actors and facilitated discussions. Importantly, each module was separated by a gap of six weeks. This allowed time for people to implement the learning and to provoke discussions with line managers and direct reports. Over the three modules, we covered essential leadership skills including: influencing, leadership and communication styles, giving and receiving constructive feedback, problem solving and managing performance.
The programme ran during a period of significant change for the client including a government review and internal restructuring. During that time, we continued to work closely with our client to understand the changing needs of the business and adapt the programme.
What did it achieve?
The programme exceeded the expectations of our client, the management population and the senior management team. Its practical and energetic design gave participants the opportunity to receive constructive feedback and apply the learning quickly and effectively. Other benefits included:
- a marked improvement in communicating and influencing within teams
- individuals committed to making real change with business impact
- led to a more communicative style within the business
Email Lucy Neale or phone 0117 315 5243.
