Purpose and expected benefits
The University of Kent has recognised that to respond to challenges organisationally, we need to embrace change, be more agile and responsive to the external environment, and increase capacity for coping with uncertainty. All of these challenges have implications for staff and we need staff at all levels making positive change happen. This involves utilising the skills of our staff by recognising these skills, giving them the space and confidence to develop their capabilities, supporting them in their growth and success, harnessing their energy, ideas, inspiration and commitment and influencing others to do the same.
At an organisation level, the benefits of the Leadership Programme for Professional Services Managers (LPPSM) are enormous and include improved cross-university collaboration, deeper alignment of administrative processes, clearer understanding of the importance of managers’ initiative in realising the institutional plan, and an enhanced reputation for the university as a flexible and change-ready organisation.
As a programme cohort, participants develop an increased understanding of the strategic context and the challenges facing managers across the university; improve their capacity to support the performance and development of others as well as their ability to influence and have an impact on others outside their immediate area; improve relations and increase respect for professional expertise outside their home department or school; and become more aware of the importance of continuing and sustaining their own development through peer coaching and networks.
At an individual level, participants are able to enhance their own leadership capability; increase their understanding of their own preferences and working styles and those of colleagues across the university; create and work with a focused personal development plan (PDP); and create a clearer picture of where expertise, experience and knowledge exist across schools and departments.
What does it look like? Size and scope
The LPPSM programme was initially run as a pilot within the academic division of the university in 2010 with 30 mid-manager professional services manager participants. The success of the pilot led to the launch in 2011 of a cross-university programme which involved 30 representatives from every professional services area as participants, and which was the first of its kind at Kent. A third cross-university cohort will begin the programme in March 2012, bringing the total participant level to nearly 100 staff members in less than three years.
Who should be involved? Roles, stakeholders and engagement
The university-wide LPPSM programme has been actively supported through the endorsement of two members of the university’s executive group who attended the introductory and closing sessions of the programme. A steering group was formed, comprised of a range of directors of professional services, line managers of participants, human resources staff and our external supplier. This group worked in collaboration to ensure that the initial pilot led by the academic registrar truly reflected the needs and realities of staff across the university, by informing the adjustment of the original design and involving some design team members in sessions as guest speakers and session facilitators. A number of alumni from the first pilot programme also actively engaged in the next iteration by acting as live case studies within the university-wide programme.
How does it work? Selection and assessment methods
Participants for the programme were selected by each director of professional service. The directors were encouraged to make this decision based on full discussion and disclosure about the programme with all of their eligible staff, as a way of determining volunteers who were interested in engaging with the programme as pilot participants and committing to the full programme. These initial discussions also provided a useful opportunity for subsequent discussions between the director of professional services, line managers and staff members in relation to other opportunities for development (eg special projects, committees, conference participation etc).
How does it work? Development methods
The programme incorporates a host of different methods and models. It is nonlinear, although topics build from each other. There is an emphasis on answers and questions, peer mentoring, self-directed learning and co-delivery. The programme combines workshop sessions with action learning sets and individual coaching between sessions. Personal development plans using the behavioural elements from the university’s institutional plan are completed by participants and discussed in one-on-one sessions with line managers during a minimum of two separate occasions during the programme. Line managers are also provided with briefing sessions about the programme, emphasising a coaching approach to PDP discussions.
Evaluation
Evaluation is extensive during the programme. Online and paper-based feedback questionnaires are used along with individual follow-up conversations with participants and line managers. The steering group provided their own feedback to the design team and a year-long set of focus group sessions comprised of participants from the original academic division programme has also helped to inform the development of the programme.