Friday 27th March saw the University’s SMT take time out from their usual busy schedule to focus specifically on the launch of Bradford:Leader and on their own development as a team.
This involved spending a full day at Heaton Mount to support and accelerate SMT in their development as a leadership team to enable them to most effectively lead and deliver the transformational strategy of the University; and taking up their individual and collective roles as leaders, sponsors and role models for the emerging Bradford: Leader community and the university as a whole.
During the day the senior management team agreed on a tangible and strategically significant task around which they wished to focus their efforts and enjoyed some robust initial discussions ably facilitated by The Leaderful Partnership.
After the event the Bradford:Leader programme team took the opportunity to ask members of the SMT a few questions about their experience. We asked:
What does Bradford:Leader mean to you, and to the University?
They said:
“The ability to work in a more collegiate manner with colleagues and to build trust; providing me with greater job satisfaction. For the University a more responsive and innovative workforce”.
“Bradford:Leader is a means of acknowledging and supporting professionalism in our University and of creating a shared understanding of how we can all contribute to the future success of the University”.
“It is an opportunity to reflect on and develop your own and the SMT leadership style, the way we work and how we can support the achievement of the university strategy”.
What did you gain from your first Bradford:Leader session?
Members of the SMT responded:
“A realisation that many of my frustrations are shared by colleagues and that they are keen (as I am) to remove blockages and be able to work together in a more proactive manner.”
“An opportunity to take real time out from the daily routine and to spend time with valued colleagues talking about issues that will positively impact on the University”.
“Time out to reflect , think and get to know my colleagues better”.
Why should other leaders at Bradford engage with this?
Members of the SMT said:
“Because this is being led top-down and the benefits that accrue to the SMT can cascade down throughout the university so that decisions and actions can be effected at the most appropriate level. This provides a more enriching work environment”.
“Understanding the professional competencies required from a good leader is essential to taking the University forward. The Bradford:Leader approach allows colleagues the space to reflect on personal and professional styles and to share ideas for the future”
“Because you will gain the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the university and spend time on your own personal development and leadership style”.
Brian, Joanne, Robert, Shirley, Alison, Angela, Bill and Harriet are now looking forward to launching the first Bradford:Leader cohort, which starts with a welcome event on Friday 24th April 2015 and to the second Leadership Forum on 1st May 2015 when we will continue to grow the Bradford:Leader community and introduce the leadership development process and concepts to an audience of up to 130 leaders.