Leadership Development

Level 4 - Strategic Leadership Development

Championed by the senior team, methods and learning content are wide ranging and bespoke to meet individual needs but focused on meeting service needs.
On-going development is considered natural by people and not just part of lead up to and undertaking of new roles.
Future skills analysis are regularly considered and integrated into learning programmes and other organisational forms of learning.
Talent management is integral to business planning.
Information and the WHY of decisions is transparent to all staff and engagement in decision making encouraged.
Decision making is structured to happen at the appropriate level of management so it empowers and builds trust.
Constructive challenge and diverse views are proactively sought in meetings and other engagement mechanisms.
Decisions are widely debated, with ability to change end result.
Significant level of coaching carried out at all levels. Mentoring is available to all where it can add value.
Good support for all individuals as they navigate personal change curve during change and underlines need for leadership at all levels.
Wellbeing of self and others seen as a valued part of leadership.
Leadership style which is consistent with empowering and supporting people is widely adopted and adapted with feedback from different sources.
Ethical considerations are integral to decision making.

Level 3 - Focused Leadership Development

Senior Team statement about need for all staff to adopt leadership skills is communicated at all levels, and widely adopted.
Culture setting and role modelling is evident.
Strategy development and future focus is a part of the organisational debate.
The NFCC leadership behaviour framework has been adopted/adapted and is used in supporting development.
Core progression pathways are understood in the organisation and training is available for specific areas e.g. budget skills, project management for differing levels within the organisation.
Multiple sources of Leadership content available, with some bespoke routes to current and future skills required.
Lack of development is challenged and plans put in place to support individuals to develop.
Individuals encouraged to seek professional memberships and appropriate qualifications.
Difficult decisions are undertaken regularly, with plans to improve communicated.
Leadership style development is a regular debate and reinforced in different ways.
Rank pulling actively discouraged and individuals coached away from inappropriate/ abuse of power.
Secondment, working with partners in projects, collaboration are all encouraged to build broad leadership skills.
Exposure to significant projects, reporting to senior teams and members is encouraged to build skills and confidence.
Governance skills such as budget management, project and programme management/ sponsorship, report writing are a part of core learning for leaders at appropriate levels of content.
Strong emphasis on team management, team meetings, open discussions on various topics across the FRS.

Level 2 - Structured Leadership Development

Learning content available with context added.
Leadership development material able to be accessed by all.
Development is actively recognised as key to progression.
Developing individuals to become better managers, with some future skills identified.
Senior team statement permeates all levels, but only partially adopted.
Empowering/coaching leadership styles are used, but with some inappropriate command and control style still present.
Decisions are debated.
Learning material is available, but is generic in approach.
Only people who are current managers can access leadership material.
Basic skills covered to bring people up to current requirements.

Level 1 - Inconsistent approach to Leadership Development

Some content available, but limited numbers able to access.
Benefits are for employees and not aligned to organisational progress.
Undertaking leadership development has no bearing on progression.
Set people defined as leaders.
Limited uptake, difficult decisions passed off.
Leadership by fear, or command and control prevalent as major or only style.
Decisions not debated.