Event
The Scottish Leadership Institute with its remit to promote, advocate and convene to raise
awareness and better practice of Human-Centred Leadership in Scotland, hosted this twohour
open discussion with senior participants representing a variety of sectors and
perspectives.
Scotland as a small nation is well-positioned to trial, experiment and ground-break new
practices to enhance the leadership behaviour in its organizations.
There is a well-understood need to increase performance and productivity in all sectors across the nation, and leadership while not a ‘silver bullet’ for achieving that, is certainly a significant part of the solution. The question to tackle is what are the best ways to get managers and executives to embrace new practices, especially when time and funding is scarce, and other short-term priorities inevitably get attended to more urgently, pushing the engagement with leadership development down the priority list.
The meeting focused on leadership challenges and potential solutions in Scotland. Key points included the need for a collaborative approach to leadership and addressing systemic issues.
was placed on creating spaces for open conversations and supporting organisations to improve leadership and collaboration. The SLI aims to convene diverse perspectives to explore leadership issues and foster collaboration across sectors. Creating "safe, discretionary spaces" for open and honest conversations, free from hierarchical structures, is crucial.
Creating environments where people feel safe to speak up and admit mistakes is essential for better leadership. Many systems in Scotland, particularly in the public sector, operate with low levels of psychological safety.
Identifying and showcasing examples of eective leadership across all sectors is important. The SLI wants to highlight good leadership practices and amplify these examples to sow the seeds of change.
There is a need to shift the focus from simply identifying problems to actively implementing change. The SLI's focus is more on implementation rather than strategy, promoting a leadership mindset across the whole hierarchy of employees.
Good leaders should be both humble and courageous.
Recognising that leadership challenges are interconnected requires a systemic approach, breaking down silos and encouraging collaboration.
More emphasis should be placed on the needs of the people that public services serve, rather than just organisational structures.
Traditional, top-down leadership models hinder the development of leadership at all levels.
A significant barrier is the tendency for organisations and departments to operate in silos.
There's a pervasive culture of risk aversion that discourages innovation and collaboration.
Many organisations lack the time and resources to reflect on their leadership approaches.
Deep-seated ideologies, particularly concerning public services, pose significant barriers to progress.
Many Scottish organisations lack awareness of the need to pause and reflect on their leadership approaches.
Establishing neutral spaces for open conversations among diverse sectors.
Creating environments where individuals feel safe to speak up and admit mistakes.
Showcasing examples of eective leadership across all sectors.
Shifting the focus from merely identifying problems to actively implementing change.
Developing skilled facilitators to create inclusive spaces and guide discussions.
Explore opportunities to create more "safe, discretionary spaces" for open dialogue and the exploration of new ideas, potentially involving cross-party political leaders.
Identify and highlight good leadership practices and case studies across dierent sectors to inspire and educate others.
Consider how to better reach and engage "harder to reach" audiences, such as small businesses and charities, in discussions around leadership and organizational change.
Investigate ways to de-risk and depoliticise certain domains like healthcare and education to enable more systemic change.