Future Leadership programme
The essential programme for leaders and commissioners of local public service provision
The next few years will prove challenging if you are in public services, with budget cuts, reform and increased demands on services. If you are an ambitious manager attending this programme, you will develop practical solutions to the challenges facing your organisation and community and hone your personal and professional skills.
The Future Leadership Programme addresses the role of leadership in changing organisational cultures. The programme aims to ensure that you can lead effectively and become a strategic commissioner of public service provision and work in partnership. These goals are brought to life in a learning community with colleagues in other public and third sector organisations over six months.
The programme
The programme comprises seven residential days over six months delivered on campus at the Ashridge Business School, with formal and guest speaker input, group and personal project activity, practical and experimental work, coaching and buddy support. All modules are linked to practical projects that are intended to deliver positive change in public services and increase organisational capacity.
Each participant receives individual coaching support from an experienced course tutor during the programme and access to the Ashridge Learning Resource Centre . A key feature of the programme is the bespoke 360-degree OPM-Ashridge public sector leadership assessment tool, which is also linked to personality preferences through the Myers Briggs Type Indicator instrument. This has proved invaluable in sustaining learning in the programme for use in your workplace.
‘The course went far beyond my expectations in terms of the calibre of teaching and facilitation staff and the positive group dynamic - a significant turning point in my professional development and career.’ - manager, third sector organisation
Who is it for?
Managers responsible for delivering or commissioning services and working in or with:
- Local authorities: unitary, district and metropolitan
- Fire and rescue services
- Police forces and National Offender Management Services
- Third, charity and private sectors
- Health trusts
A typical group on the programme will consist of managers across service sectors., providing participants with the opportunity to learn with leaders in different roles and responsibilities. This might include managers in local government responsible for strategy, performance management, service commissioning, children’s and adult services, community services working with managers from a social landlord, third-sector organisations, emergency services or crime and justice., third-sector organisations, emergency services or crime and justice.
What you will achieve through this programme
‘The content was spot on in terms of developing me as a potential leader. Meeting up with a group of like-minded individuals has been a great source of inspiration and confidence for the future.’ – corporate policy manager, district council
The programme aims to:
- Enhance leadership and management skills
- Improve the performance of local public services by building leadership skills
- Develop best-practice solutions to the opportunities and challenges facing organisations in modernisation, efficiency and change
- Contribute to the understanding of social cohesion and sustainable communities
- Strengthen the delivery of local services through understanding effective engagement strategies with local communities and service users.
The modules
- Module 1: Developing individual leadership and skills and using these skills to focus on participants’ roles and responsibilities to help develop other people.
- Module 2: Organisational and change leadership including practice in change management, commissioning, presenting business cases and applying efficiency principles.
- Module 3: Partnership and community leadership through an exploration of political leadership, partnership working and community and stakeholder engagement techniques.
Between modules participants will:
- Work on a project designed to achieve radical service efficiencies and improvements
- Use the Ashridge Learning Resource Centre to research current issues in strategic commissioning and practise interpreting data for leadership decisions
- Receive tutored coaching support.
Optional specialist modules are also offered:
‘[The programme] provides a confidential space to consider how you can really change the perceptions of customers and build services that work far more efficiently.’ Streetscene manager, city council
- Strategic thinking using Open Strategy
- Coaching skills for managers
- Lean leadership thinking
- Commissioning skills
- Financial leadership
Participants will be entitled to special discounts on local follow up workshops, optional modules and other programmes offered by OPM and Ashridge. Please contact us to discuss further.
What we expect of you
Participants are expected to:
- Develop their leadership skills to prepare for future demands and changing roles
- Lead the transformation agenda across their department or service
- Plan and deliver a work-based project that shows radical service improvements and efficiencies
- Contribute to sustainable solutions for public services
- Deliver high performance in partnerships
- Develop a talented workforce
- Attend all three modules and complete the assignments and reading between modules
‘In my promotion I’m leading the total transformation of our business planning and performance management. All the training came back and I could hear your words ringing in my ears.’ – principal officer, performance and improvement, county council
Who delivers it
Future Leadership is designed and delivered by the Office for Public Management (OPM), leading practitioners in the field of public services policy and practice, and Ashridge Business School, the top ;UK business school for tailored executive education. The IDeA supports this programme as part of the national offering of leadership development programmes for ambitious managerial leaders at key stages in their careers.
Dates, fees and how to apply
Programme fees are £3,900 plus VAT, which includes all accommodation, course materials, meals and refreshments. Travel and other personal expenses are not included.
A number of the regional improvement and efficiency partnerships will accept bids for support. Please contact us for details.
Further information and printed application forms can be obtained by calling Kimberley on 020 7239 7828
| Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programme 1 | 23–26 March 2010 | 10–12 May | 8–10 September |
| Programme 2 | 24–27 May 2010 | 21–23 July | 18–20 October |
| Programme 3 | 22–25 June 2010 | 29 September – 1 October | 15–17 December |
| Programme 4 | 20–23 September 2010 | 22–24 November | 23–25 February 2011 |
| Programme 5 | 30 November – 3 December 2010 | 2–4 February 2011 | 4–6 May |
The programme can also be run off campus for a regional cohort – please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Terms and conditions on cancellation and transfers
All cancellations must be confirmed in writing. Fees, less 20 per cent to cover administration costs, are refundable up to six weeks before the start of the programme. After this date we regret refunds are not possible. Substitutions may be possible up to three weeks before the start of the programme.
At the discretion of the programme director, date changes and transfers are permitted on the basis of the following cancellation terms:
- Less than six weeks prior to module 1: full accommodations fees payable £594
- Less than two weeks prior to module 2: full accommodations fees payable £396
- Less than two weeks prior to module 3: full accommodations fees payable £396
OPM reserves the right to change or cancel this programme up to two weeks prior to the event without obligation. By applying to the programme, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.
Find out more
If you would like to talk to someone about the Future Leadership programme, email Kimberley Green
