Transcript Leadership Foundation – Top Managers Programme 22

Stephen Wells
18th March 2011
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The Top Management Programme (TMP) is the Leadership
Foundation’s flagship programme
An established track record in developing strategic leaders
in the HE sector
Over 40 of the current UK Vice-Chancellors/Principals are
TMP Alumni, with many of the other past participants of
TMP holding some of the most senior roles throughout
higher education.
TMP is intended to be challenging, providing an
opportunity to broaden perspectives and to act as a force
for change at both a personal and professional level.
The programme is designed to provide long-term benefit
to both the individual, the university or higher education
college and the wider higher education sector.
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Selection to TMP requires the full support of
the institution and the Vice-Chancellor.
Participants will automatically become
members of the TMP Alumni (currently over
440 members) and continue to benefit from a
vibrant support network.
The future of higher education
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Strategic leadership
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What is strategic leadership and how can you enhance your capabilities to deliver it? What changes
might be needed in the form and structure of university governance and management?
Leading change
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What helps and what hinders the process of effecting major strategic change? How do other
organisations achieve sustainable change?
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What financial and resources issues do you need to consider as a strategic leader? What data
intelligence and key performance indicators (KPIs) do you really need to focus attention on leading
an institution?
Strategic financial management
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What will be the impact of the economic downturn, the increase in student tuition fees, with the
following refocus on the student experience; globalisation and trans-national education, European
integration and expansion and other macro level influences on higher education.
Strategic human resource management
What good practice exists that will enhance the culture and climate of higher education institutions?
How do you get the best performance from all staff in the organisation?
Career management
◦ What can you do to enhance your own career and the development of others?
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Personal growth and development
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How do you currently operate as a strategic leader? How might you enhance your current
performance and develop your capabilities as a strategic and influential leader?
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One day Induction
Week 1 – Leading the changing organisation
◦ Kingston
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Week 2 – Trends in Government and Ireland
◦ London and Dublin
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Week 3 – Leading high performance
organisations
◦ Edinburgh
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Action Learning and personal development
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Deans, PVC’s, DVC’s, interim VC’s and
Directors
1st Estates Director to attend TMP programme
Organisations represented from all of Higher
Education including not for profit colleges
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The main topics of the week were;
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Strategic planning and ‘being strategic’
Governance: the changing agenda
Scenario planning –challenges for the next 5 years
Leading change
Team working (team leadership styles)
The private sector in HE- the US model (Apollo Global)
Air Chief Marshall Sir Brian Burridge
◦ the rollercoaster ride of strategic leadership
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Prof Malcolm Gillies, VC, London Metropolitan
◦ Reflections on leadership transitions and strategic
leadership
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The main topics of the week were;
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Prof Sir Alan Langlands, CEO, HEFCE
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◦ Leading in HR: Horizon scanning and responses (post Browne and
CSR)
◦ Lobbying and Influencing Policy Issues
◦ Group Investigation : Million +
◦ Fiscal overview, policy developments and current challenges – HM
Treasury
◦ Policy Directions for Higher Education – Dept of Business,
Innovation and Skills
◦ ‘working with government’
Prof Aldwyn Cooper, CEO of Regent’s College
Ireland
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Higher Education Authority Ireland
Trinity College, Dublin
University College, Dublin
Dublin Institute of Technology
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The main topics of the week were;
◦ Interpreting and benchmarking financial
performance data in an Higher Education context
◦ Top team working
 Key issues in challenging times
 Performance management
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◦ Strategic HR issues in Higher Education
◦ Higher Education in Scotland; current issues and
future challenges
◦ Inspirational leadership through mythodrama:
Henry V
Case Study – University of Eastchurch
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360 appraisal
◦ Manager, peer group, subordinates and customers
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Action learning
◦ Mixed group of seven
◦ Project based
◦ All day sessions in organisations (London,
Northumbria and Bedfordshire)
◦ Continues after TMP 22…
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Personal Development plan
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To be an effective leader you need to have a wide variety of skills
and abilities
It enabled me to think outside of the ‘day-job’ and gain valuable
understanding of the HE sector.
The group was able to learn together where members of the
group could share their knowledge and experiences.
The residential format was good to enable further debate on
issues raised during the day.
Action learning
◦ great opportunity to see other HE organisations
◦ bonding as an action learning set, enabled wider trust and sharing of
confidential issues.
The scenario planning exercise of the University of Eastchurch
was a positive experience. It enabled me to be responsible and
understand areas within HE.
I have a network across the sector to contact, to test ideas or
discover best practice
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Using external experts to share experiences is very
beneficial for wider learning
We all have knowledge of areas and these could be
shared with the SMG to enable learning
Sector learning - All organisations are going through
the same issues as LSBU
We can learn ideas from the ‘not for profit’ and even
private sector on providing higher education
Academics and support staff can work together to
reach a win-win situation
The team is stronger when it works together, not in
silos and sometimes peoples abilities are not always
apparent