Place-based Leadership

Overview

Lead change when success depends on other people

Many of the biggest challenges facing local public services cannot be solved by one team or service acting alone.

Whether you’re responding to local government reorganisation, improving community wellbeing, tackling digital exclusion or redesigning services, success often depends on bringing together people with different priorities, budgets and pressures.

That’s not always easy.

Progress can stall when everyone agrees on the problem but struggles to agree on what happens next.

This course will help you develop the confidence and practical skills to bring people together, build momentum and make change happen.

You’ll learn how to influence, build trust and create a shared sense of purpose, even when you are not the person making the final decision.

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Why attend?

This course will help you:

• Bring people together around a common goal.
• Build stronger relationships with partners and stakeholders.
• Handle competing priorities and difficult conversations.
• Create agreement when people see problems differently.
• Lead confidently through uncertainty and change.
• Use data, insight and digital tools to support better decisions.
• Keep the focus on outcomes for residents and communities.
• Learn alongside other senior leaders facing similar challenges.

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What you’ll explore

Understanding your place

Every community is different.

You’ll explore how local priorities, relationships, politics and public expectations shape decision-making, and how leaders can respond effectively to the needs of the communities they serve.

Bringing people together

Good ideas rarely succeed without the support of others.

You’ll learn practical approaches for building trust, finding common ground and helping partners work together more effectively.

Leading through change

Public sector leaders face constant change.

We’ll explore how to maintain momentum, support colleagues and make progress when resources are stretched and priorities compete for attention.

Influencing when you’re not in charge

Many important decisions involve people you don’t directly manage.

You’ll develop your ability to persuade, negotiate and build support for change across services, partnerships and communities.

Using digital, data and technology well

Digital, data and technology play an important role in improving outcomes for communities.

You’ll explore how they can help leaders make better decisions, understand local needs more clearly and deliver services more effectively.

Building your own resilience

Leading in challenging times can be demanding.

We’ll look at practical ways to maintain perspective, manage pressure and stay effective when dealing with complex issues.

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Who should attend?

This course is designed for senior leaders who need to work with others to achieve meaningful change.

It is particularly relevant for:

• Directors
• Assistant Directors
• Heads of Service
• Programme and Transformation Leads
• Senior Managers
• Leaders responsible for partnerships, improvement programmes and change initiatives

The course is especially valuable for those involved in local government reorganisation, devolution, digital transformation, service redesign and wider place-based initiatives.

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What you’ll leave with

By the end of the course, you’ll be better equipped to:

• Deliver better outcomes for the communities you serve.
• Build support for change.
• Create stronger partnerships.
• Bring people together around shared goals.
• Navigate complex challenges with greater confidence.
• Apply practical leadership approaches to real-world issues.
• Make better use of digital, data and technology.