LG Leadership A day in the life of….Holly Wheeler, Head of Learning
My days are not really typical, in the sense that no two days are the same, but that is one of things I love about my job. First to get my attention each morning is usually the blackberry, checking on emails, where I need to get to and who I need to see.
Recently a day began with a couple of hours with a leader of a local authority discussing their thinking and approach to the leadership challenges of their council and the sector. The session was a follow up from participation in the Leeds Castle leadership programme. The obvious topic of efficiency was first on the agenda but the conversation developed to discuss the nature of the relationship the local council has with the people who live there, council staff, national government and other agencies. How does the council change these relationships and the behaviours of all the people involved to support the innovation needed to tackle the challenges that faced them? We also spoke the need to develop great emotional resilience in these uncertain times: leading in tough times involves difficult decisions and being the steady rock of the place.
The train journey back to London was spent reflecting on the tenders bids for a leadership development programme. I am working client side with group of authorities to advise them on procuring a development programme that involves local government leaders and managers from across the region. The important aspects of this programme are around culture and behaviour: it is not just about teaching leadership and management theory, real change doesn’t happen in a lecture.
Back in the office, after a catch up with one of the team about logistics for an event, I went to a meeting about our next overseas trip. We were trying to work out the best way to work with the University of Roskilde, a very successful firm of architects and the Danish local government association to.