Leading or lagging behind: round-up and further thoughts

Thank you to everyone who participated so enthusiastically in the discussion about leadership in the culture, sport and leisure sector.

Leading or lagging behind: where is the thought leadership in the culture, sport and leisure sector?

This article summarises parts of the discussion and considers some further thoughts.

• What is a leader?
• The role of leadership in driving improvement and innovation
• Future leaders
• The roles and responsibilities of our professional bodies
• Addressing leadership challenges

What is a leader?

The discussion prompted people to reflect upon and discuss the skills and attributes displayed by effective leaders. The consensus view was that a leader:

• sets an example
• encourages others to learn from their experiences – both good and bad
• shares and inspires ideas and solutions
• acts as a champion for their organisation and the sector as a whole
• takes calculated risks
• asks the right questions
• listens actively to others
• celebrates success
• is happy to be challenged
• is committed to improvement and development.

The article constructed ‘thought leadership’ as distinct from what might be called ‘practical leadership’. What was clear in the comments received was that practical leadership is valued more highly than thought leadership.

Tough economic conditions are likely to prevail for another couple of years. Although it is unlikely that culture, sport and leisure will vanish as a result, a reduction in resources is inevitable. The sector will therefore need to rethink the way it does business.

These circumstances demand leaders who are:

• practical and tactical
• able to demonstrate the sector’s intrinsic merit and the contribution of culture, sport and leisure to broader social and economic outcomes.

Achieving this will require good relationships within and outside of the sector, particularly with members of the local strategic partnership (LSP), regional and sub-regional networks, and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs).

The role of leadership in driving improvement and innovation

In practice, ‘practical’ and ‘thought’ leadership are inseparable. The existence and work of the London Cultural Improvement Group and the Cultural Improvement Partnership East Midlands demonstrate that thought leadership and practical leadership can be combined to deliver tangible improvements.

Cultural Improvement Partnership, East Midlands website

London Cultural Improvement Group website

Christine Parsloe, Chair of the London Cultural Improvement Group and London Borough of Merton’s Leisure and Culture Development Manager, offered the following response to the leadership discussion:

“It’s good to have debate and share ideas, success and failures ... to learn from all of that. But greater than that, we must not just 'talk the talk' to deliver improvement and better cultural outcomes; we must 'walk the walk'.”

There are some leaders in the sector driving much-needed creativity, innovation and improvement, but there is still a long way to go. Leaders must be prepared to take risks and try new ways of working. The cultural improvement networks are leading the charge, as are those services that have embraced the strategic commissioning model.

Future leaders

The discussion revealed that leadership can and should come from all levels and parts of the sector, not just those in recognised positions of authority. These are some representative thoughts from the discussion:

“There will always be an old guard and new young guard ... but don't get hung up on this. If someone has something to offer, listen to them, irrespective of how you or others package them!”

“Unless and until we are open to ideas, to creative input, to criticism or encouragement, from people who fall outside that ‘recognised authority’, then the channels of ideas and action open to us will narrow and become increasingly difficult to navigate.”

So, how do we encourage young people to ‘take up the baton’?

Each individual needs to take responsibility for their personal development. Equally, organisations and the sector as a whole should keep an eye on succession planning, seeking to stimulate an appetite for leadership among junior and middle managers.

The roles and responsibilities of our professional bodies

The national and regional cultural and sporting agencies, and the professional membership bodies have key roles to play in developing and promoting the sector. Their impact can be diminished by:

• their complexity
• the continuing 'silo mentality' within sport, culture and leisure
• funding issues.

The creation of a single sector professional body may be unrealistic in the short term. Nevertheless, there needs to be more coordination, cooperation and exchange of knowledge and ideas between professional bodies, NDPBs, regional and sub-regional networks, and other key stakeholders.

Greater cohesion would put the sector in a far stronger position by enabling it to publicise its successes and raise its profile within local government. It would also create valuable opportunities for current and emerging leaders to debate ideas.

Organisations such as the Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure (ISPAL) and the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) are trying to address these issues and raise professional standards by achieving chartered status.

Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure website

Institute of Sport and Recreation Management website

It remains to be seen whether their efforts will be successful and whether other organisations will follow their lead.

Addressing leadership challenges

In many ways, what happens next is up to us. If we are happy with the state of leadership in the sector perhaps we should leave this debate there and move on. If we are not happy then perhaps we need to step forward and do something about it.

The Local Government Association’s (LGA’s) Culture Sport and Tourism Board recently highlighted the leadership deficit in the sector. It is keen to facilitate a debate on how this can be addressed in the future.

LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board – on the LGA website

The National Culture Forum (NCF) started its second Leading Learning Programme, attended by 32 emerging leaders, in September 2009. A third programme is planned for 2010 but, unless individuals are supported to attend, it could be the last.

For further information on the Leading Learning Programme, contact:

Sue Isherwood, Director
NCF Leading Learning Programme
email: leadership@cloa.org.uk

With an election pending and difficult times ahead for the public sector in general, the culture, sport and leisure sector as a whole needs to engage with the debate about the future of public services and our role in that future. Maybe now is the time for the sector to consider seriously how practical and strategic leadership can be used to drive the sector forward.

Stay up-to-date and find out about future discussions by signing up for Local Government Improvement and Development’s 'Culture and Sport Email Newsletter' and alert. To subscribe email:
culture.andsport@local.gov.uk

Page published November 2009.