Systems Change Leadership Initiative

Is the Systems Change Leadership Initiative for me?

The Systems Change Leadership Initiative assumes that, as an experienced and senior leader, you already know a great deal about how to lead effectively. Despite this, you are increasingly aware that the interrelated and interdependent nature of the multiple challenges facing your organisation, business, community, or place is, at times, unavoidably overwhelming. Despite all your skill, experience and effort, progress is difficult.

The Initiative is designed to confront you, and to stretch you developmentally. Both the content and how the learning is facilitated will challenge you, with the aim of better equipping you to meet the challenges of the moment. We won’t ‘teach you’ to be a more effective leader – we simply don’t believe that’s how it works. Instead, we’ll create and hold powerful learning environments in which you can explore the edges of your current thinking and action alongside your peers.

Testimonials

The Initiative’s faculty members have collaborated for many years, working with senior leaders who are shaping the future of our most complex systems. Here, leaders from across different sectors share their experience.

The faculty team took care to co-design the experience with the participants and then to involve a wide range of experts to work with us… It was a life-changing experience that profoundly impacted on how I think and act in my role.
Council leader (elected, local government)

As a senior civil servant, leadership programmes usually involve only those from other government departments. The programme that Christopher, Kathryn and Axelle designed enabled me to develop a network from across the wider public sector and into the private sector, with all the benefits which come from learning from those with a wider perspective.
UK central government agency chief executive

Working with international faculty was life changing in many ways… There were elements of provocation about the role of a leader to “imagine the future and deliver the future” which led to a significant mindset change on my return to my chief executive role.
NHS trust chief executive

The coaching experience probably brought me the most benefit. There were, in effect, two types of coaching. The first was peer coaching or co-coaching, in smaller groups. Wicked issues relating to system leadership are brought to the table and an evidenced based methodology is then used by your peers to help you find alternative ways of managing the issue.

This is then reinforced through individual executive coaching in which you are taken through a re-imagining of the complexity you face in your work.
NHS trust chief executive

The full year of working with the faculty team (Christopher, Kathryn and Axelle) had a profound impact on my leadership and how I have continued to work confidently, and with impact, across different sectors. The breadth of leaders from across different sectors is important and those relationships are sustained many years on.
Police chief constable

Initiative structure

This Initiative is co-designed in partnership with you and other participants to ensure it focuses on leadership challenges facing you and your peers. The structure of this includes:

• four residentials, hosted at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park

• a five-day study visit to Boston, US

• two virtual workshops

• four 1:1 coaching sessions

• Systems Change Leadership group meet-ups. In addition to the core dates set out above, each Systems Change Leadership group will be offered two opportunities to meet online for self-facilitated, small-group learning. These meet-ups will be scheduled with each group after the start of the Initiative.

If you would like to express interest in the Initiative, but are facing funding challenges, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss your situation further. We especially welcome applications from individuals and organisations that are historically under-represented in senior leadership development initiatives of this nature.