# PS I ❤️ You Unplugged: English Regions Collaborative: Leading through complexity and change

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C2aLsHtpak

[00:00] What I absolutely like about the public sector is that everyone is so willing to share, so willing to sort of look at sharing examples, best practice, bringing services in from other areas.
[00:10] And for me, that is a real strength.
[00:12] We are quite privileged conversations.
[00:15] Your people do trust us to be quite sensitive.
[00:33] Hello and welcome to the public sector I heart you unplugged podcast.
[00:35] I'm joined today by colleagues from our regional collaborative of organizations that we work with.
[00:42] I'm Rebecca Davis, chief executive of West Midlands employers and I'll let my guests introduce themselves.
[00:47] Thanks Rebecca.
[00:48] I'm Jillian Bishop, chief executive at Northwest employers.
[00:52] Thank you.
[00:53] Stuart Young, executive director East Midlands Councils.
[00:56] Hi, I'm Kelly Ann Phillips.
[00:57] I'm director of policy and internal services at South.
[01:00] West Councils.
[01:00] Fabulous.
[01:02] And listeners, we've produced a series of podcasts and we've talked a little bit about what we are as organizations and a little bit about some of the areas and services that we deliver.
[01:12] But on this podcast, we're going to focus a little bit on what it's like to work at a regional level and some of the experiences we've got of leading organizations in that regional space and some of the skills and challenges and opportunities we face.
[01:23] So, from my perspective, I absolutely love working at regional level.
[01:26] It's an absolute pleasure to work with so many different organizations.
[01:29] But just interested on your perspective and what are the things that you absolutely enjoy about the role?
[01:36] I'm happy to start if that's okay Stuart and and like you, you know, absolutely love the diversity of working across a a regional footprint and as most regions, you we're very diverse.
[01:51] So, what what is right for Cumbria is is is is and for what's right in Greater Manchester for example.
[01:57] So that diversity and no day is ever the same.
[02:02] I think we would talk previously about the types of services, the breadth of support that we provide.
[02:08] So although you might plan your day or your week, actually there can always be something that comes in left field that does need your attention.
[02:15] So I think that diversity, that ability to be flexible, to be agile, to be responsive, but ultimately being independent and trusted, I think is the real benefit of the roles that we do at the regional level.
[02:30] Yeah, absolutely.
[02:31] It's a fantastic role.
[02:32] Really enjoy it.
[02:33] It is very varied.
[02:35] Um and you work with a range of partners on a range of issues at different times.
[02:42] Uh both at the national and regional local level.
[02:45] So we work with different regional organizations.
[02:47] We work with national government departments for example.
[02:49] We work with local authorities.
[02:50] We work with local VCSs.
[02:52] Um so it's very varied, very interesting.
[02:57] You have to be very flexible.
[02:58] Uh you have to be adaptive.
[03:00] And be fortunate enough to have.
[03:03] Work alongside a very talented team.
[03:05] You know, that's that's a real asset, both.
[03:08] Um and I always think organizations I speak for ourselves, you know, slightly boldly.
[03:13] I know it'd be the same for yourselves.
[03:16] Punch above our weight.
[03:18] Um but uh it's important that we do.
[03:22] Um but um it is very and it's sometimes uncertain.
[03:26] Because you're not quite sure the balance between influence, mandate, the traction that you may necessarily have.
[03:36] Uh but that's all part of the varied mix of day-to-day work, really.
[03:44] Yeah, I I think for us again it's about that variety and being able to have that sort of over picture of the whole strategic view of the region, being able to bring all the partners together, all the public sector organizations, you know, that have to work closely to deliver services across the region.
[03:59] Bringing those together, I think, is really really.
[04:03] Valuable.
[04:04] And I enjoy definitely the variety, being able to pull those pieces together, join people up, and just having that strategic oversight really of the region.
[04:12] And having, I think, been able to influence and kind of help inform national policy, I think, gives us a really good platform to be able to do that.
[04:21] And we've got, you know, the mechanisms in place already to be able to have the the right conversations at the right time to try to respond to things quite quickly.
[04:29] Yeah, absolutely.
[04:31] It is certainly a varied role, but then I think local government itself is, isn't it?
[04:34] And I think for us part of what we find really unique is the ability to collaborate.
[04:40] You know, in so many organizations it's about competition or competitors.
[04:44] And what I absolutely like about the public sector, and particularly the way we work as regional organizations, is that every- everyone is so willing to share, so willing to sort of look at sharing examples, best practice, bringing services in from other areas.
[04:58] And for me, that is a real strength, really, of the sector, but also of the regional organizational bodies.
[05:02] And working with
[05:04] National partners, it's the ability to really stay focused on what we're all trying to deliver, and park any politics or organizational boundaries at the door.
[05:14] And you say that the benefit of us working at a regional level is we are able to identify and shine a light on the great work that is being done.
[05:24] And one of the benefits that we have is people will contact us because they know that we are a connector, that we are a convener, and that we are able to bring people together.
[05:33] So, if there's challenges, how do we face them together?
[05:35] Or if there's successes, how do we celebrate them together?
[05:39] Or actually, how do we just be that connector, be that glue that actually creates the benefit of the sector, the sharing, the learning, um and we do it together for the benefit of each individual authority, but as a collective both regionally and now across us as a national level, sorry, as regional organizations.
[06:03] And it is rewarding to be able to provide that conduit, that platform for.
[06:07] Joint leadership where you see council leaders from across the region come together willingly to work together on matters that are of common concern or common priorities for them.
[06:17] You see that with chief officers or chief executives coming together willingly to work together, uh to address, you know, sim- similar issues.
[06:26] And actually, um the bridge as well, for want of a better phrase, to working with MPs collectively because our issues, local authorities' issues, MPs' constituent issues, those challenges are very, very similar, but actually being able to provide a forum so we can work better with MPs that we do.
[06:43] We had a uh a regional group of MPs that we of MPs that we work closely with.
[06:49] It helps us work with government, for example, in terms of delivering what the priorities are for for the East Midlands.
[06:56] And I do think we're in quite privileged conversations.
[07:00] You know, people do trust us to be in quite sensitive, high-profile, um but the conversations that we have.
[07:08] Whether it's on behalf of the region with our MPs or within our authorities on some of their key issues, um I certainly, you know, find and value that, you know, those privileged conversations and the way that colleagues feel that they can come to us as an organization and myself and my colleagues uh does really put us in a in a trusted position, which we value and I think they value as well.
[07:32] Yeah.
[07:32] I think off the back of that, you know, it's kind of been that sounding board, isn't it?
[07:35] So, sometimes before they have to go and inform and make those big decisions, whether it's on a local level, regional level or overall level, they know they can come and talk to us, talk it through, kind of get the different angles and the different viewpoints so that they can then make their final decisions and how they present it back and and how they move forward with it.
[07:52] But, I think they really value having those sort of those offline conversations sometimes as well as those informed conversations when we have them as part of agenda items, etc. for our networks and our forums.
[08:01] And I think that them being able to inform that as well, so quite often, you know, through our networks and forums, we help.
[08:08] We have chairs that are local for work for either within the councils or sometimes voluntary sector organizations that come and share the agendas with us, help inform what's the challenge, what do they want to talk about, and have those conversations at that local level and regional level before, let's say, taking it back on a national page.
[08:24] Yeah, absolutely.
[08:24] And being able to work with different parts of the public sector as well is a real privilege, I think, and very unique to this type of role.
[08:31] Um, I know we all lead regional organizations, but what are some of the challenges you find personally into leading those organizations?
[08:44] I know for me it's the agility.
[08:46] It's hard to manage sometimes internally within teams where, you know, the people have stability and work programs, and then a new priority will come in and suddenly we're pivoting or we're trying to do something new that we've not done before, and that is always a bit of a tension between that natural inclination to say, "Yes, that's what our organization's about," versus how to sort of manage that internally.
[09:06] And just wondered if you've got similar.
[09:08] Experiences or other challenges that you have to manage as leaders of regional organizations.
[09:13] What you're just saying there, you know, being able to respond, and we want to be able to respond, but we are small, funding is limited, so it's always trying to work out how we can do that in a most cost-effective way, but provide a service that is, you know, tangible and efficient and provides what is needed.
[09:30] And I think that is sometimes quite difficult to try and to juggle that and the different priorities around trying to deliver what members want and deliver what the region wants and needs, really.
[09:39] Mhm.
[09:40] Yeah, there can be frustrations because sometimes you have to make a call about what you can as an organization do, what you can't do.
[09:47] Um because if you're going to do something, you need to do it well.
[09:51] Uh you need to be able to prioritize and resource it to know we can do it well.
[09:56] But similar to you, it's agility that can bring, you know, that requirement can bring with it some own frustration sometimes because that can bring with it sometimes a lack of certainty for colleagues as well.
[10:08] Either certainty in terms of absolutely.
[10:10] Knowing where this may go in the next 6, 9, or 12 months.
[10:14] Um, challenges in terms of mandate sometimes, challenges in terms of well relationship management, partnership management can be the most rewarding thing in the world.
[10:24] It can also be pretty frustrating at times as well.
[10:25] But that's the nature of what we do.
[10:29] And that's that's we almost say kind of raison d'être.
[10:31] Um, relationship and partnership management, whether that's um working with politicians, whether it's working with chief officers, or more junior officers, or organizationally.
[10:44] But that's that's our role, and that's what we need to fulfill.
[10:46] And it does, yeah, it's it does require a range of skills, and you do have to be agile.
[10:51] Um, the trick is always to say make sure you surround yourself with very, very good, talented people.
[10:56] That does help.
[10:57] I completely agree, and I think responsiveness as well.
[10:59] We've talked about it um because a lot of the time um when the phone goes in or the email pops in, it's because people really need you at that time.
[11:08] So, I guess you know, from
[11:10] A personal kind of leadership challenge or an organizational challenge, how do you make sure that you are there when it matters?
[11:17] Because when somebody picks up the phone or does need you, it is that that is when they you know, they are really very much you know, wanting to reach out.
[11:26] And as you say, it may not be for 1 year or 2, but actually it's at that point.
[11:30] So, being responsive um as well as agile um and knowing that that could be on any topic, you know, you never know what that might be.
[11:38] So, uh I guess being ready uh to provide support, but then signpost, guide, um and to work with or sometimes as well to say, "Well, we'll just probably just need to take a minute, you know, to really think this through."
[11:52] Cuz ultimately, we want the right outcome.
[11:55] Um so, I I agree, you know, uh agility, but I think responsiveness, timeliness, um and um being able to work across a diverse set of issues as local government is, um but in a in a in a timely and responsive way, I think, you know, are some of the.
[12:12] Key challenges, but we constantly rise to them, don't we?
[12:14] Absolutely.
[12:14] And I think those calls often come in at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, don't they?
[12:19] Yeah, the time where people need us most.
[12:21] If I may say about Darrel earlier, and you know generally what you're going to see through the week or you have some idea, but you can never anticipate the size of what you're going to get.
[12:29] You know, 2:00 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon.
[12:31] And there is a world of difference between one of your partners saying, "We're thinking about a bit of work we'd appreciate your support on this over the coming weeks or months."
[12:39] That's fine.
[12:42] As opposed to "We have this urgent matter."
[12:46] It's a priority.
[12:47] And we need your help and support on that whatever, you know, no matter what, you will do it, but you have to be very flexible in terms of making sure you do it and you do it well."
[12:58] Yeah.
[12:58] And I think the more we do that, that just builds that trust and, you know, builds the relationship, doesn't it?
[13:03] And I think the more we can do that and respond in that way, the more that they'll come to us.
[13:09] You know, we recently had there was an event that was happening that needed regional.
[13:13] Response literally the day before Christmas Eve.
[13:14] You know, information needed to be collated.
[13:16] We had to work through that some of that time through Christmas and New Year to respond to it by the the 2nd of January.
[13:20] But, you know, we stood up, we did it.
[13:23] It was challenging, but we got the result and we got over the line with it.
[13:26] So, I think the more we can prove that we can do that, the more they think that that builds that trust in our organizations, and they think they can understand what it is that we can deliver on their behalf.
[13:37] Absolutely.
[13:37] Definitely is an evolution, isn't it?
[13:38] And I think in some ways it's not just the the the what we do, it's the how we do it, and the values of our organizations are integral to that, aren't they?
[13:47] I know from a WME perspective, two of our values are around honesty and trust because that's the space in which we operate, and we constantly challenge ourselves.
[13:54] Are we being trusted?
[13:56] Are we being honest?
[13:57] If we've got something wrong, we need to own it, say it, deal with it.
[13:59] Just tell me a little bit about how your values in your organization are absolutely inherent to you being able to deliver what you do.
[14:07] So, we have a set of high-level objectives that, like I say, were were shared and agreed upon by across all of the the members across the Southwest.
[14:15] So, they kind of understand at that level what it is that we do, but I do think the key is around transparency, um and having the evidence to back up so whatever it is we're saying on behalf of the region, that we have the evidence to back it up.
[14:27] And I think being able to go out directly to our local authorities, they respond to us quickly.
[14:31] So, if we need data, information to be able to respond to a consultation or a, you know, an ask from from central government, then we can do that quite quickly.
[14:40] Um so, I think that helps being able to I think that trust really.
[14:44] And it's back to the key, isn't it?
[14:46] That relationship.
[14:46] It's relationships and and trust really.
[14:48] I think that really keeps that going.
[14:50] I I see good.
[14:50] The only thing I'd add, um is is making sure that you always demonstrate competency, professionalism, um you maintain those high standards, um and I think that's something that we just make clear across the organization.
[15:11] Um because if you're delivering support on behalf of a member council,
[15:15] For example, it's always got to be of the highest quality.
[15:20] And and and our um the acronym of our values is trusted.
[15:23] Uh we asked our members what is it that they valued from us.
[15:27] We asked our team members um and trusted is is is our acronym for for our values of which we've we've talked about today.
[15:36] Um and it is that authenticity, isn't it?
[15:38] You know, actually um you know, our mantra is very much we need to practice what we preach.
[15:42] So, if we're talking about equality, diversity, inclusion, or if we're talking about succession planning and talent, actually we look inwards as well and say, well, how do we do that?
[15:54] How well are we doing that?
[15:55] Cuz if we're working with our organizations and our members on a key topic, you know, I want to be able for all of us to be able to be authentic and say, well, we're doing that ourselves as well as working with you on that.
[16:06] And I think that is really important as well for our members to see um that we're part of you their community and we're very much.
[16:16] We'll live and breathe you some of the similar issues that they do and we take action accordingly as well.
[16:21] Absolutely.
[16:21] I think that ability to relate and to demonstrate that we are um we sit alongside you as an organization, but we are um ultimately showing best practice in certain areas.
[16:31] We've got to make sure we are um doing what we say as well, practicing what we preach.
[16:36] Uh and that, you know, it adds pressure sometimes, doesn't it, internally within the organization?
[16:41] It's been absolutely fabulous to speak to you all um through this series of podcasts, but I think that insight really into the types of organization we are and the way we work is really important for people to understand not just what we do, but a little bit about the how we do it as well.
[16:55] So, thank you very much.
[16:56] You're welcome.
[16:57] Thank you for joining us for the public sector Road Haulage Unplugged series with colleagues from across our regional collaboration of organizations.
[17:03] Thank you.