Engaging in a commissioning environment

Behaviours and leadership traits

Commissioning for culture and sport5th December 2014Facilitator: Linden Rowley

The workshop outline

• A commissioning environment

• Behaviours

• Leadership traits

A commissioning environment?

Discussion:

What characterises ‘a commissioning environment’?

How is this different to previous environments?

Some characteristics

• Outcomes focus - not service focus (Not ‘this is what we do’ but ‘how could we contributeto wider social outcomes and local priorities?’

• Holistic – not compartmentalised• Evidence based – not speculation• Opening up the provider market – not ‘the same as

we’ve always done’ or ‘the same people we’ve always done it with’

• Citizen focus – not service focus• Public and user involvement – real not lip service• Growth in interest in ‘Wellbeing’ and ‘Resilience’

Not totally new – an evolutionary process – but some added context

• Austerity – the ever present need to demonstrate value for money, cost benefit (and reduced dependency on other services) and social value.

• Transformation – the need to put a different lens on issues and find more creative and sustainable approaches – especially in relation to demographic change, lifestyles and inequality

Behaviours

Discussion:

First – what roles do we have in this commissioning environment?

And what does this mean for behaviours?

Behaviours

Will be dependent on our role – and how we view our role:

• Provider - our knowledge, skills and behaviours that are influenced by the commissioning environment

• Strategic player - our knowledge, skills and behaviours that influence the commissioning environment

Strategic playerStay in more:• research the local and national policy landscape, read

legislation, learn the context and what’s coming up on the horizon, learn the language of other services

• Be a subject expert in your own field – know the benefits and impact of culture and sport in medical, social and economic terms. Know your own narrative and your financial story.

Get out more:• Go exploring, visit new ‘lands’, meet new people and find new

networks and partnerships

• Work out ways you can contribute to other people’s goals ambitions and outcomes and see what you can do together

Leadership traits

Discussion:

Any ideas?

Just one small thought from me

Be wise

Your role Types of Actors

Top level leadershipMinisters, Chief Medical Officers, eminent personalities, leading institutions

Middle range leadershipLeaders respected in the a range of sectors – health, education, academics, local government, statutory and voluntary agencies

Grassroots leadershipLocal community leaders, community development practitioners, local agencies

Types of Approaches

Legislation, policy, guidelines, leading debate, commissioning research, setting the national framework

Translating and developing policy locally, representing local communities, working across disciplines, devising local approaches, interagency approaches and ideas; connecting the ‘top-down and the bottom –up’

Local community projects and programmes, in touch with vulnerable, diverse and excluded communities, community led ideas and activity

Final reflections