Stepping up to the leadership challenge
Sir Andy Marsh QPM
Chief Executive Officer of the College of Policing. Former Chief Constable at Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
I’ve spoken several times over recent years about how vital it is that we equip all police officers and staff with the skills and confidence to lead, particularly in the unique, high-pressure, high risk situations that they often find themselves in. All of us in policing know that this is more important now than ever, as we face complex and evolving challenges, including leading police forces which will attract and retain talented officers, staff and volunteers.
Today I welcomed more than 70 delegates to Ryton as we opened the personal and inclusive leadership module of our new Police Leadership Programme – Stage 5 Executive Leaders course (replacing the SCC). It was heartening to see officers and staff from 38 different forces across the UK attending who, over the next four weeks, will be focusing on:
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They’ll also hear from more than 40 guest speakers such as Baroness Casey and Commander Alison Heydari and reinforce their learning through various exercises that explore ethics and legitimacy, including an immersive Hydra exercise.
I feel privileged to have met these future leaders, and proud that the College is able to support them on their journey. It’s key that the police force is representative of the communities it serves, able to build and develop relationships in order to fight crime and keep the public safe. I believe instilling a positive, inclusive internal culture is key to building these relationships and trust with communities. Hearing from the delegates today gives me confidence that they’ll be ready to lead policing, adopting a more inclusive culture and placing the wellbeing of every member of staff at the heart of their leadership decisions.
This cohort was the first to begin our executive leaders course in June this year, and they’re the very first learners at our new National Centre for Police Leadership (NCPL), which sets the standards for leadership, providing development opportunities for all within policing. Later this year we’ll be further supporting policing as it works to improve leadership and rebuild public confidence when we release the new Code of Ethics.
Positive Action Officer Leicestershire Police Ground Hunter on Hunted and Celebrity Hunted for Channel 4 - Shine TV
1yI applaud that this area is addressed as the landscape of the workforce is rapidly changing and requires good supportive leadership However my question here is where is the education for leaders to understand their diverse workforces which needs to include cultural awareness of staff and communities? We are caught in a very interesting period of policing and there has to be a change in working practices and environments because regardless of the training good leaders will fail because of the cultures of the majority Because culture kills strategy
Leadership development trainer and coach * Covey 7 Habits Accredited* Face 2 face and online learning design consultant.
1yIt is interesting that the first comments are about the need to equip all officers and staff with the skills to lead effectively yet the programme described is for senior officers only. To lead within any organisation you have to first know where you are going and then be able to inspire others to follow you. In my experience both these are sadly lacking within the police service.
Lecturer - Masters in Managing and Leading People, Level 7 Post Graduate Diploma in Law
1yMatthew Syed wrote a book called "Bounce the myth of talent" interesting read on whether talent is innate or taught. He concludes that there is no such thing as talent, it is about environment, opportunity and training. It's been a while since I read it, but that was the take away.