STEPPING
UP
Bristol City wide accelerated BME leadership experience
Diversity the thread that holds us together
Bristol City wide accelerated BME leadership experience Under the auspices of the Mayor’s City Office - Bristol is launching an accelerated career progression city pipeline with a target to achieve in 1-3 years a new leadership landscape which will ensure individuals from a BME background will be in a position of influence and power. The aim is to ensure leadership in Bristol more meaningfully reflects the population and community.
Mayor Marvin Rees, Baroness McGregor-Smith and Cllr. Asher Craig
Diversity the thread that holds us together
Stepping Up
will create the first
BME talent pool in Bristol. It is a proof of
concept as such an ambitious initiative has
Fig 1: Leadership jigsaw
individuals with the aspiration and skills
Apprentice graduates/ City Learning Programme
public and private sector. Stepping Up is
Professional qualification
not been undertaken before here in Bristol. The talent pool will supply a ready flow of to reach the most senior roles in Bristol’s the creation from individual feedback from the Mayor’s Diversity Roundtable.
Middle manager
Supervisor new manager
Stepping Up diversity
City system leaders
Stepping Up will: • Identify BME individuals with talent and ambition to make a difference to Bristol economic vitality and public services • Support talent pool individuals with a tailored personal development • Provide coaching/mentoring • Provide 6 month stretch assignment in a sponsoring organisation • Facilitate access to skill development • Provide interview and presentation training • Open networking opportunities • Enable access to wider development experiences. Stepping Up 2017! The first year will be dedicated to individuals from BME backgrounds. However, the vision is that in subsequent years the pipeline will draw on diversity in its widest sense. The challenge is that by 2020 Bristol will have a more representative and diverse population of leaders and an integrated leadership framework.
Diversity the thread that holds us together
Chair / CEO
Executive directors
Non executive board
How will it work for employers? Employers who have identified a desire to take part in the city-wide scheme will form an overarching “Stakeholder Consortium” who will oversee and champion the Stepping Up accelerated BME leadership experience. Consortium Members will sign up to the “Diversity Charter.” The Charter commits to: • Support for individuals from diverse backgrounds • Champion the Stepping Up talent pool and pipeline • Identify a significant stretch assignment/ project for Stepping Up participants • Identify internal BME talent for Stepping Up • Provide internal mentorship for Stepping Up participants • Provide internal support for Stepping Up participants tailored development plan • Commit to positive action for senior leader vacancies utilizing the talent pool as a recruitment resource (eg One Talent Pool participant on every Senior Leader vacancy short-list) • Work with other Consortium members to provide in-house skill workshops and wider development opportunities • Sponsor access to qualification or formal leadership courses if appropriate • Form part of internal talent and succession. (Fig 2).
Fig 2: The internal talent House
Top talent
Executive talent Mid talent
Early talent
Specific job pools or posts
Cost Neutral Stepping Up 2017 has been designed to be “cost neutral”. There is a recognition that funding is under pressure (public and private sector) and so the intent is to utilize commitment from key stakeholders – rather than putting pressure on already over committed budgets. Utilizing current overhead and infrastructure costs along with internal staffing, administration, training and mentoring should reduce costs associated with delivery. The Voluntary Sector Coaching Collaborative have offered a coaching support service for Stepping Up on a “probono” basis. There is a requirement by stakeholder employers to support their nominated BME participant to undertake the programme. The Stepping Up participant should be released on full-pay for the duration of the 6 month term of the assignment sabbatical. The stretch assignment is a pivotal component of the accelerated programme. There is some flexibility for part-time but this does dilute learning and accelerated nature of the career progression and talent pool process. Diversity the thread that holds us together
Stakeholder employers will also need to identify stretch development assignments within their own organization to offer a reciprocal arrangement to another Stepping Up participant from another stakeholder employer. The “win” for stakeholder employers is: • Planned fast track career progression for BME individuals • Establishing an internal talent pipeline • Achieving diversity at the most senior levels • Diverse workforce more representative of the Bristol population and community • Improved services and product offering • Greater innovation through diverse team working • Delivery of a key assignment that would either have been filled through an interim, member of staff or consultant • Transference of learning from participants “Stretch assignment” • Delivered within current resources.
Diversity the thread that holds us together
How will it work for Participants Individuals from a BME background who aspire to a Senior leadership role within the city, will have the opportunity of applying for a place on Stepping Up accelerated career progression development experience. Applications can be made, either through nomination by the organization, or selfnomination. Applicants do not need to be employed by the stakeholder employers, but if applying from other employers they will need to gain approval from their employer for 6 month fully paid sabbatical. If applicants are self-employed then they are also eligible but need to balance managing self-employment with an assignment (although it is possible to consider a part time assignment). Stepping Up participants will each have a tailored personal development programme. Dependent on the emergent skills development requirement, there will be the facility to access workshops and other wider development experiences. Undertaking the “stretch assignment” in another organization will be a pivotal component of the accelerated nature of the career progression and talent pool concept. The model is based on double loop learning transferring learning between workplace and wider development experiences. (Fig 3)
Fig 3: Double loop learning Stepping Up - BME accelerated leadership development Impact on individual and organisation Self analysis and reflection
Co-developed programme
Personal Development
Tools and techniques
Personal Coaching
Learning
Action at work
Impact services
Stretch assignment
Double loop learning delivering BME top leaders BME 2020 City wide Diversity Team Pipeline
Diversity the thread that holds us together
Application Process - Promotion Stakeholder employers will promote the “development opportunity” internally undertaking a “search” amongst BME members of staff to identify possible talent. The Development opportunity will also be advertised in all internal communication and social media. The City Office will be the central point of communication and catalyst for the springboard launch. The Mayor and other leaders are encouraged to use twitter to reach communities not normally covered through formal communication channels. Ujima Radio will broadcast the story of pathway journey for BME leaders – and BCC communication team will promote through more formal media channels eg newspaper, TV and other local radio stations.
Application Process - Selection Prospective participants will be asked to complete an application form (draft appendix 2) which sets out their aspiration for undertaking the development experience. All applicants will undertake an informal “conversation” (telephone or face to face) with a member of the Stakeholder Consortium. There are 24 places available. Should the number of entrants exceed this number – consideration will be given to a staggered entry. It is expected that Stepping Up will commence in September 2017.
Diversity the thread that holds us together
Next Steps The Mayor and Cllr Asher Craig will convene a Stepping Up Employer Consortium Meeting on the 12 May 2017. The programme is designed by Prof. Christine Bamford in co-operation with the Mayors City Office.
BD9331