Attracting the best talent is crucial; colleges need ambitious and responsible educators and leaders to shape the future. Our people are the heart of our organisations, so it is an important strategic pillar. That’s why over the past four years, NCG have developed a people-centred approach that prioritises recruitment, development and retention.
When we launched our Leadership Hub in 2020 to provide development for aspiring and experienced leaders, we knew that not everyone aspires to become a leader or a manager. However, the qualities of leadership should be accessible to everyone, so our programmes cater to colleagues across our organisation at every level and every stage of their journey.
We want our colleagues to know that they don’t need to be in a leadership position to be able to have influence and make contributions to their teams and departments. To back that up, we ensure our approach addresses their diverse needs.
So, alongside our Leadership Hub, we also launched a coaching pool and a mentoring programme. All new colleagues are assigned a mentor, many of whom have undertaken professional qualifications in these areas.
Differentiating between mentoring and coaching is important. Mentoring involves a more experienced colleague guiding a newer one, while coaching is about unlocking an individual’s potential by encouraging self-reflection and problem-solving. This tailored approach addresses the unique needs of each person.
Historically, mentoring might have been confined to subject-specific guidance, for instance matching a new dance teacher with an experienced one. However, our Leadership Hub has expanded to ensure that mentoring goes beyond technical advice to include personal and professional development.
Importantly, this creates relationships between people in different departments, and even in different colleges and areas of the organisation.
This strategic focus on development means that any of our colleagues, regardless of role, can be a future leader at NCG. Someone joining us in an entry-level position this year could be our future chief executive if we ensure the development opportunities are in place to support that possibility.
You don’t need to be in a leadership position to have influence
We are a very large organisation spread all over the country, but this approach has made us feel like a smaller, close-knit team. We have always aimed to be ‘One NCG’ and it is initiatives like the Leadership Hub and coaching programmes that help show our colleagues that they are part of something bigger.
Since we launched these initiatives, we have seen an improvement in staff perceptions, engagement, and a positive cultural shift. In staff feedback, some of our strongest areas are development and belonging, so we know we are creating a real community.
For any new colleague joining NCG, having a mentor can reduce the overwhelming feelings that often accompany the start of a new role, provide a sense of belonging and a clear pathway for development.
As for student-facing staff who access coaching, they get an insight into a new perspective that sits outside of their usual day-to-day. We always talk about real-world experiences for students, and this is a way for our team to get out of the classroom, even figurately, by talking to someone with an outside perspective.
We expect our students to approach their learning with curiosity and commitment, and we expect the same of our colleagues. Our role is to ensure they feel supported to do just that, and that their development is valued.
The collaborative nature of coaching and mentoring fosters a culture of continuous improvement. As educators share best practices and innovative approaches, the quality of education across the institution rises.
This approach is not static; it is an evolving practice that adapts to the changing needs of the educational landscape. We’re very clear on our ambitions as an organisation, and our approach to development is not aimed at creating an identikit workforce.
The programmes we run through our Leadership Hub aim to equip our colleagues with the knowledge and tools they’ll need to be the best leaders they can be.
The goal is to ensure that every educator, regardless of their role or location, feels supported and has access to the resources they need to succeed.
And the best means to that end is to value each one as a leader in their own right.
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