Collective Leadership at Liverpool

In 2022, Gradconsult were selected by the University of Liverpool to support the design and delivery of the programme. We collaborated with The Leadership, Organisational, Professional and Academic Development Academy (The Academy) to create an engaging learning experience that challenges leaders to think and act in new ways, to explore best practice and be part of a growing culture of leadership excellence across the university.

The resulting programme encouraged leaders to explore their leadership values, purpose, style and impact, encouraging self-reflection to create a greater awareness of personal leadership strengths and areas for further development.

Our approach to the Collective Leadership at Liverpool programme brought together:

• A core programme of leadership learning, with pre- and post-session activities and an action learning challenge that participants completed in groups over the six-month programme

• Online leadership masterclasses from external experts (recorded and hosted on the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE))

• A series of online ‘lens on leadership’ featuring internal leaders from across the university

• An opportunity to explore their leadership strengths using a psychometric profiling tools with coaching

• An opportunity for participants to continue their coaching with accredited coaches within the organisation

The programme enabled people managers to become more inclusive, impactful leaders by supporting them to coach and develop their teams and role model coaching leadership behaviours. Activities included role playing as coach/coachee through a scenario designed with the university that reflected real challenges that people managers can face in the organisation. This, and other similar activities, provided participants with an opportunity to practise their coaching response to a genuinely challenging situation, in a safe and supportive environment.