Support your local foodbank

  

Statistics show that there’s been a significant increase in the use of foodbanks in the UK over the last year or so  – see Trussell Trust Report. 

What’s driving the need for foodbanks use might surprise you:

• Delays in receiving benefits (rather than not being entitled to them) is the most cited reason.  Given we’ve more technology at our disposal than ever before, such delays should be avoidable.
• Low income is driving more usage than unemployment. If working people can’t afford food then something is going wrong. Is the minimum wage too low? Is the quantity of work people can access too small (perhaps the impact of zero hours contracts or there being too few full time jobs)? Whatever the reason, our welfare system isn’t smart enough to make sure that work pays (enough to eat).

There is nothing to suggest that these major drivers are going to be addressed in the foreseeable future and that’s why we all need to support our local foodbanks.

Individuals can help in a number of ways:

• If you are able to, then please make a donation. There’s no stigma attached to donating a single item. Every item contributes and those single item donations will add up faster if more of us make them. If you can afford to donate on a regular basis then build a new habit to do so, pick up some extras to donate each time you do your weekly shop.
• Whether you are able to make donations or not, consider giving some of your time as a volunteer.
• Spread the message – both in person and via social media. The more people we engage, the more support the foodbanks are going to get.

Employers and Organisations can help too.

Could your organisation host a collection point for donations?  Your local foodbanks might well be happy to come and collect donations from you. Perhaps a member of staff would be happy to deliver your collected donations to the foodbank. Hosting a collection point might just give some staff the gentle nudge required to make a donation. There’s far less stigma and scope for embarrassment in putting a single item donation in a collection box when no-one’s looking than in delivering it to the foodbank in person.

I’m pleased to say that:

• my own organisation NCH&C host a permanent collection point at its HQ.
• My children’s secondary school, Tapton School is in the middle of a fortnight in which it is collecting donations and raising awareness amongst young people.

Organisations and employers can really help build the number of foodbank supporters at a much faster pace.

Conclusions

Please do what you can to help – be that making a donation, giving your time as a volunteer, spreading the word or persuading your employer/organisation to get on board. There are lots of people who need a helping hand from the foodbanks right now, so what are you waiting for?

Thanks for reading.
Sam Wilde

May 2015

Coming back to the NHS

Next week I’m returning to work in the NHS after four years away.

I’m glad to be back. I certainly feel I’m returning with much more to offer. In my time away, I’ve built a Shared Services Directorate for a large membership organisation and spent time working back on the front-line (in education). I’ve learnt a great deal from both of those things that I can bring to bear.

It’s an exciting time to be arriving back, with a General Election a few weeks away and the 2015 Challenge about to reach the critical point at which delivery starts.

The politicians have been challenged to create the necessary space for change. One dimension of that space is funding. The Lib Dems have committed the £8bn required to close the funding gap to 2020 (hopefully this particular commitment is one they would keep!) The Conservatives claim to be providing a 7-day service with an £8bn investment (perhaps they’ve misunderstood the analysis of the challenges). I’m sure we’ll gain clarity as to Labour’s commitment in the days ahead.

The second part of the 2015 Challenge is for the NHS to be change ready by the time of the election. I guess I’ll find out whether it is when I start back. My sense at this point (with the perspective of an outsider) is a mixed picture.

The organisation I’ll be joining (Norfolk Community Health and Care) certainly seems well positioned for change. Community will be a key area in what is to come. Geographical remoteness may well provide space to get on with making change happen. My interactions with the organisation thus far suggest a genuine commitment to learning and improvement. Assessment feedback was honest and constructive. Leeds Teaching Hospitals take note – ‘one member of the panel didn’t like you’ does not constitute constructive feedback.

More broadly:

Rob Webster is right to highlight that these are times of ‘unprecedented times of consensus’ and yet:

– There has been an ‘acute provider revolt’ over 2015/16 tariff prices

– Mental health trusts are complaining that CCG’s are disregarding national guidance to increase mental health spending in real terms.

Whilst there is talk of the need to look at and learn from other industries, to the outsider the NHS still looks very much like a closed shop. I’m particularly looking forward to the service supporting it’s own staff to stay healthy. This is something some other organisations have been doing for some time. The economic case for investing in staff well-being is compelling but for the NHS there is the additional benefit of demonstrating to the public how to stay healthy.

Clearly there are plenty of challenges ahead. Personally, I can’t wait to get started. I’ll let you know what I find.

Remember the most important lessons you’ve already learnt

Introduction

We’re constantly encountering opportunities for learning and should seek to exploit them fully.  We can learn from our own successes and mistakes, and also from all of the people we encounter.  ‘Every Interaction Counts’ was the buzz-phrase of one of my previous CEO’s, and that’s never more true than in the field of learning.

In the midst of constantly learning more it’s easy to lose sight of some of the most important lessons you’ve already learnt. Some time away from the workplace recently has provided me with a good opportunity to reflect on the most important lessons I’ve learnt from those I’ve worked with.  I’d thought I’d share 3 of those with you:

1. The Power of Alignment

I was fortunate to experience a formal turnaround at quite an early stage in my career. I learnt a great deal from the turnaround specialist brought in to lead the organisation. By far the biggest lesson was the power of alignment.  This individual managed to align the entire organisation (and it’s supply chain) with the turnaround objectives.  Achieving that alignment wasn’t easy and required a multi-fronted approach – building a new identity for the entire organisation and investing heavily in the extended leadership team (from team leaders right up to Managing Director).  However the power released by that alignment was phenomenal, in terms of driving change and improvement at real pace.  The turnaround yielded a 21% reduction in unit costs and a 78% improvement in lead-times.

2. Keep Commitments

It seems obvious, but I worked for someone who taught me that there’s more to it than meets the eye.  In particular the need for real care and precision in the making of commitments.  Since that time I’ve worked in some organisations where failing to meet commitments (justified by having made best endeavours) has been accepted pretty much routinely.  The negative impact of that culture on organisational performance has been quite apparent.  So remember, be careful what commitments you do make, but be sure to honour them once made.

3. Clarity of Objective

The most recently learnt of my top three lessons is the importance of clarity of objective.  Getting this wrong  can result in the organisation delivering either the wrong thing, or nothing at all. Resist the temptation to get started on pursuing the objective until you’ve got it clearly defined and commonly understood by all key stakeholders. Those who want to get on with the doing might find this frustrating, but it’s worth investing the time upfront.

Conclusion

We’re constantly encountering opportunities to learn and should seek to exploit them.  However it’s also important not to forget the important lessons we’ve already learnt.  I’ve recently reflected on this and wanted to share my top three lessons so far.  They are:

(1) The Power of Alignment;

(2) Keeping Commitments; and

(3) Clarity of Objective.

Why not share the most important lessons you’ve learnt so far?

Making reporting back to the Board efficient and effective – Part 2

Introduction

Most Board agendas feature reports back from committees as a standing item in one form of another.  With multiple committees reporting back and other substantive agenda items for the Board to spend time on, it’s critical to ensure the process of reporting back is both efficient and effective.

 

Part 1 of this blog considered how pre-reading before the Board can be used to help.  We saw how pre-reading can save time at the Board itself and provide the opportunity to think and reflect on the issues in advance.  However there is a need to make sure the materials do actually get read, and at a suitable time.  To do this, think carefully about the content, format and timing of both draft committee minutes and a written report from the committee.

 

In part 2 we look at how best to present the committee report at the Board meeting.

 

Have a clear plan for presenting

Typically the report back from the committee will be presented by either the chair of the committee or the executive responsible for the area in question (or some combination of both).  In any event it’s wise for those two individuals to have discussed in advance how the report will be presented.

 

Focus in on the really key points and add flavour to selected highlights

It shouldn’t prove necessary to take the Board line by line through either the written report or the draft minutes.  Presenting the report provides a further opportunity to emphasise the really key points and add some additional colour and flavour to selected highlights.  Perhaps for example, by explaining more fully the rationale for a particular recommendation made by the committee, or pointing out the range of considerations made in reaching a particular view.

 

Allow for questions and handle them well

It’s important to allow the opportunity for questions, particularly from those members of the Board who don’t sit on the committee in question.  The manner in which questions are answered should also be appropriate.  Those with more limited expertise of the subject matter in question need to feel comfortable asking questions to clarify their understanding.

 

Conclusion

Reports back from committees are an important part of most Board agendas.  Care needs to be taken to ensure they are efficient and effective.  Failing to do so can result in Board meetings being swamped by reporting back with time for other important matters being lost, or the Board failing to effectively oversee the work of its committees.

 

Using pre-reading can save time at the Board itself and provide time to think and reflect on the issues in advance.

 

At the Board itself, the presentation of the report provides further opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness.  Make sure the committee chair and responsible executive have a plan.  Don’t simply repeat what’s in the meeting papers, draw out the really key points and add some flavour and colour.   Allow for questions and handle them well.

 

Making reporting back to the Board efficient and effective – Part 1

Introduction

Most Board agendas feature reports back from committees as a standing item in one form of another.  With multiple committees reporting back and other substantive agenda items for the Board to spend time on, it’s critical to ensure the process of reporting back is both efficient and effective.

Part 1 of this blog will consider how pre-reading before the Board can be used to help.  In part 2 we’ll look at how best to present the committee report at the Board meeting.

Use of pre-reading

Issuing the Board members with some pre-reading in advance can both save time during the Board meeting itself and provide much needed additional thinking time to mull the issues over in advance of the discussions.

Of course such advantages can only be enjoyed if the materials do actually get read, and sufficiently far in advance to allow some time for thinking and reflection.  To help ensure that happens we need to think about both content/format and timing.

Typically there are two main pieces of pre-reading that can be made available to Board members in advance:

Committee Meeting Minutes

These are likely to be in draft format ahead of being approved at the next committee meeting.  However this shouldn’t prove a barrier to sharing them with the Board members.  Make sure it is clearly understood that they are draft minutes, still subject to final approval and correction.  It’s a good idea to get the draft minutes checked over by the committee chair before sharing them more widely, to pick up any obvious errors or omissions.

The minutes need to be understandable to those members of the Board who weren’t at the committee meeting.  However they don’t need to explain the contents of the committee meeting papers (which can be referred to and should be available to all members of the Board).

Draft minutes can be made available to Board members once they have been checked by the committee chair and any required amendments made. Aiming to get first draft minutes to the committee chair within a week of the meeting helps avoid anything getting forgotten.

Written Report from the Committee

Typically this will form part of the Board meeting pack.  Written by (or under the oversight of) the committee chair, it should be used to draw the Board’s attention to the critical points rather than providing an exhaustive account of everything covered by the committee.  It can of course refer to the (draft) minutes and indeed the committee papers themselves.

It can be useful to categorise the items within this written report into two sections:

(1) Matters on which the Board needs to make a decision (usually accompanied with a recommendation from the committee)

(2) Other matters that need to be brought to the Board’s attention (although no decision is required at this time)

The written report from the committee will need to be issued within the Board pack.  Good practice is to issue this a week before the Board meeting to allow members sufficient time to read and reflect upon it.

Conclusion

Reports back from committees are an important part of most Board agendas.  Care needs to be taken to ensure they are efficient and effective.  Failing to do so can result in Board meetings being swamped by reporting back with time for other important matters being lost, or the Board failing to effectively oversee the work of its committees.

Using pre-reading can save time at the Board itself and provide the opportunity to think and reflect on the issues in advance.  However you need to make sure the materials do actually get read and at a suitable time.  Think carefully about the content, format and timing of both draft committee minutes and a written report from the committee.

In part 2 we’ll look at how to present the committee report in the Board meeting itself.  Watch out because it’s coming soon.

Driving Efficiency – 3 levels of approach

Are you about to embark on an efficiency drive or improvement programme?  Then think carefully about which level of approach you are going to take.

 

Introduction

There are 3 levels at which the challenge to improve efficiency can be approached.  Each involves asking a different question. The higher the level, the more fundamental the question becomes.  As the questions become more fundamental the answers tend to demand greater amounts of change, but the size of the potential efficiency gains also become larger.

 

Level 1 – How can we perform the same activities in the same way more efficiently (cheaply)?

This is the most basic level at which efficiency can be driven.  No changes are required to either the set of activities performed or the way in which those activities are performed.  Typical opportunities identified by this approach are sourcing inputs (materials, labour etc) at lower costs, perhaps by re-tendering or simply negotiating with existing suppliers.

 

Level 2 – How can we perform the same activities in a more efficient way?

The level 2 approach questions how we perform the activities, the set of activities performed remains unaltered.  The question can be applied to every activity in the set or some activities but not others.  Typical opportunities identified by this level of approach include in-sourcing or outsourcing individual activities, changing methods to reduce waste and non-conformance and error-proofing work design (poka-yoke).

 

Level 3 – What’s the most efficient set of activities to perform in order to deliver our objectives?

The most fundamental approach starts with a blank sheet and asks us to design the most efficient set of activities that will deliver the defined objective(s).  It does of course require a clearly defined objective, so do check one exists before embarking on level 3.  There can be very large potential efficiency gains with a level 3 approach, particularly if the existing set of activities has been in place for some time.

For example suppose the objective was to communicate key relevant information to 300,000 customers and the existing set of activities involved producing and distributing a quarterly newsletter.  A level 3 approach to driving efficiency might identify an opportunity to instead communicate via a website, e-mail or text message.

How to chose which level of approach to take?

There are a number of factors to consider in deciding which level of approach to take to driving efficiency in any given situation.  Think about:

• What size of efficiency gain do we need to deliver?

• How long have we got to make any changes and realise the benefits?

• How much resistance to change might we encounter?

• How much budget is available to fund any changes required?

• How long have the existing set of activities and ways of completing each been in place?

• How clear are the objectives?

Conclusion

Deciding on the best approach to take to your efficiency drive at the outset and being clear about that throughout, can help ensure the success of your efficiency improvement programme.

Whichever approach you are taking, good luck!

Storytelling and Leadership

Many commentators suggest a strong positive correlation between storytelling and leadership.  I’ve often wondered whether the very best leaders are those who are most skilled at telling the stories or those who feature in the best stories?

Thinking back across the good leaders I’ve been lucky enough to work with, they have all told stories.  Usually these involve sharing a previous experience with relevance to the current situation that identifies learning points or motivates and inspires others (often with humour).

However, the very best leaders I’ve encountered (and I’m counting on one hand here) have also managed to establish themselves at the centre of stories told by others within the organisation.  Whether deliberately or inadvertently, in doing so they have become part of the organisation’s folk-lore.  It’s these stories that seem to have a much more powerful effect on culture and performance.

Given that these stories seem to be more powerful it would be good to share them.  I’m going to kick things off by sharing one of mine.  Hopefully others will share some of theirs in return.

I didn’t work with the leader in question for too long, but I can still remember 4 incidents centred around them that went down in the organisation’s book of legends.

The person in question headed our division during a very challenging period.  At the time I was responsible for business improvement and had re-engineered our performance management processes and the information required to support them.

Each of the units within the division had a monthly performance review led personally by the head of the division.  A standard set of performance information was reviewed for each unit. This was prepared centrally and sourced directly from the organisation’s shiny new ERP system.  The slide set was projected from a computer onto a whiteboard.  The leader would stand up and circle in red marker on the whiteboard those things he wanted to focus the discussion on.  Usually this would be those aspects of performance that weren’t on plan.  It was a very visual (and in some ways theatrical) form of leadership, highly effective in focusing the review and maximising its impact.

On one particular occasion, the meeting room normally used for one of the reviews wasn’t available.  The venue was changed to the leader’s office.  A laptop was brought in, the blinds closed and the slides projected onto one of the (helpfully white) walls.  As usual, a few things were circled in red and the discussion centred on how these would be addressed.

At the end of the meeting the laptop was switched off and the projector powered down, revealing a wall decorated with some red circles.  When someone tried to wipe them off with a damp cloth we realised they’d been made with a permanent marker.

Funnily enough, the leader never had that wall repainted.  Visitors to the office would ask about the red circles and were told how they came to be there.  The unit in question never forgot the issues discussed at that particular review, and the story became part of the organisations folk-lore.

 What stories can you share about the best leaders you’ve worked with?

Exposure: Inside The Olympus Scandal

 

I’ve just finished Michael Woodford’s book about the Olympus scandal.

At times I forgot this was one man’s account of actual events, the ‘story’ flows like a fictional thriller. If you’re looking for something to read on holiday this summer, it’s now available in paperback.

There’s no doubt that throughout some of the events described Michael Woodford was genuinely scared for his own safety (and that of his family) and not without good reason. His bravery in blowing the whistle so publically has, quite rightly, been applauded.

 

But, aside from an enjoyable read what can we take from this book?

Clearly the individuals responsible should be held to account. Three former Olympus executives were given suspended prison sentences earlier this month. Whether that’s sufficient is arguable. It’s certainly consistent with previous Japanese court rulings in respect of corporate misdemeanours. Looking more widely, the failings of an overly-compliant Japanese culture in which it’s difficult to question those above, stand out.

However it would be complacent to think that something similar couldn’t happen elsewhere (just look at the recent reports about what’s been happening with GSK in China for instance).

 

We should also ask what lessons we could learn from this episode:

Let’s take the opportunity to reflect on our own responses to questioning and criticism, particularly from those supposedly ‘below’ us in the organisational hierarchy. Are we as approachable as we should be? Is our first reaction to any criticism one of personal self defence, or do we instead take time to explore the issues, find out what could be better and act upon it?

 

The book also tells us a little of Michael Woodford’s background. This may provide some pointers to the sources of his integrity and that’s certainly something worthy of careful consideration. For a man who isn’t religious Woodford has a strong moral compass. It’s one thing to know right from wrong, but another to care so deeply about it.

– Raised in a one-parent family, Woodford’s background certainly isn’t one of privilege.

– His career is largely that of a one-company man, an increasingly rare thing in today’s times. Despite being sacked by the company for ‘telling the truth’, Woodford has a deep ongoing concern for the Olympus employees.

– His work for good causes is longstanding and practical in nature.

– For a (former) CEO Woodford is refreshingly frank about his own limitations and weaknesses.

 

What are the sources of your personal integrity? How do you help the individuals in your organisation uphold and maintain theirs? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Using Financial Models To Support Decision Making

Do you use financial models to support decision making?  Then the attached guide ‘Using Models In Decision Making’ is well worth a read:

http://www.gad.gov.uk/Documents/Modelling/Using_Models_in_Decision_Making.pdf.

You may recall that the Intercity West Coast Franchising had to be cancelled (along with the provisional award of the franchise to First Group) after problems were uncovered with the modelling used to support the award decision.

The guide comes from the Government Actuary’s Department.  However, most of the content is generic and equally applicable to private and public sectors.  It’s a bit lengthy but there’s some good stuff in there.

Some of the key points I picked out were:

–          The need to consider risks across the whole of the modelling lifecycle. Not just at the design and build stages but also during the scoping, interpretation, communication and decision making phases.

–          There’s a need for good governance so it’s clear who is responsible for what, how issues will be escalated, what extent of quality assurance will be performed, how and by whom results will be communicated and to ensure there is a strong audit trail of results and discussions justifying any decisions made.

–          Advice for a range of different stakeholders – model developers, model users, providers of assurance and ‘Senior Responsible Owners’ (those responsible for overseeing the whole modelling lifecycle)

–          The need for extreme care when adapting a model for a purpose other than that for which it was originally designed.

–          The starting point for a model can be absolutely critical.  Sometimes minor changes in the assumed initial conditions can magnify into major changes in the results, so it’s important to test sensitivities here.

–          Models shouldn’t be used to make complex decisions, they are a support tool.  Judgement is required around their configuration and interpretation.

–          Consideration needs to be given to the extremes of any ranges modelled. Dependencies in ‘extreme’ environments can differ from those in more ‘normal’ conditions.

–          More complex models should be independently verified before use, by someone other than the original developer.  Good documentation makes for an easier verification process.

–          It’s good practice to validate model results by comparing them to previous output, other data sources or intuitive results and following up on significant differences.

–          Communicate the modelling results to decision makers in a manner which conveys the uncertainties of the assumptions, variables and scenarios without overwhelming them with volume and detail.  That’s easier said than done of course

 In Appendix C towards the back there are 15 great tips for using spreadsheets when modelling.

 What do you think of the guide?  What’s your experience of using models to support decision making and what advice can you share?

Beyond Box Filling – Assuring Effective Risk Management – Part 2

“There’s more to oversight than checking all the boxes [on the risk register] are filled.”

 But how should organisations go about managing their risks effectively and what should those charged with oversight look for to gain assurance?

 Part 1 of this blog considered the first 3 of the 6 elements to effective risk management – identification, assignation and assessment.  In part 2 we consider the remaining 3 elements -management, review and culture.

Risk Management

 Management centres on mitigating risks and pursuing opportunities.  Typically mitigation will focus on reducing the likelihood of a risk materialising by implementing controls.  However in some cases steps can be taken to lessen the impact of a risk.  Those charged with oversight should therefore also seek assurance that steps to address impact have been considered and taken where practical.

 Controls can be preventative (stopping things going wrong before they do) or detective (spotting things that have gone wrong afterwards).  They can be system-based or manual (requiring human intervention).  Control failures do happen in practice.  Those overseeing risks should be asking the question ‘what could happen if that control failed?’  However, multiple semi-effective controls are not necessarily better than a single more reliable one.

Risk Review

 Every element of the risk management framework needs to be subject to periodic review.  However the appropriate frequency for review will vary.

 New risks and opportunities will arise in the external environment so it’s important to keep scanning the horizon at appropriate intervals.  The pace of change in the environment will determine the appropriate frequency of review.

 Some risks will be very static in nature (such as those associated with longstanding processes) whereas others will change more quickly.  Those overseeing the management of individual risks need to review them at intervals that are appropriate.

Risk Culture

 Ultimately risk management needs to become an embedded part of the organisations culture, something that everyone does automatically as business-as-usual, rather than an added extra carried out by Finance or the Risk department.

 It takes time and persistent effort to get that level.  Those charged with oversight should be patient but seek assurance that the organisation continues to move forward on this front.

 Ultimately the risks associated with every decision need to be properly considered, thought through and managed.  It’s not just a case of filling the box by matching an existing risk on the register to the decision.