The Guardian Housing Network live chat I did recently has appeared on their site and it’s interesting to see just how much overlap on thoughts about leadership there was from the accumulated housing association chief execs. There’s clearly more agreement in the sector than it might sometimes seem. The overwhelming note sounded by the collected leaders was that the important thing for success is the team you surround yourself with.
Mick Kent from the Bromford Group set the scene: “Surround yourself with great colleagues: Recruit and develop colleagues that are better than you, especially those that tell it how it is and will let you know when you're on – or off – track.” Joe Chambers also made a good point with regard to staff development, “Staff who like the organisation will do a better job: Remember, the key question most people have is "what's in it for me?" It's a perfectly reasonable question and you must have a reasonable and honest answer.” My own point began with the question, “Are you sure you love people enough?”
Love might seem like an odd concept to even raise when it comes to a work-based discussion. Granted many people find their partners at work, (and I count myself amongst those who have got this particular t-shirt and worn it for many happy years) but it’s perhaps rare – and maybe even unseemly - when love gets mentioned. Love is for the home, surely? It's the sort of thing that we only apply to friends and family, isn't it? I’ll clarify: by love, I don’t mean romantic love and sending Valentine’s cards, I mean genuinely wanting what’s best for people. This takes some thinking through because you also need to want what's best for your customers and for your stakeholders - and oft times those three seem to be pulling in different directions.
You’ve heard the maxim that if you love someone you should set them free. There’s more than a crumb of truth in that sentiment and countless books on empowerment are testament to the conventional wisdom that giving people your power enables them to achieve the freedom that comes when they reach their maximum potential.
The litmus test for this is when people do ask to be set free. In all the years I’ve been a chief executive I’ve often found myself in the position that all leaders hate. Where someone whose work you value and appreciate tells you that they’re moving on. This is the point where love is really demonstrated – you have to (regretfully) let these people go on and then champion them even after they’ve gone. You might well have experienced this sort of situation yourself and you'll know that a loving approach is by no means the only one. The alternative fuel for a leader is anger, but I’ve never really understood how these “angry” leaders survive. How much energy must it take when every day is a battle of attrition, every question a challenge to their authority?
Whichever approach leaders adopt there is one thing that we can all agree on: the vital first step is to bring in the best staff you possibly can. I've said before that I see this as one of my key functions at Trafford Housing Trust, attracting talent to the organisation, helping them achieve everything they can and getting out of their way. I'm very pleased to say that our office is currently awash with the next generations of housing talent. We’ve had work experience students in from Flixton Girls’ School and our 10 apprentices have been undertaking various challenges to see who will be awarded the five placements we have up for grabs.
This stuff is done by many housing organisations. It's stuff that makes our businesses stronger, it makes our communities stronger too. And unlike the private sector participants in the work programme, we do it for love not money.
Love might seem like an odd concept to even raise when it comes to a work-based discussion. Granted many people find their partners at work, (and I count myself amongst those who have got this particular t-shirt and worn it for many happy years) but it’s perhaps rare – and maybe even unseemly - when love gets mentioned. Love is for the home, surely? It's the sort of thing that we only apply to friends and family, isn't it? I’ll clarify: by love, I don’t mean romantic love and sending Valentine’s cards, I mean genuinely wanting what’s best for people. This takes some thinking through because you also need to want what's best for your customers and for your stakeholders - and oft times those three seem to be pulling in different directions.
You’ve heard the maxim that if you love someone you should set them free. There’s more than a crumb of truth in that sentiment and countless books on empowerment are testament to the conventional wisdom that giving people your power enables them to achieve the freedom that comes when they reach their maximum potential.
The litmus test for this is when people do ask to be set free. In all the years I’ve been a chief executive I’ve often found myself in the position that all leaders hate. Where someone whose work you value and appreciate tells you that they’re moving on. This is the point where love is really demonstrated – you have to (regretfully) let these people go on and then champion them even after they’ve gone. You might well have experienced this sort of situation yourself and you'll know that a loving approach is by no means the only one. The alternative fuel for a leader is anger, but I’ve never really understood how these “angry” leaders survive. How much energy must it take when every day is a battle of attrition, every question a challenge to their authority?
Whichever approach leaders adopt there is one thing that we can all agree on: the vital first step is to bring in the best staff you possibly can. I've said before that I see this as one of my key functions at Trafford Housing Trust, attracting talent to the organisation, helping them achieve everything they can and getting out of their way. I'm very pleased to say that our office is currently awash with the next generations of housing talent. We’ve had work experience students in from Flixton Girls’ School and our 10 apprentices have been undertaking various challenges to see who will be awarded the five placements we have up for grabs.
This stuff is done by many housing organisations. It's stuff that makes our businesses stronger, it makes our communities stronger too. And unlike the private sector participants in the work programme, we do it for love not money.
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