ROADS ACADEMY October 2019 Edition Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Roads Academy Newsletter. the road user, embracing new technologies and innovative thinking allows us to offer solutions which directly contribute to this. With this, we will move away from traditional approaches in order to focus on productivity and digital delivery. To implement this culture effectively, I believe we need to establish a team of true digital thinkers; focused and trained in the most innovative techniques and disruptive thinking. When approaching recruitment, it is essential to diversify the process and look in different places for the new skill set the industry needs. Recruiting people from a wide range of backgrounds, with var- ied skills and dynamic approaches will help shape this digital culture, but what’s more, a business which reflects the society it serves will be better placed to continue to deliver for its stakeholders. Balfour Beatty is also responding by upskilling its work- force, bringing people with new skills into the business and embracing new technology to deliver the infrastructure of the future. As part of the 5% Club, a UK employer-led initiative focused on creating momentum behind the recruitment of apprentices and graduates, we recruited 102 apprentices, 94 graduates and 20 trainees, reaching a total of 5.6% of our workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions. Opening doors to new talents and minds will grow the industry and supply new ways of thinking. We need to step outside of our comfort zone and look for solutions we haven’t tried before. This team should be ready to move quickly and learn on the go. We need to take initiative and collaborate to solidify the digital future of the industry. The Roads Academy has provided an outlet for leaders at all levels of business to come together to do just that. As a leader, I am accountable for future-proofing and advancing the industry for the next generation of leaders and for the road user. With this as a collective goal, leaving a lasting legacy is well within our reach. It is vital to further establish and continue to adopt our digital strategy to ensure the future of our industry. By doing so, we will improve the delivery of our projects for our customers at an increasingly quicker pace. What’s more, through a digital strategy we are able to enhance health, safety and well-being of our employees, dramatically reduce the amount of works done onsite in potentially hazardous or risky environments and make strides in our productivity levels; and that’s just naming a few benefits. Adopting and mainstreaming digital and other new technologies, such as advances in robotics and artificial intelligence, will be a game-changer for the industry, speeding up the otherwise slow-and-steady modernisation of the sector, and providing answers to the challenges and opportunities we face. With platforms such as the Roads Academy, we are in a position to share I’m Phil Clifton, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Highways business. I am delight- ed to have been asked by the Roads Academy to share my perspective on building a digital-enabled Highways industry. As an industry, over the past few years, we have moved away from the traditional ‘holes and poles’ ways of working and we are now moving into a time of innovation and tech- nology. In order to implement this change, it is essential to create an industry culture which is committed to actively taking a more innovative approach to projects. With the help of the Roads Academy, which provides members with the leadership skills and collaborative platform to work together, we can instil this culture which will ultimately result in effective and efficient delivery of Highways projects. There is a lot to be gained from working together and sharing best practise amongst peers and this is the time to take this opportunity and run with it. At Balfour Beatty, we are putting innovation at the forefront of everything we do, and we are aware of how valuable this focus is to our customers - this isn’t something that is just being driven by contractors. Our clients, such as Highways England, are proactively driving this agenda as well. With an overarching drive to deliver customer satisfaction to Phil Clifton Managing Director of Highways Balfour Beatty best practice and learn from each other. As a group of leaders, supported by technical experts and our diverse teams, we can mobilise this digitally-focused community to give back to the industry and provide the road network of the future to the road user. Digital is a new frontier for the infrastructure industry as progress in this area cannot be made alone. Together we can leverage and embrace the transformation that new technology can provide so we can deliver the roads network of the future.
Transcript
ROADS ACADEMYOctober 2019 Edition
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Roads Academy Newsletter.
the road user, embracing new technologies and innovative thinking allows us to offer solutions which directly contribute to this. With this, we will move away from traditional approaches in order to focus on productivity and digital delivery.
To implement this culture effectively, I believe we need to establish a team of true digital thinkers; focused and trained in the most innovative techniques and disruptive thinking. When approaching recruitment, it is essential to diversify the process and look in different places for the new skill set the industry needs. Recruiting people from a wide range of backgrounds, with var-ied skills and dynamic approaches will help shape this digital culture, but what’s more, a business which reflects the society it serves will be better placed to continue to deliver for its stakeholders. Balfour Beatty is also responding by upskilling its work-force, bringing people with new skills into the business and embracing new technology to deliver the infrastructure of the future. As part of the 5% Club, a UK employer-led initiative focused on creating momentum behind the recruitment of apprentices and graduates, we recruited 102 apprentices, 94 graduates and 20 trainees, reaching a total of 5.6% of our workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions. Opening doors to new talents and minds will grow the industry and supply new ways of thinking.
We need to step outside of our comfort zone and look for solutions we haven’t tried before. This team should be ready to move quickly and learn on the go. We need to take initiative and collaborate to solidify the digital future of the industry. The Roads Academy has provided an outlet for leaders at all levels of business to come together to do just that. As a leader, I am accountable for future-proofing and advancing the industry for the next generation of leaders and for the road user. With this as a collective goal, leaving a lasting legacy is well within our reach.
It is vital to further establish and continue to adopt our digital strategy to ensure the future of our industry. By doing so, we will improve the delivery of our projects for our customers at an increasingly quicker pace. What’s more, through a digital strategy we are able to enhance health, safety and well-being of our employees, dramatically reduce the amount of works done onsite in potentially hazardous or risky environments and make strides in our productivity levels; and that’s just naming a few benefits.
Adopting and mainstreaming digital and other new technologies, such as advances in robotics and artificial intelligence, will be a game-changer for the industry, speeding up the otherwise slow-and-steady modernisation of the sector, and providing answers to the challenges and opportunities we face. With platforms such as the Roads Academy, we are in a position to share
I’m Phil Clifton, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Highways business. I am delight-ed to have been asked by the Roads Academy to share my perspective on building a digital-enabled Highways industry.
As an industry, over the past few years, we have moved away from the traditional ‘holes and poles’ ways of working and we are now moving into a time of innovation and tech-nology. In order to implement this change, it is essential to create an industry culture which is committed to actively taking a more innovative approach to projects.
With the help of the Roads Academy, which provides members with the leadership skills and collaborative platform to work together, we can instil this culture which will ultimately result in effective and efficient delivery of Highways projects. There is a lot to be gained from working together and sharing best practise amongst peers and this is the time to take this opportunity and run with it.
At Balfour Beatty, we are putting innovation at the forefront of everything we do, and we are aware of how valuable this focus is to our customers - this isn’t something that is just being driven by contractors. Our clients, such as Highways England, are proactively driving this agenda as well. With an overarching drive to deliver customer satisfaction to
Phil CliftonManaging Director of Highways
Balfour Beatty
best practice and learn from each other. As a group of leaders, supported by technical experts and our diverse teams, we can mobilise this digitally-focused community to give back to the industry and provide the road network of the future to the road user.
Digital is a new frontier for the infrastructure industry as progress in this area cannot be made alone. Together we can leverage and embrace the transformation that new technology can provide so we can deliver the roads network of the future.
Page 1 Foreword
Page 2 Key Dates
Page 3 Applications Open Soon
Page 4-5 Which Programme is Right for Me?
Page 6-7 Programme Videos
Page 8-9 Welcome
Page 10-11 Morgan Sindall
Page 12 Step up to Leadership Case Study
Page 13 Visionary Leadership
Page 14-15 Establishing Your Personal Brand
Page 16 Emerging Leaders Case Study
Page 17 Graduation
Page 18 June 2019 Masterclass Roads Revolution RIS Edition:
Leading the Sector Through Lessons learnedand Best Practice.
Page 19 Taylor Woodrow
Page 20 Save the Date
Page 21 January 2020 Masterclass: RIS 2
Page 22 Bitesize
Page 23 Highways UK
Page 24 Senior Leaders Case Study
Page 25 Membership Page 26 Membership Packages
Page 27 Stay Connected
KEY DATES6th & 7th November 2019
Highways UK
21st - 22nd November 2019Coventry University Graduation
Emerging Leaders Cohort 4
20th December 2019APPLICATIONS OPEN:Step up to Leadership
The programmes within the Roads Academy portfolio create a full leadership career pathway for the sector and develop leadership capabilities at all levels. The programmes are designed to equip the leaders of the future with the
skills to adapt to new innovations and lead an ever-changing workforce.
Applications will open to all Roads Academy Members on Friday 20th December and close on Sunday 2nd February 2020.
Please visit our website for more information on the range of programmes available, recruitment and membership.
Applications for the Senior Leaders Programme will re-open in June 2020.
Step up to Leadership Level 5 CMI DiplomaProgramme Cost: £7,000Payable through your organisations apprenticeship levyProgramme Duration: 2 Years
WHICH PROGRAMME IS RIGHT FOR ME?Are you thinking about applying for one of the programmes within the
Roads Academy portfolio?
Outlined below is the essential criteria for each programme. If you are able to answer ‘Yes’ to all of the essential statements, we look forward to receiving an application from you!
STEP UP TO LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME Essential Statements Organisational Support:
My organisation is a member of the Roads Academy. My organisation agrees and I understand that 20% of my working hours will be spent on learning activities. My Line Manager and I are happy to participate in quarterly reviews with my tutor. My Line Manager and organisation support my application. Qualifications/Experience: I hold and can provide certificates for GCSE (C or above) in maths and English or am willing to complete a functional skills online assessment. I have completed a graduate scheme and acquired chartered status. I am now progressing into a first line management role. I have previous/current experience in first line management of people, processes or projects.
EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAMME Essential Statements Organisational Support: My organisation is a member of the Roads Academy. My Line Manager and organisation support my application.
Qualifications/Experience: I am a first line manager with a minimum of 12 months experience of managing people, or; I am a middle manager with 0-2 years experience of managing people.
Skills and Attributes: I am in a position that allows me to implement my company strategy. I have some budget responsibility.
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Applications for the Senior Leaders Programme will re-open in June 2020
MA TOP-UP PROGRAMME Essential Statements My organisation is a member of the Roads Academy. My Line Manager and organisation support my application. I am a member of the Roads Academy Alumni, having previously completed the Senior Leaders
programme, or; I hold a post graduate diploma with demonstrable experience as a Senior Leader within the Highways sector.
SENIOR LEADERS PROGRAMME Essential Statements Organisational Support: My organisation is a member of the Roads Academy. My Line Manager and organisation support my application.
Qualifications/Experience: I have an undergraduate degree. I am a middle manager with a minimum of 2 years experience of managing people, or; I am a Senior Leader with a maximum of 5 years experience of managing people and teams.
Skills and Attributes: I am in a position that allows me to create, contribute towards and implement my organisations strategy. I have financial reporting responsibility at an organisation/divisional level.
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PROGRAMME VIDEOSIn this edition of the newsletter, we are very excited to premier our new programme videos!
There is a video available for each of the programmes within the Roads Academy portfolio:
Step up to LeadershipEmerging LeadersSenior LeadersMA Top-up
Click on each of the videos below to hear important information about the programmes from our current learners and alumni, and what they have to say about their Roads Academy journey.
WELCOMEFollowing a successful recruitment period in June 2019, this September the Roads Academy welcomed cohort 3 of the Step up to Leadership programme and cohort 7 of the Emerging Leaders programme to Coventry University, where the learners began their Roads Academy journey.
On the 11th of September cohort 3 of the Step up to Leadership programme attended their Roads Academy induction where they were introduced to the programme, their tutor, and their peers from across the Roads Academy membership organisations. The cohort will be spending the next 18 months completing their leadership journey together.
During the induction the new cohort participated in a personality preferences taster session. In this session the learners were able to discover whether they display introverted or extraverted personality characteristics.
Blue are the task oriented introvert thinkers. They are strong in following processes and standards, and are usually strong in analytics, having an eye for the details.
Green are the introvert feelers. They strive in an informal setting and they are the colleagues that make sure relationships between team members are ok.
Pink are the extravert thinkers. Their strengths are thinking objectively, being able to separate tasks from the person, and they are competitive.
Orange are the extravert feelers. Compared to red people, they are more personally involved in the decisions they take and are good in motivating others.
Most people are not 100% one colour, as both axes can be seen as a spectrum on which you can move from completely left to completely right. However, most people do have one dominant preferred colour.
Which would you say describes you best?
The induction was then followed by the first campus delivery session of Unit 1 - Using Reflective Practice to Inform Personal and Professional Development. Reflective practice is an essential management tool which supports the development of knowledge, skills and behaviours in the work place, by consciously analysing own performance, decision making, and leadership and management skills.
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Cohort 7 of the Emerging Leaders programme were also on campus to complete their first of four Module delivery sessions. Module 1 is on Leadership and Management, which aims to develop the learners understanding of transactional and transformational leadership, and seek to assess the learners own management role requirements and their perspective on leadership in the Roads Sector.
During the first session, the group were tasked to identify famous individuals who they perceived as 'good' or 'bad' leaders and the characteristics associated with each person. These were then referred to later on in the session on Transactional and Transformational leadership. The former being 'directive' in style, and the latter 'collaborative'.
Paul Noon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Enterprise and Innovation at Coventry University, was invited to attend the module as a guest speaker, to share his leadership knowledge and experience with the cohort.
Recently in September, the Senior Leaders applicants for cohort 12 took part in a strategic assess-ment centre following their interviews, the assessment centre is designed to determine their suitability for the programme. The applicants participated in both individual and group activities to assess the competencies essential for success on the programme. The assessment centre is designed to be challenging with activities that take the applicants outside of their comfort zones. Feedback received from the applicants confirmed an enjoyable but challenging experience that not only allowed reflection on their own performance, but the opportunity to network with peers from across the sector.
Congratulations to all those who successfully completed the assessment centre. We look forward to welcoming the new cohort of Senior Leaders who commence their journey with the Roads Academy this November.
MORGAN SINDALL is a UK construction and infrastructure business with a network of local offices. The company works for private and public sector customers on projects and frameworks from £50,000 to over £1 billion. Activities range from small works and repair and maintenance, to the design and delivery of complex construction and engineering projects where it is able to provide specialist design, tunnelling, utilities, building, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical services.
Here at Morgan Sindall, we believe that an inclusive, open culture based on trust and mutual respect is integral to a progressive and effective business. This stance underpins our approach to Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion. We are committed to ensuring that equality of opportunity is embedded not only within our
corporate policies, but also in our practices and procedures relating to our people
The Infrastructure team operates across the key sectors of highways, rail, aviation, nuclear, energy and water.
Our highways experience includes strategic route improvements and road building programmes such as motorway widening, congestion relief, safety improvement and bypass schemes. Recent work includes Smart Motorway schemes; the A1 Improvement from Dishforth to Barton in North
Yorkshire; the M74 Completion Project through Glasgow and the A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road.
Morgan Sindall is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with revenue of c£2.6 billion and which operates through six divisions of Construction & Infrastructure, Fit Out, Property Services, Partnership Housing, Urban Regeneration and Investments.
Morgan Sindall and QUESTMorgan Sindall has supported the QUEST programme for ten years to develop our leaders of the future. During this time, we have developed and enhanced our approach in line with feedback from 60 QUEST scholars. We sponsor more QUEST scholars each year than any other organisation, and always receive positive feedback from our scholars on the experience they are given, and the commitment we make to mentoring them. Morgan Sindall also sponsors many other non-QUEST students in most disciplines as well as providing work placements throughout their undergraduate education.
Morgan Sindall Graduate and Trainee ProgrammesOur well-established two year Graduate programme typically has 80-120 graduates at any one time embarking upon their journey towards management roles. The company also employs many apprentices and trainees each year who study at college whilst working with the company.
Morgan Sindall and Leadership programmesWe provide management and leadership programme opportunities to employees at all levels from Manager Essentials right the way through to our Morgan Sindall Group Leadership programme. We aim to provide a wide variety of project experiences to our staff in order to enable them to develop as well as providing a framework by which employees are encouraged to take responsibility for self-development.
construction.morgansindall.com
linkedin.com/company/morgan-sindall
@morgansindallci
youtube.com/morgansindall
We are proud to be a Gold member ofthe Roads Academy and to supportanyone who is currently studying towards a Roads Academy qualificationor who has previously graduated fromthe Roads Academy. Well done!
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Our commitment to Leadership
Case Study: Roads Academy Step up to Leadership Programme
Learner: Jess Dudley Organisation: Highways England Programme: Step up to Leadership Cohort: 1
Why did you apply for the Roads Academy Step up to Leadership programme? I applied for Roads Academy as I wanted to enhance my knowledge and experience in leadership and management. The programme covers a variety of units that I had an interest in which I wouldn’t necessarily get too involved with in my day job. I believe that the programme will also support my future career aspirations within Highways England and the roads sector. I know a few colleagues who had been going through various Roads Academy programmes and they found it rewarding, so I thought this was a great opportunity. Which unit have you enjoyed the most to date and why? We have just started the Recruitment and Selection unit which is one I have been most looking forward to. I’ve always enjoyed being involved with recruitment, so this is one of the areas I have a bigger passion for. Recruitment and selection is something anyone can be involved in regardless of which business area you are in, so it’s a great to have the transferable skills and knowledge.
During the managing team and individual performance unit we had several role play exercises around having difficult discussions with team members – it’s safe to say it took us out of our comfort zones but it was great being able to put what we had learnt in to practice whilst getting feedback from the group on what went well and what could be improved.
A future unit I am looking forward to is Project Management as I’m keen to enhance my knowledge and experience in this area. We have to accompany this with a six month work based project, it sounds like it’s going to be a lot of hard work but I’m looking forward to the challenge! How have you been able to implement the learning from the programme into your job role? There are many activities we have done that I have been able to share with my colleagues. The learning styles has been especially helpful, as it enables me to better understand how my colleagues like to work – by also doing this during our delivery day I have better insight to my fellow classmates and their preferred learning styles. The course also gives you the space to think and reflect whilst encouraging a new way of thinking towards my work.
It’s funny because the unit I was least looking forward to was finance, but actually I have learned a lot from it and been able to easily see how it applies to my role. Nick Sharman joined us to deliver a session on finance within Highways England which was extremely valuable and demonstrated how Highways England are supporting and aligned to the programme too!
The programme also enables you to develop relationships with your cohort, which means I have built connections across the business which not only supports me in my role but allows me to learn from my teammates outside of the delivery days too. Who do you think the Step up to Leadership Programme is aimed at? Who would benefit from the programme?
I think the Step up to Leadership programme would be great for anyone who has an interest in leadership and management and is keen to continue their learning and develop themselves. It’s important that you’re motivated and willing to learn as you need to manage your time effectively alongside your day job.
On my Cohort we have a variation of job roles and a classmate from our supply chain, so it’s also valuable to learn from their experiences and have healthy discussions/debates around our ways of thinking and whether there is a better way that I could approach a certain task.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
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It is often stated that leadership is about vision creation. The great leader, filled with knowledge and wisdom, is continuously seeking and finding new and innovative directions. It is an ongoing activity taking form, for example in the strategic vision of the organisation. Once created, the vision is broadly communicated across the organisation and is clearly visible through their marketing and website.
Managers at all levels are encouraged to excel in visionary leadership. Visionary leaders provide di-rection and inspire people to follow suit, they tell a story about why goals are important to individual and organisational success.
However, in a recent Harvard Business Review article, it is suggested that visionary leadership is a double-edge sword and is dependent on whether managers that fall outside of the C-suite, align with the executive strategic vision. When aligned, visionary leadership generates positive energy within teams and when managers communicate the corporate strategy, they create an inspirational future. This nurtures the collective rather than self-interest.
Sadly, the authors suggest a negative side to visionary leadership. Too often, middle management lose sight of, or develop a vision which does not align with the executive strategic vision. This vision may become focused in self and departmental interest, which may not have been a conscious misalignment by middle managers, but could lead to employees having a confused and uncertain perception about the organisation's strategic vision. The advice for middle managers is not to dampen their visionary practice, but to ensure they are fully aware that it aligns with corporate strategy.
Here are 5 Characteristics of a Visionary Leader
Sources: Yasin Ates, N. et al (2019) Why Visionary Leadership Fails. Harvard Business Review.This article was written by Michael McFadden, Roads Academy Programme Director.
How Well Do You Know Your Organisation's
Strategy?
Think of Yourself as a Brand If you think of any brand you will automatically form an impression and associations based on what you have experienced with that brand. In the same way, you need to be aware of how you are present-ed to others. Naturally, you will want to be perceived as an expert in your field; therefore, you need to think of which qualities you want to be associated with when people see your name. Once you have established this, it makes marketing yourself as a brand much more effective.
Consider what you want to be known for and the promises which come from your personal values and professional behaviours. Examples of strong successful personal brands include Ester Ranzen, Jamie Redknapp, Mary Portas, Karren Brady, Davina McCall and Victoria Beckham.
Audit Your Online PresenceTo market the personal brand you have defined, you need to understand what your existing presence is. To do this, it is worth googling yourself to see what comes up. If you have a profile on your company website, is it still up to date? What does your personal social media say about you? And would you want a prospective manager seeing it?
You may find that there are many other people with the same name as you. In which case, you may need to consider using an initial or middle name to differentiate yourself. People need to be able to identify you easily to follow your brand. Be sure to be aware of responses you make on social media and how they can be perceived as this can be just as important as the content you post in the first place!
Secure a Digital Platform In terms of raising awareness of your brand, you will need your own platform. For instance, this could be either a personal website or Facebook account. A LinkedIn profile can act as your own website displaying your professional credentials. You can use it to upload files, link to publications and articles you have written, and this can be linked from your corporate website or email footer, if permitted.
ESTABLISHING YOUR PERSONAL BRANDR
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As an individual, your identity is a brand within a brand (your employer), and throughout your career, you have been building your own personal brand.
It is important to understand how you are perceived as a brand, to in effect, market yourself and ensure you are in a strong position for career progression.
On LinkedIn, you can tailor your URL, rather than accepting the default option to further personalise your online presence.
Develop Ways to Add Value In terms of establishing your brand, it is important to consider ways that you can add value to your working relationships. For instance, this could be done by creating relevant content on your LinkedIn page.
Think about what can add the most value to your professional connections. You don’t always have to write the content yourself, but you should never pass it off pretending it is your own. Instead, you can curate content that is useful to your different audiences. This might be one thing for professional connections and another for peers in similar roles to yours in other organisations.
Below are some pointers to help you maximise your personal brand:
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This article was written by Hannah Price, Step-Up to Leadership Tutor. It has looked at the key points necessary for establishing your personal brand to progress.
Be Strategic
Remember that everything contributes to your brand, whether it is a post, a tweet, a like, or a comment, etc. With this in mind, you can be more strategic in how you communicate with your
audience. You should know what you stand for as a professional, and it’s these qualities in your brand which should adhere to your authentic values.
Think About Your Connections
Your personal brand is highly influenced by those you form connections with. You need to think about who you connect with as they can weaken your brand just as much as they can
strengthen it.
Consider becoming more involved in your professional community. This is great for networking and will also allow you to spread useful content and understand the needs of others.
Evolve
Your brand will need a strong sense of identity. Who are you? What is your story?
Your story is defined by your journey and how you have grown and evolved as an individual. Think about your story and how much you want to share with your professional peers. You don’t need to give every fine detail but remember that telling your story gives a human and
personal connection which can help in building relationships.
Case Study: Roads Academy Emerging Leaders Programme
Learner: Ian Coddington Organisation: Jacobs Programme: Emerging Leaders Cohort: 1
Why did you apply for the Roads Academy Emerging Leaders programme? One of our senior leadership team suggested I applied for the Emerging Leaders programme (ELP) as he thought it would be a good fit for my career ambitions. I was keen to develop my career further with a focus on leadership, and I also wanted to contribute at a high level and make a difference. Through my current role I often witness inefficiency through teams or projects working in silos, lack of communication and poor collaboration. I believed the ELP would hone and enhance my skills, shaping me as a leader, and help me develop more diverse networks, internally within my organisation, externally across the Highways industry, and ultimately other industry sectors as well.
What Module did you enjoy the most and why? I particularly enjoyed the variety of learning techniques that were used, which encouraged me to reflect on my own learning preferences and be more innovative in my own approach when working with my team. Possibly the most memorable elements of the ELP were when we were taken outside of our comfort zone. For the Developing Self and Others module we spent a whole morning in the university art block. I don’t normally go out of my way to create this type of time and space, but it made me realise how important it is to carve out time to reflect, and what a significant effect a different working environment can have.
How have you been able to implement the learning from the programme into your job role? The programme provided me with greater understanding of the role of organisational leadership and a higher level of self-awareness, so that I better understand my strengths as a leader, and areas which require focus. I’ve been able to utilise my learning in several ways for the benefit of my immediate team and the wider organisation and sector – I’ve been able to initiate and influence a number of organisational change programmes, including a programme to develop consistent training and job descriptions for line managers, promotion of our positive mental health initiatives, and to develop stronger collaborative working practices with our clients.
Who do you think the Emerging Leaders Programme is aimed at? Who would benefit from the programme? I never thought I’d go back to university, but further academic study is well worth considering if you’re looking for a new challenge and a different perspective. ‘Learning’ is one way to develop resilience and positive mental health, and I found that undertaking further academic study, despite the hard work and time commitment involved, has really benefitted my well-being.
I would recommend the ELP to anyone who is moving from a management role into a wider leadership position, or who is interested in a senior leadership role in the future. The ELP provided me with enhanced skills, tools and a level of knowledge which supported and strengthened my existing leadership abilities and has made me a more effective leader. Whilst the course is affiliated with the Highways sector, I believe the ELP provides knowledge and learning which would be transferrable to any leadership role irrespective of sector.
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GRADUATION
The September Graduation was a time for the learners on cohorts 1, 2 and 3 of the Emerging Leaders programme and cohort 10 of the Senior Leaders programme, to celebrate with their colleagues and line-managers after successfully completing their Roads Academy journey. The event consisted of individual presentations delivered by three of our graduates and an exhibition showcased by graduates from the Emerging Leaders cohorts. There was a certificate cer-emony and cohort photographs, and the event concluded with a celebratory three course lunch! The event allowed the graduates to showcase themselves as future sector leaders to the executives in attendance, and their line managers, by presenting and exhibiting their Roads Academy experience demonstrating the impact they have made within their organisation by implementing their learning back into the workplace.
In attendance was Jim O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of Highways England, who was pleased to open the event and Malcolm Dare, the new Highways England Executive Sponsor for the Roads Academy who presented the Roads Academy awards to the graduates.
From all of us here at The Roads Academy, Congratulations on your success!
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ROADS REVOLUTION RIS EDITION: LEADING THE SECTOR THROUGH LESSONS LEARNT AND BEST PRACTICE.
The June 2019 Masterclass celebrated the success of RIS1 and included collaborative contributions from across the sector on how it has overcome the challenges throughout phase one, and the lessons that were learnt along the way. The event looked back at some of the major projects that were carried out during this phase and the impact they’ve made to both the sector and wider communities.
Eamonn Slevin from Costain and Tom Legg, Head of Transport at the FA, gave insightful Delivery and Customer presentations, which included some outstanding examples of leadership seen from across the sector over the past four years. Lara Sonola, Senior Manager at NHS England, delivered a workshop on Customer Centric Change, whilst Ruby Ubhi, a leadership facilitator for Roads Academy, delivered a workshop on The Human Impact of Change. These workshops enabled the delegates to reflect not only on the RIS1 strategy but also their own leadership learning capabilities, in preparation for the second stage of the Roads Investment Strategy.
The Masterclass concluded with delegates sharing their leadership learning reflections after a thought provoking day. Here is what some of the delegates said:
June 2019 Masterclass
June 2019 marked the end of phase one for the Roads Investment Strategy, which
received £15.2 billion of investment in over 100 major schemes to enhance, renew and transform the Strategic
Road Network.
"Change affects individuals differently - need to be mindful that some need more time to transition"
"Ensure you engage with the team undergoing change. Don't assume you can simply enforce
the change without understanding what is important to them"
"Customers need to know what is happening. Knowledge and sharing is key to create trust and improve collaboration"
"Focus on transition when dealing with change. Transitions need care and take time"
“Gain more input from customers. The voice of the customer is paramount"
"Leadership is not a job title, but a behaviour. To be able to
create a change is about having the passion, enthusiasm and
drive to want to create change and not about a position in a
business"
"Establish a way to show and utilise collected data
in order to deliver required outcomes"
"Speaking to others about an issue/obstacle
can be really useful in opening up the issue to
different perspectives to find suitable solutions that you may not have
thought of"
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Taylor Woodrow delivers sustainable solutions using the collaboration and innovation of excellent people who care. We are the civil engineering division of VINCI Construction UK which forms part of VINCI, a world leader in concessions and construction.
Three simple words and five minutes out of an otherwise pressured day can make a huge difference to people’s lives. We want you to take the few minutes you would have spent
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Take the time to talkYou don’t know how much of a difference it could make
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Roads Revolution RIS Edition: RIS 2
Wednesday 29th January 2020ICC Birmingham, B1 2EA
Registrations are now open to book your places for the next Masterclass. Please click here to register using password: Roads2020
You can visit the Roads Academy website for further details on the Masterclass or contact us on: [email protected]
FOR THE NEXT MASTERCLASS
EVERYONE WELCOME!Not a current Roads Academy Member but would like to attend the Masterclass?You can purchase tickets to our Masterclass at £250 per person, with the option to pay now or on the day. To register your interest, please contact us on:[email protected]
If you are currently on a programme or alumni of the Roads Academy, you can register free of charge.
If your organisation is a member of the Roads Academy, you may be eligible to attend free of charge, based on their membership. For further details, please contact the team.
In January the Roads Academy will host the second Masterclass of the RIS series, following the event we held in June 2019, which was focused on lessons learnt in RIS1. We are pleased to announce that the masterclass will be opened by Elliot Shaw, Executive Director of Strategy and Planning, with support from Adam Simmons, Director of the Roads Investment Strategy (RIS2) Development, Highways England.
The Masterclass will provide the sector with the opportunity to hear from a selection of customers who will share the priorities and challenges they face over the coming five years, and how the projects within RIS2 can support them. We are in a period of great change for our roads and the millions of people that use them every day. The customers’ expectations are changing, and as a sector we need to be prepared to work more strategically with customers and improve operations, and the service that is provided.
The Masterclass will also explore both team performance and efficiencies, and strategic planning and thinking. Delegates will participate in activities and break-out sessions to share their thoughts and ideas, and we are very pleased to welcome back Ruby Ubhi to facilitate the day. The Masterclass will take place on Wednesday the 29th of January and will be an opportunity for the sector to come together to see how we can make the customers journeys smoother, safer and more sustainable, getting our roads ready for future demands.
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October 2019 Edition
ROADS REVOLUTION RIS EDITION: RIS 2
Join us on Wednesday 29th
January 2020 for the second
Masterclass of the RIS series!
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BITESIZEComing Soon in 2020!Roads Academy Bitesize Programmes
In 2020, the Roads Academy will be delivering a rane of new Bitesize programmes which are designed to bring together individuals from across the sector, to work through the following four relevant subject areas:
• Creating Collaboration (1 day workshop)
• Introduction to Emotional Intelligence (1 day workshop)
• Inclusive Leadership (1 day workshop)
• Coaching Skills for Improved Performance in the Workplace (Introductory Level) (2 day workshop)
The Bitesize programmes will be delivered on Coventry University campus, using immersive learning technologies including a simulation centre and virtual reality. The programmes have been developed alongside Highways England and L&D leads from the Roads Academy member organisations.
If you are interested in any of the above programmes and would like to receive future updates, please email [email protected] to be added to our distribution list.
The Roads Academy are excited to be exhibiting at the Highways UK event on 6th and 7th November 2019 at the NEC Birmingham. Highways UK is the flagship event about roads for a modern and connected Britain. The event brings togetehr the people and organisations involved in the planning, designing, building, operating and future-proofing of the UK’s road network.
The event is free to attend so book your place and come along to see us at stand B71 for information on our range of memberships and leadership development programmes. We will also have a number of current learners and alumni on the stand with us, to give their insight on their programme journey.
Why did you apply for the Roads Academy Senior Leaders programme? I wanted to apply for Roads Academy to develop myself. Amey - the company I work for and its Leaders, encourage and support our employees to develop professionally, to enable everyone to grow and increase their capabilities, and to strive to achieve their future career aspirations. I often talk to the team members in my business about doing exactly that – and felt it was important for me to invest in myself, and demonstrate that I truly believe in personal investment and the reward it generates. I also in my early career enjoyed watching the Leaders I worked with, join the Roads Academy programme, seeing them first hand relishing their leadership learning experience, made me even more motivated to sign up myself when the time was right. I also believe that being part of the Roads Academy Alumni is a professional privilege, and that as a network of alumni we should and can make a difference. What Module did you enjoy the most and why? To be honest in every module we completed, there was something I really enjoyed, however my absolute favourite was the module on Change Management – it was so interesting to consider and evaluate the academic models available on change management, and the ways in which as Leaders we can help deal with uncertainty, especially in today’s world, where organisations face unprecedented levels of change. It was in this module that I was also introduced to a concept called Appreciative Inquiry – I would highly recommend a read on this subject area!
I also loved the variety of learning methods used across the course, which truly made every module different, it was a pleasure to have so many experts join our programme to share their experiences. Have you been able to implement your learning from the programme into your job role? Absolutely – being on the programme gives you focused time to learn and develop, even if it is a busy time! There is no way that you can come away from your module without thinking about what you would do differently in your own role. I believe that the programme drives you as an individual to reflect on what you have learnt, heard, and energises you to explore further the learning areas of the programme. At the outset of the Senior Leaders programme the strategic leadership module incorporating strategic leadership styles – stimulated me to consider my approach. As Strategic Leaders our business success is driven by our ability to be authentic, to lead by example, our behaviours and approach are so important to developing the right culture for success. Although I’ve recently finished the Senior Leaders programme, the learning experience has by no means stopped for me – and I’m confident that I will continue to embed the learning from the programme in the future. Who do you think the Senior Leaders Programme is aimed at? Who would benefit from the programme? I think the Senior Leaders programme is aimed at people in our sector, that are ready to enhance their strategic leadership journey, those that hold leadership roles, that are running multiple functions in their business, have financial reporting responsibility and accountability to make strategic decisions. I believe the programme will benefit most of all, those that are ready and open to learn, to understand something different, to step out of their comfort zone and join other leaders in the sector to lead and champion change.
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October 2019 Edition
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MEMBERSHIPWe are pleased to announce that Malcolm Dare, Executive Director for Commercial and Procurement at Highways England, is the new Roads Academy sponsor.
an environment of continuous development as well as prioritising work and how it supports the RIS. Roads Academy is seen as our preferred Management and Leadership Programme for our talent and succession planning, successfully sup-porting our strategic outcomes".
Roads Academy membership renews on the 1st September each year. If you are looking to renew your current membership, or your orgaisation is interested in becoming a member of the Roads Academy, please contact us or visit our website www.roadsacademy.co.uk for more information.
26 of the sectors well known organiations were members of the Roads Academy in 2018-19
"We are very proud that The Roads Academy has been instrumental in building the sector leadership capabilities over the last nine years with the past year being an extremely busy one.
From a Highways England perspective, it has never been more important to continue to invest in leadership capability, cross sec-tor collaboration and shared learning. We are at a crucial point in closing out the Roads Investment Strategy 1 and are setting up for Roads Investment Strategy 2. Internally, for example, our People Leaders attend a Management Development Programme which compliments the Roads Academy learning, focussing on elements such as developing a high-performance culture and promoting
R & W Civil Engineering LimitedSir Robert McAlpine
Vinci Construction Taylor Woodrow Ltd
LOCAL AUTHORITY MEMBERSOffice of Rail and Road
Ability to help shape the Roads Academy by nominating individuals for selection to the Steering Group. Increased networking opportunities, able to buy a place at the graduation.Access to all Roads Academy leadership development programmes.Three places at the bi-annual Masterclasses.Ability to ‘gift’ two places to the Masterclass to your supply chain.Bi-annual Newsletter.One double page feature in newsletter. Use of the Roads Academy logo. Branded pop-up stand at Masterclass.
Access to all Roads Academy leadership development programmes.Two places at the bi-annual Masterclasses.Bi-annual Newsletter.One full page feature in newsletter. Use of the Roads Academy logo.
Access to all Roads Academy leadership development programmes.One place at the bi-annual Masterclasses.Bi-annual Newsletter.
Use of the Roads Academy logo.
A membership offering for Local Authorities is also available. Please contact us for further details
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ARE YOU A MEMBER?The Roads Academy offer a tiered membership model, allowing organisations to choose which level of membership is best suited to their needs.
As a member of the Roads Academy, your organisation will be entitled to the following benefits:
