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CHAPTER TWO: Leadership
The Audit Commission publication, 'Performance Breakthroughs', 12 revealed that managers expressed similar reasons when asked why performance management was not working effectively in their area of business. Of the many underlying factors contributing to these negative feelings, number one was "leaders aren't interested".
With reference to the five building blocks, effective leadership is critical to the successful development of a performance culture. This will ideally start with the chief officer team developing and promoting a vision for the organisation, setting out clear ethical policing principles, translating this into priorities via the planning process and personally articulating what this means in performance terms for all staff.
Leading by example is not just a trite management phrase. While it starts from the top, leaders at every level need to be visible in developing a positive management culture in which high performance is the norm.
How the behaviour and actions of management in general, and senior management in particular, inspire, promote and support a culture of performance, translates across most of the characteristics of a performance management system.
2.1 Vision
A traditional definition of leadership might include the perception of a leader as a figurehead, through whom the collective aspirations of the organisation are reflected and who embodies 'what the organisation is all about' both for staff and the public.
HMIC has found the manner in which these strategic aspirations are published and communicated is broadly similar across the Scottish police service, with variations on Vision and Mission Statements, Statements of Purpose, Community Promise etc, forming part of or contained in a force or corporate business plan. A feature of all is the high profile taken by the chief constable or common police service director, in the foreword or introductory part of the document in which the ethos of the organisation is established.
2.2 Visibility
HMIC is pleased to report ample evidence that chief officers, directors and other members of the force executive team play a very active role in terms of visible, dynamic leadership. This is demonstrated in a myriad of ways which vary according to individual management style and situation.
Crucially, it is manifested in the way in which the vision and priorities of the organisation are presented and promoted, internally to all staff and externally to the public. It is also shown at strategic level, through forging and cultivating partnerships with other agencies, in formal relationships with elected representatives and the police authority or other governing arrangements, and in how the public face of the organisation is represented in the media.
As might be anticipated, there is a commonality of approach across many of the organisations inspected. A list of practical examples of visible strategic leadership observed by HMIC includes:
- A structured programme of visits by chief officers and members of the executive team to operational units and departments to articulate priorities, objectives, performance and explore other issues. This provides an opportunity to discuss matters directly with staff and managers. Although levels of formality vary, minuted debriefs are in some cases carried out, allowing for feedback and follow up.
- Participation in all relevant strategic meetings, for example, Community Planning and Criminal Justice Boards.
- Chairing and championing key strategic performance management meetings and participating in the performance review process at the appropriate level.
- Personally encouraging and acknowledging staff contributions to suggestion schemes and rewarding good practice through an awards scheme or similar process.
- Use of force or organisational publications to personalise key issues.
- Where appropriate, making full use of 'open forum' style consultation days, as part of an overall business planning cycle, to articulate the vision and ethos of the force or organisation.
- Utilising available information technology (intranet, video links, e-mail, messaging etc), to communicate key policies or performance related initiatives to a wide audience.
Direct personal involvement by senior management at all levels is generally considered more effective in communicating vital strategic messages. Where information is cascaded by others or through memoranda or orders, it is important that it is done in a structured way. The following, while by no means exhaustive, are a number of useful examples noted by HMIC:
Within Northern Constabulary 'Team Brief' is an effective leadership tool that not only disseminates information quickly and accurately but also allows the sharing and discussion of matters relevant to staff.
The Core Brief is prepared approximately every fifth week and delivered on dates to coincide with the force Policy Forum wherever possible.
The Chief Constable's Briefing Team will brief their respective teams within 48 hours. This will, wherever possible, be done face to face in teams. Third, and in some cases, fourth level teams will be briefed within a further 4 days. Once again, this is done face to face in teams.
In Tayside Police the ' FOCUS' electronic briefing board is used by Divisional Commanders to post messages and key priorities to staff. All operational officers and selected members of support staff have access to this briefing board. Statistics on performance are also posted on this briefing board, providing a mechanism for communicating performance information linked to priorities and a way of acknowledging good work.
As part of a commitment to staff awareness and consultation, the Scottish Criminal Record Office undertakes a structured programme of informal meetings which take place over a buffet lunch known as 'One Lunch'. Consultation meetings, chaired by the Deputy Director occur twice yearly, while awareness meetings, chaired by Bureau Heads, take place quarterly. A representative sample of staff is encouraged to attend.
A summary of points raised is recorded which, along with feedback, becomes available to all staff via the intranet.
All staff at the Scottish Police College are expected to attend at least one 'Let's Talk' meeting per year, by invitation. The meeting is informal in nature and is chaired by a member of the College Executive. The focus of the meeting is to permit senior management to keep staff up to date with all relevant developments in policy and legislation, while at the same time allowing staff to air their views on any issues of concern.
Topics for discussion can be provided ahead of the meeting, which is minuted, with formal recording of follow up actions. The minutes are circulated by e-mail and published on the college intranet.
When it comes to the way in which operational commanders/departmental managers demonstrate leadership and active involvement in reviewing performance and how this translates down to a team and individual basis, HMIC again noted a variety of approaches evidenced in the responses, each tailored to organisational needs.
Most demonstrate a hierarchical structure of meetings and reviews providing, in theory, 'top to bottom' coverage from strategic organisational level to individual performance. Clearly, whatever system of meetings is in place, there has to be a supporting performance reporting framework ensuring the provision of appropriate information and results.
Review of performance is also conducted under the remit of the National Intelligence Model ( NIM) at strategic, tactical and operational level Tasking and Co-ordinating Group meetings.
Measures to monitor divisional/departmental, team and individual performance, where observed, appear to HMIC to be well founded, although not without potential unintended consequences again linked to the reporting mechanisms which have been put in place. These are examined in more detail under Chapter 4.
2.3 Culture
Critical to the establishment of a 'can-do' culture of challenge in the pursuit of continuous improvement, is the involvement of leaders at every level. To embed a performance culture, every leader needs to be committed to making performance management meaningful on a day to day basis. The starting point for this is an acceptance that improvement is necessary and all play a part in achieving it.
Good working relationships are a strong determinant of success. While participation is important in its own right, leaders need to balance personal visibility and involvement with the confidence to delegate responsibility to others, where appropriate empowering individual action.
In theory, the less well developed the performance culture, the more involved senior management needs to be. Where performance management systems are weak or processes have been recently implemented, direct engagement by the organisation's executive team may be called for, delegating responsibility only when satisfied that the process is well established, will not deteriorate and there remains a clear line of strategic accountability.
Leadership Involvement in Performance Management
Adapted from HMIC E & W
In seeking to drive the performance agenda, it is of paramount importance not to encourage, inadvertently, behaviour or practices which may be deemed as unethical or indeed illegal or which centre on one priority or target to the exclusion of others. Leadership at every level is the key to ensuring that all staff act professionally.
In a previous report, 'Quality of Service', 13HMIC noted that ACPOS had drafted a Code of Ethical Practice, which has since been adopted. If integrated into policy and properly endorsed and promoted by senior management, the Code provides an ideal blueprint for defining appropriate behaviour and values. HMIC continues to endorse this approach.
In this section HMIC has noted the positive lead taken by management in terms of visibility and setting the ethos of the organisation. However, the constituent elements of leadership are diverse, touching on most of the main characteristics of a performance management system, and there is considerable evidence across forces in each. The extent to which these aspects come together to form a fully matured performance culture is less clear but again there is evidence of development towards this goal.
The continued importance of leadership in planning, accountability and review, will be the subject of specific comment under later chapter headings.
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