We are a University – this is a place where we can learn every day
31 Jul 2018
Nancy visits our Staff Learning and Development team
Our Staff Learning and Development (SL&D) team have not only overseen a year of intensive leadership and management development, they have also been aiming to raise the profile of what is available from a learning point of view for all staff across the University. ‘Learning for All’ is just one of the tools designed to support everyone to take every opportunity to build their personal capability and take their development in a direction that will work for them.
As our President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Nancy Rothwell put it during her recent visit to the SL&D team meeting, “We are a University – this is a place where we can learn every day.”
Nancy and the SL&D team discussed some of the many ways in which the SL&D team have been engaging all staff in their personal development.
Feedback from the new Inspiring Leaders Programme acknowledges that one of the best ways to learn is from each other, whether as a mentor “who learns as much as he or she shares,” or from discussions prompted during one of the leadership workshops. During these workshops leaders build their networks and work together to find solutions to challenges by sharing ideas, experiences and exploring leadership skills as a developing community.
“There is clearly a demand for leadership skills programmes and we are doing our best to meet that demand,” explained Neal Chamberlain who leads on Leadership and Management in SL&D.
By Autumn 2018 a total of 250 of our most senior leaders will have been engaged in the Inspiring Leaders Programme. Leading at Manchester started in May 2018 with the first cohort of 14 due to complete in October; 70 more places are due to be allocated between October 2018 and March 2019. Managing at Manchester has seen 32 managers attend so far with another 36 places due to be allocated in the next academic year. SL&D continue to engage with our leadership community to offer support.
Head of SL&D Jonathan Winter commented: “Time is precious so modern learning needs to be bite-sized and mobile. Our offering fits into the 70:20:10 model in which 70% of learning comes through learning from experience and on the job, 20% comes from learning through others for example through coaching or mentoring, and 10% from formal courses.
“Blending learning in this way allows colleagues to think about the path they want to take, where their role is going and choose their development accordingly – taking ownership of their own learning and looking at a broader range of learning opportunities. Learning for All is the starting point to building your own personal development plan.”
Nancy agreed: “There are so many different routes to learning; it’s not just about taking a course.”
Nancy’s advice for SL&D as we head into the next academic year is to stay close to what happens in everyday life for the teams we work with; to really understand the challenges faced and to continue to share best practice where we find it. The more inventive we can be about the ways we offer learning – the better!
“In most cases, people here are constructive, interested and always wanting to know more – for example how the University works, what are the challenges. In answering people’s questions, we can help them to learn,” she said.
“As in mentoring, we can learn from each other.”
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The image of Nancy Rothwell was drawn by Beth McManus, a recent graduate of Alliance MBS, who attended the visit and watched the discussion with the SL&D team.