NI Leadership & Governance Conference 2023 RECAP

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of the conference organisers, we wish to thank you once again for your enthusiastic participation at the 2023 Leadership & Governance Conference earlier this month. It was a pleasure to see so many colleagues in person and we are delighted that delegates found the day valuable, with 98% of respondents rating the event as 'excellent' or 'good'.

Recordings of most sessions and our conference gallery are now available to view via the conference webpage. The key points from the day are highlighted below, but as you will be aware, the focus was on shared leadership action. Both the Chief Executives' Forum (CEF) and the NI Public Sector Chairs' Forum (NIPSCF) will explore what action we can take in the coming months, and we will also work alongside TEO on the newly established Shared Leadership Group to support this shared agenda. 

Unsurprisingly, collaboration was a key theme from the outset. Opening the conference, Dr Jayne Brady commented that we must "stitch collaboration into the DNA of the public service", assuring colleagues that it represented a key pillar of the new Civil Service Renewal Framework; adopting a whole systems approach will be key to tackling our wicked problems, she said.

The need for creativity and innovation, facilitated by an alternative approach to risk aversion, also featured heavily throughout the day, with Prof Sir Geoff Mulgan echoing the words of former US president FDR in advocating for "bold, persistent experimentation". We were reminded that embracing technology and data allows us to gather quality insights that inform decision-making, and that 'leadership with shared intelligence' involves harnessing facts, evidence, innovations and imagination. To that end, Sir Geoff presented his '12 economies framework' to address the burning question of how we can save money in public service provision without causing harm.

Importantly, the many animated conversations and actions from conference will inform the work taken forward by the Shared Leadership Group. Convened by The Executive Office, membership of the Group comprises representatives from both NIPSCF and CEF. The Group will provide shared direction, support and challenge in order to improve social, economic and environmental wellbeing by: improving governance;  promoting collaborative and cross-functional working; and optimising value for money. We hope to update you on the work of the Group over the coming 12 months.

In the meantime, we invite you to save the date for the 2024 Leadership and Governance Conference, to be held on Wednesday 6th March 2024 and look forward to seeing many of you again next year.