Masterclass series supports emerging CEOs of arm’s-length bodies
The inaugural CEO Masterclass series has wrapped up, with 20 new and aspiring chief executives gaining valuable skills to strengthen their leadership at UK arm’s-length bodies (ALBs).
The CEO Masterclass series, a joint initiative of Nous Group and the Association of Chief Executives (ACE), ran from May to September 2023. It followed the 2020 joint report “The CEO in Government – Leading ALBs well”, which included a new competency framework for ALB leadership.
The series featured three half-day in-person masterclasses on the topics of understanding the CEO in government, navigating the stakeholder landscape, and leading through crisis and change. The events were intended to meet four learning objectives:
- Go deep into the nuances of chief executives’ unique role and responsibilities within public bodies.
- Explore and develop the unique skills and effective practices needed for public body leadership.
- Strengthen and extend CEOs peer networks to provide support, resilience and a sounding board for the future.
- Learn from seasoned CEO experts – their successes and their challenges in the public body context.
Martin Jones CBE, CEO of the Parole Board for England and Wales and Chair of ACE, commented on the value of the training.
“Public Bodies play a significant role in UK society and their leaders have enormous responsibility on their shoulders. Investing in their capabilities, skills and support networks can only be good news for the performance of these organisations as they face challenging times.”
Peter Horne, the Principal at Nous Group, said he was delighted by the series’ success.
“Each masterclass provided time and space for participants to explore ideas and challenges with their peers, supported by the provocations and frameworks developed by ACE and Nous,” Peter said.
“Participants were supported by self-assessment and an optional 360-feedback review with facilitators to identify areas of individual leadership development focus.”
The feedback from masterclass participants was extremely positive: 100 per cent of participants said they would recommend the masterclass series to their peers; 92 per cent said the series had helped them to understand more of what it takes to be effective in a public body leadership role; and 86 per cent said the series had improved their confidence in their leadership skills and approach.
Comments included:
- “The quality of the content and delivery has set the bar. It has been a privilege to be part of it.”
- “Thoroughly enjoyed hearing from the excellent guest speakers and the opportunity to have rich conversations with peers.”
- “The sessions were very well thought through and extremely helpful to understand more of what it takes to be effective in a public body CEO role.”
- “Participating in this masterclass has shifted my thinking on the policy skills required for ALB leaders.”
- “As a result of the series I will be reflecting on both my formal and personal relationships with my Chair and Board.”
Participants said they wanted to maintain and build on the relationships established during the series, including through mentoring arrangements and peer support networks. To aid this, ACE and Nous will host cohort dinners in the coming months for participants to come together and continue the conversation.
ACE and Nous anticipate delivering the next masterclass series for new and aspiring public body CEOs in summer 2024.
To register interest in future CEO Masterclass series or to find out more about Nous and ACE’s leadership development work, contact Peter Horne at peter.horne@nousgroup.com or Alison Edbury at secretariat@associationofchiefexecutives.org.uk.
