Transforming leadership strategy in higher education. Embedding adaptive and strategic leadership and structured change management.
The Brief
As part of Future Leadership’s broader remit with a major university’s faculty of medicine, dentistry and health sciences to embed an enterprise leadership mindset across the faculty, Future Leadership worked with the school of health sciences on the following scope:
- Development of a new strategy reflective of 7 key inputs – environmental context, strategic principles, strategic pillars, operating model, brand voice, strategic initiatives, and governance and performance accountability.
- Delivery of a L&D experience to support personal mindset shifts.
- Support with change management approach to deliver the above work and strategic planning and executive retreat sessions.
Improved Employee Engagement
Companies that undergo successful organisational transformation experience a 30% increase in employee engagement. Engaged employees are more productive, less likely to leave, and contribute to a positive workplace culture.
Reference: McKinsey & Company, "The People Power of Transformations" (2018)
Financial
Organisations that successfully implement transformation initiatives see an average 25% improvement in their financial performance, including revenue growth and profitability.
Reference: BCG, "The Role of Leadership in Transformation" (2020)
Return on Investment (ROI)
Transformation projects with effective change management practices are six times more likely to meet their objectives and achieve a 143% return on investment (ROI).
Reference: Prosci, "Best Practices in Change Management" (2019)
Reduced Time to Market
Organisations that undergo successful digital transformation reduce their time to market by 20-50%, allowing them to bring products and services to customers faster and stay competitive in rapidly changing markets.
Reference: Deloitte, "Digital Transformation: A Roadmap for Billion-Dollar Organizations" (2021)
The Process
The program of work with the School of Health Sciences was significant and involved:
Change Management – Delivery of workshops and writing scripts to support leaders in the School manage and lead change. Workshops explored levers of motivation and influence to use to drive change and how to boost leadership capability for future change and team engagement.
Executive Planning Days – Using Ralph Stacey’s model of complexity to help leaders understand the change journey ahead. Future Leadership also facilitated concepts of Heifetz and Linsky’s Adaptive Leadership to help anchor the focus for leadership and ensure it stayed in the ‘adaptive’ domain.
Strategy – Series of facilitated workshops for the participant group focused on Strategic Context, Enterprise Leadership, Our Purpose, Operating Model and Stewardship.
Leadership Development – Program that involved administration of the Human Synergistics LSI 1 and 2 tools, debriefs and coaching to help the School move towards a constructive culture representative of enterprise leadership patterns of thinking. Participants explored the ineffective styles hindering their ability to lean fully into constructive, enterprise leadership in a safe and trusting environment.
The Advisory Team's Impact Across Clients Through Survey Feedback
32% Increase in Self Awareness
Individuals’ awareness of motives, values, strengths and development needs
21% Increase in Motivation
Individuals’ motivation to apply learning, insight and further develop
27% Increase in Confidence
Individuals’ confidence in their abilities and impact as a leader
30% Increase in Role Clarity
Individuals’ clarity around success factors associated with their role
The Outcome
The program successfully embedded enterprise-first leadership and structured change methodologies, leading to significant mindset shifts among faculty leaders.
Participants reported improved strategic thinking, stronger leadership cohesion, and enhanced adaptability in managing complex institutional change. The initiative created a sustainable leadership culture, ensuring ongoing alignment with the faculty’s long-term vision.
