Presented by Linden Rowley at the event 'Commissioning for Culture and Sport, 5th December 2014': http://knowhownonprofit.org/events/commissioning-for-culture-and-sport-5th-december-2014 Part of the Cultural Commissioning Programme http://www.ncvo.org.uk/cultural-commissioning-programme

1. Engaging in a commissioning
environment
Behaviours and leadership traits
Commissioning for culture and sport
5th December 2014
Facilitator: Linden Rowley

2. The workshop outline
• A commissioning environment
• Behaviours
• Leadership traits

3. A commissioning environment?
Discussion:
What characterises ‘a commissioning
environment’?
How is this different to previous environments?

4. Some characteristics
• Outcomes focus - not service focus
(Not ‘this is what we do’ but ‘how could we contribute
to wider social outcomes and local priorities?’
• Holistic – not compartmentalised
• Evidence based – not speculation
• Opening up the provider market – not ‘the same as
we’ve always done’ or ‘the same people we’ve always
done it with’
• Citizen focus – not service focus
• Public and user involvement – real not lip service
• Growth in interest in ‘Wellbeing’ and ‘Resilience’

5. Not totally new – an evolutionary
process – but some added context
• Austerity – the ever present need to demonstrate
value for money, cost benefit (and reduced
dependency on other services) and social value.
• Transformation – the need to put a different lens
on issues and find more creative and sustainable
approaches – especially in relation to
demographic change, lifestyles and inequality

6. Behaviours
Discussion:
First – what roles do we have in this
commissioning environment?
And what does this mean for behaviours?

7. Behaviours
Will be dependent on our role – and how we
view our role:
• Provider - our knowledge, skills and
behaviours that are influenced by the
commissioning environment
• Strategic player - our knowledge, skills and
behaviours that influence the commissioning
environment

8. Strategic player
Stay in more:
• research the local and national policy landscape, read
legislation, learn the context and what’s coming up on the
horizon, learn the language of other services
• Be a subject expert in your own field – know the benefits and
impact of culture and sport in medical, social and economic
terms. Know your own narrative and your financial story.
Get out more:
• Go exploring, visit new ‘lands’, meet new people and find new
networks and partnerships
• Work out ways you can contribute to other people’s goals
ambitions and outcomes and see what you can do together

9. Leadership traits
Discussion:
Any ideas?

10. Just one small thought from me
Be wise

11. Your roleTypes of Actors
Top level leadership
Ministers, Chief Medical Officers,
eminent personalities, leading
institutions
Middle range leadership
Leaders respected in the a range of
sectors – health, education,
academics, local government,
statutory and voluntary agencies
Grassroots leadership
Local community leaders, community
development practitioners, local
agencies
Types of Approaches
Legislation, policy, guidelines, leading
debate, commissioning research, setting the
national framework
Translating and developing policy locally,
representing local communities, working
across disciplines, devising local
approaches, interagency approaches and
ideas; connecting the ‘top-down and the
bottom –up’
Local community projects and programmes,
in touch with vulnerable, diverse and
excluded communities, community led
ideas and activity

12. Final reflections