Royal London Borough of Kingston upon Thames were the winners of the MJ Senior Leadership Team of the Year award 2021 demonstrating work with partners to change and transform services to meet the needs of communities

1. Ian Thomas CBE
Royal Borough of Kingston
PPMA Conference 2022
MANCHESTER
27 April

3. Resilience?

4. @CllrRowenaBass
Resilience is the
cornerstone of
adaptability - an
attribute we all need
during times of rapid
change to help us to
achieve our goals
@Beleivernomics
1) Revel in the success of others, don’t be
threatened by it; 2) Don’t live for applause
or you will die from rejection; 3) Give
yourself the right to fail & the permission
to learn; 4) Don’t just try to be useful, aim
to be relevant: 5) Do the right thing even
when no-one cares.
@amkelMD
Failing and knowing you can
pick yourself up and still go
on. Resilience imo is built off
the back of things that didn’t
go right!
@simon_currie
To be able to function and lead
effectively, through adversity, drawing
strength from your personal
experiences and knowledge, to walk tall
to the positive outcome, with the team
on your shoulders. Then share and
empower others with positive resilience
@ACCHarwin
Ian, firstly it’s about knowing
yourself and recognising when
you don’t feel right and then
having an environment where
it’s ok to say you are not ok.
Peer and family support are a
must too.
@nathan_elvery
Being able to push yourself into a zone
of discomfort and make it a comfortable
space, knowing how to unplug to
recharge, breathe out the bad and fill
up with the good, reaching out for help
when needed, not to be too proud to let
others carry you when you are weary.
@comelybank
And my personal view on what makes us
resilient; 1) taking care of our mental and
physical health 2) maintaining a diverse
network of friends and colleagues and 3)
having your wing-person who will notice
your resilience wavering before you do
and 4) Talk, talk, talk…..
@Sarah71Garner
At the heart of resilience is
learning how to tend to
yourself first. This is a
practice. Preceding that is
self-knowledge. Also a
practice.
@GibsonGav
I should say knowing
one’s self Ian. Your
strengths and
weaknesses and your
own moral compass.

5. Wogs out…
Go back to your
own country...
There’s no blacks
in the union jack...
Sambo…
Nigger...
Black bastard...
NF
BNP

6. Key points of the journey…...
Trafford MBC
RBK
Lewisham
Derbyshire CC

7. PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
I’ve got your back
You’ve got this
We are really in
this together
Whether you think
you can, or you
think you can’t
you’re right
Optimism is the
faith that leads to
achievement,
nothing can be
done without hope
and confidence

8. What Exactly is Psychological Safety?
Psychological
safety is the enabler
for high performing
team success
Psychological
safety is a belief
that one will not be
punished or
humiliated for
speaking up with
ideas, questions,
concerns or
mistakes
Psychological
safety is created
and influenced by
the consistent
behaviours and
actions of you as
leaders
Psychological
safety is a dynamic
and delicate variable
that is hard to build
and easy to destroy
Cultural Competence for Leaders

9. Psychological
safety is not
about lowering
performance
standards. High
standards plus high
safety equals high
performance.
Psychological
safety is not just
another word for
trust. It is a fragile
and temporary state
at a group level.
Psychological
safety is not a
personality factor.
People should offer
thoughts whether
introvert or
extrovert.
Psychological
safety is not about
just being nice. It’s
about candour and
willingness to
engage.
What Psychological Safety is not?
Cultural Competence for Leaders

11. Distributed Leadership
'Distributed leadership recognises that authority doesn't rest with one key
individual. Distributed authority recognises collective skill sets. It also
creates a breeding ground for new leaders. It focuses on empowerment of
the individual and dedication to a shared mission and values. This
effectively binds each leader across a complex horizontal structure'
● I don’t have all the answers
● We all have potential
● I trust my colleagues to do the right thing
● We lead by letting go
● Individually we might know alot but together we know a whole lot more

12. Impact in the Royal Borough of Kingston
● Shortlisted Council of the year 2021 and digital transformation
project of the year
● Winners SLT of the year 2021
● Shortlisted excellence in Diversity and Inclusion PPMA awards
2022
● Cambridge Road Estate regeneration ballot - 73% YES!
● Award-winning bereavement services
● Top 3% nationally all age social care
● Improved recruitment and retention
● Joint lowest sickness in London
● £1.2bn economy-boosting regeneration programme
● Balanced medium term financial strategy

13. Leadership in the new world
● Building resilience essential, ‘look after yourself so you can look
after others’
● Promote psychological safety across your systems
● Distributive Leadership the way forward, ‘I have no problem not
being the smartest in the room’
● The world has changed and will continue to do so - Adaptive
Leadership principles apply - data-driven by design
● ‘Wicked Issues’ require creativity and sometimes even clumsy
solutions. Innovation and mistakes are bed fellows…’the person
who hasn’t made a mistake has achieved no great thing’
● Create a dynamic culture - ‘culture is as good as the worst
behaviour you are willing to tolerate’

15. ?

16. QUESTIONS