|
In this month's Leadership Lens, we spotlight Jon Vincent, Principal and CEO of Glasgow Clyde College, who has a remarkable track record in transforming educational institutions.
Q: How do you cultivate a growth mindset within your organisation, and what specific practices or habits do you encourage among your team?
A: Running a large and complex multi-site organisation brings many challenges with communication, consistency, and levels of control. The most successful approach I have found is not to routinely set rigid rules but to allow members of staff high levels of autonomy in their day-to-day work. My personal view is that shared Values and a widely understood Mission/Vision are the critical foundations of everything we do. These underpin our organisation culture and result in a strong focus on being highly responsive to the needs of our customers. High levels of autonomy and delegated decision-making can create levels of risk that can be uncomfortable for some, but we focus on empowering members of staff to ‘do the right thing’ and ‘not seeking permission’. I would always prefer that we tried out something new which we felt was a good idea and risked failure than to simply standstill because it is safe. This approach has generated year-on-year sector leading levels of customer satisfaction and numerous examples of innovative practice. Where innovative practice is identified as being successful we ensure that it is captured, celebrated and shared across the organisation and in so doing always putting it in the context of our Values. Q: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly shaped your leadership philosophy? How did it influence your approach to leading others? A: The first few months of the Covid pandemic were like no other period in my career – I’m sure that was the case for everyone. My previous experience was of a top-down model of leadership and decision-making. This approach had been very successful but was totally inappropriate for the unexpected and unprecedented experience of the lock-down. To my surprise and delight the staff didn’t look for clear direction or instruction from leaders but simply focused on the task at hand and prioritised keeping the ‘show on the road’ for our customers. In a very short period of time we transitioned our delivery model from on-campus to remote and innovative practices flourished. This experience caused me to reflect long and hard about what value leaders should add and where it is paramount for members of staff to simply be allowed (and encouraged) to do what is right. Q: In what ways do you stay ahead of industry trends and ensure your mindset remains innovative and growth-focused? A: I strongly encourage my team to search our the very best practice inside and outside of our organisation both within our sector and beyond. I firmly believe that it is commonplace for leaders to form a blinkered view of what is possible from their experience in a particular sector. I have routinely discovered the most transformational ideas from sectors which are not related to the one in which we operate. It is always surprising just how open and willing to share ideas leaders from other businesses are. In addition, I am a long-standing member of the Vistage leadership development network and I commit at least one working day per month to undertake development activity with the network. I also make regular use of a leadership coach who challenges my approaches, beliefs and mindset. Q: What daily or weekly habits do you practise to maintain and develop your leadership mindset? A: I try to read leadership books and listen to podcasts on a regular basis but I find this habit difficult to maintain when work and family commitments get in the way as they frequently do. However, I strongly believe that in the role of CEO I do not add value by simply being the busiest employees. So, I consciously build time into my weekly schedule to pause and reflect. It is too easy to get caught-up in the fast-pace of the organisation and as a consequence rush into decisions without the benefit of thinking time. Building time into my week to pause and reflect allows space for well-considered decision-making because most decision aren’t as urgent as others may insist they are. Better to make a good decision than a quick poor decision. Q: How do you balance the need for results with the well-being of your team members? A: My organisation is in the tertiary education sector and thus everything we do is people-centred. Without members of staff that are motivated, engaged and in good health (both physically and cognitively) the capacity of our organisation to fulfil its duties would be severely compromised and the service to our customers reduced. The nature of the work we undertake is extremely demanding and thus it is paramount that we support our members of staff not only to provide care to our customers but also to themselves and their colleagues. While annual corporate level results will always be important it is my view that running an organisation that is focused on the growth, development and the well-being of everyone is the ultimate goal for an organisations who’s impact is far reaching and enduring. Q: If you could go back and give one piece of advice to your younger self as a budding leader, what would it be and why? A: I spent the first half of my career being highly ambitious and motivated to progress upwards. This strategy was successful in rapidly gaining promotion and reaching the role of CEO at the age of 37yrs. However, with the benefit of hindsight I was too focused on achieving my desired destination and not sufficiently focused on gaining deep, wide and meaningful experience. Very little actually prepares you for becoming a CEO but the journey to becoming one should be enjoyed and savoured because wisdom is acquired through experience. Connect with Jon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonvincentfike https://www.glasgowclyde.ac.uk/ Comments are closed.
|
Copyright © 1971-2021 The Pacific Institute®, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions
Site powered by Digital Dorado