In 2017-2018, the IPA in conjunction with the Strategic Committee for the Criminal Justice Sector ran an innovative change and collaborative leadership programme, specifically aimed at addressing some of the complex, cross-cutting issues within the criminal justice sector.
Senior representatives from eight organisations across the criminal justice sector worked collaboratively on issues of strategic importance.
Spurred by a common purpose, organisations shared ideas and perspectives, recognising that each organisation saw and experienced common problems differently. Participants took a more joined-up approach to understanding and resolving issues, which might otherwise have been addressed in a ‘siloed’ and fragmented manner.
The experience on this programme reflects wider case examples and research in the area of collaboration. For a collaborative process to really work three key points emerge as central::
- Build the Foundation - build networks between the different partner organisations to encourage more open communications, which can deepen trust and enhance relationships
- Ensure collaboration is part of the organisational fabric - collaboration should be part of the mindset, encouraged and enabled across all levels, role modelled and supported by the most senior management
- Create a Common Purpose - be willing to forego individual agendas for the common good and have courage to commit to a process that can take longer but which ultimately leads to better outcomes.
These points highlight how challenging true collaboration is in practice. This Criminal Justice Leadership programme, which has been renewed for the 2018-19 academic year, shows how it is possible and beneficial to encourage collaboration across agencies and to resolve common problems together. The process, while challenging, is rewarding and helps to ensure we leave a more innovative, dynamic and service focused culture for future generations.
Pictured at the End of Programme Award Ceremony were (from left to right):
Top Row: Kevin Fidgeon, Paul O'Farrell, Dyan Daly, Ita Burke, Emma Regan, Cillian Smith, Dorothy Rawsbottom, Peter Jones, Catherine Pierse, Ursula Fernee
Bottom Row: Eithne Muldoon, Clare Kelly, Jane Farrell, Aeneas Leane, Ann Marie Cagney, Pat Gilheaney.
For further information about Bespoke Collaborative Leadership Programmes at the IPA, please contact Siobhán Bradley, Senior Change and Leadership Consultant via sbradley@ipa.ie or 01 240 3600.