Part of the SESLIP Future Leaders Programme – Project 5
Leading in Uncertainty is a new SESLIP programme developed in partnership with the Staff College. It is designed to bring together leaders from Education/Children’s Services with their peers from key partner agencies to learn together and address real world problems.
A leadership programme for navigating complexity and creating change together
Educational and Children’s Services face increasingly complex challenges, from financial pressures and political change to rising demand and the needs of families and communities.
Meeting these challenges requires leaders who can navigate uncertainty, think differently and work effectively across organisational boundaries.
Leading in Uncertainty is designed to bring together public-service leaders to focus on a real local challenge, strengthen partnerships and develop new ways of working together to make a difference.
The programme is designed using the leadership theory developed by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus, explores decision-making in turbulent environments that they refer to as VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous),
Built around your local priorities
Each programme is tailored to your local context. Your authority identifies a live partnership challenge, bringing together your choice of up to 24 leaders from across local government and partner agencies to explore the issue and develop solutions collectively.
Potential areas of focus include
- SEND
- Families First reforms
- Safeguarding
- Local government reorganisation
- Other locally agreed priorities.
Programme details
The programme is delivered by the Staff College
- Fully funded: Programme costs are covered by SESLIP.
- Format: Four days across two residential sessions.
- Cohort size: Up to 24 participants.
- Availability: Up to four cohorts.
What will you gain?
Across two residential sessions, participants will explore practical approaches to:
- Systems leadership and thinking.
- Navigating complex and uncertain environments.
- Political intelligence and influencing.
- Managing conflict and change.
- Futures thinking and scenario planning.
- Building personal and collective leadership capacity.
The programme is expertly facilitated by two associates and co-produced with colleagues from the region to ensure it reflects local challenges and priorities.
Interested in taking part?
If your authority would like to explore developing a cohort around a local partnership challenge, or you are interested in participating, please contact mark@markevansconsulting.co.uk
First cohort – proposed dates (subject to confirmation): Residential 1: 14–15 April 2027; Residential 2: 20–21 May 2027
For more Information about the programme please see the Leading in Uncertainty Flyer