Performance and Potential Training
Purpose
1. UCL is one of the world’s leading higher education institutions, but lacks any mechanism to
identify and encourage future potential in our large workforce.
2. There is therefore a need to introduce an ambitious 'talent management' program to
nurture and develop the next generation of academic leaders across SLMS and the three
BRCs. This paper sets out a proposed scheme for discussion and comment.
Background
3. The Academic Careers Office started operations in early 2012. It provides strategic
management of key training cohorts within SLMS and the UCL/UCLH BRC (principally our
large NIHR and MRC portfolio) and seeks to deliver 'talent management' to nurture and
develop the next generation of academic leaders.
4. SLMS Human Resources (HR) Board has as one of its 2012/13 objectives to ‘develop a
strategy for improving leadership, training and support for the School’; it also has a
responsibility to ensure that the principles of equality and diversity are applied in the
selection, support and nurturing of future leaders in the School.
5. Defining “talent” or potential for future academic leadership is difficult; but it is clear that it
rests on some combination of current performance with future potential. At present SLMS
and the BRCs have mechanisms of identifying current performance through appraisal. But
appraisal is retrospective, often patchy in its delivery, and frequently fails to assess or
optimize future potential. There is therefore an unmet need to identify those individuals
who are both performing well and have significant future potential for development.
6. In view of the above, we felt it was paramount that we took action to accelerate the
opportunities for the development of SLMS staff. We wanted to introduce transparent and
structured provision of selection, funding and systematic evaluation of programmes for
people to access. These programmes also had to align with UCL’s vision and values. To
achieve this we analysed the provision available and although OSD offered a range of
leadership modules and executive coaching through its open programme. However, we felt
the courses on offer at the time did not meet our specific needs.
OSD now OD has since reviewed its provision and introduced a revised approach to
organisational development which is more clearly aligned with UCL's key agendas such as
the White Paper, Research Framework, HR Excellence, International Strategy.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/osd/timetable/index.php
The refocus on professional development, the transference of the learning into day to day
practice/performance and systematic evaluations of programme provided the opportunity
to work together with OD to develop a structured programme that would meet the needs of
SLMS. The Academic Future Leaders Programme is the result of this collaboration.
7. In early 2012 the ACO launched the Future Fifty program, aimed at early career researchers
across SLMS looking to establish their first academic position at UCL. The first component of
Future Fifty is a cross-Faculty mentoring program. This is now established and ongoing, with
the first cohort of 25 mentors and mentees trained and the second cohort due to be trained
before end 2012. As a mentorship program, it is essentially passive and operates in an
autonomous fashion, outside Division and Institute structures and academic appraisal.
8. It is now timely to consider a more active and ambitious cross-School program, with
ambitions to identify, on an ongoing basis, academics with the most potential and deliver a
bespoke leadership program and enhanced training opportunities to those individuals.
Planning and performance training
9. The information reviewed so far shows that there is an unmet need for a systematic,
structured program that identifies and provides original academic leadership training to UCL
staff with significant future potential. This program must have two components. First, a
mechanism to evaluate and identify (or potentially allow self-identification) of staff who are
both performing well and have significant potential. And second, a highly original and
distinctive curriculum that is aligned to the needs of busy high performing academics and
imbued with the distinctive values and vision of UCL.
10. Such a program also needs to be aligned with the overarching UCL HR environment and in
particular any changes that may be proposed in the forthcoming consultation on the
‘Enabling People’ HR Framework.
11. Planning such a program means identifying
a. Metrics to identify talent that are simple and easy to apply
b. A mechanism to identify talent systematically and without bias that is practical and
deliverable in the context of existing management
c. The content and delivery of the program, to include the caliber and type of
individuals teaching or coaching and mechanisms for feedback and review.
d. Explicit consideration of the vision and values of UCL that are appropriate to convey
as part of academic leadership training
e. A sustainable financial model and timetable for implementation
12. Some initial suggestions to guide thought are set out at annex A in note form.
Proposal
13. Design and delivery of such a program will involve individuals across SLMS. It is therefore
proposed that a small team will be set up to design the programme and propose a delivery
timetable over the next three months.