RPNA

The latest in Paul Knight's series on transformation... In transformation, it's not enough to 'think' your programme is on track, you must 'know' - conclusively and at any given moment in time. Experience has taught me there's a distinct difference! I've had the opportunity to work with many organisations - some small, some big, some successful and looking to grow, and some teetering on the edge trying to survive. Without exception, the organisations that successfully deliver transformation and change prioritise 'knowing', the main feature of which is independent assurance – a single objective version of truth. By contrast, I've seen cases where optimistic reporting (although well intended) masked serious delivery issues. Governance may have looked robust on paper - board meetings, detailed reports, RAG ratings - but the reality was quite different. When we dug deeper, asking more probing questions and seeking greater clarity, we often developed a more accurate picture: misaligned workstreams, unclear accountabilities, and significant risks to delivering benefits. The difference between these organisations and successful ones isn't resources or intentions - it's the commitment to objective oversight and the courage to face uncomfortable truths. The most successful organisations I've worked with build independent assurance into transformation from the outset. They ensure programmes regularly receive constructive challenge from people not directly involved in delivery, ensuring decisions are informed by comprehensive evidence and multiple perspectives, creating a more complete picture of progress and challenges. Often, this independent oversight role is embedded within a Programme Management Office function, but crucially, with the right level of authority and separation to ask difficult questions. I've seen organisations transform their capability by implementing independent reviews, creating 'critical friend' roles at board level, or establishing dedicated assurance functions that sit outside the delivery teams. I've seen numerous instances where introducing an independent assurance approach helped identify multi million pounds of savings at risk way before they would have otherwise surfaced. This early warning creates time to adjust plans and still meet targets. Without it, they would have faced significant in-year pressures with few options to respond strategically. Working with these organisations and learning from some of the best and brightest along the way, we have developed approaches and tools based on real-world key success factors. Whether you're starting to mobilise a new programme or in the throes of delivery, we can help you quickly establish an independent perspective, ensuring your governance creates genuine insight. Drop me a DM if you value an informal chat and I'd be happy to share my experiences!

Delivering for today whilst Building for tomorrow. We're continuing to showcase the series from Paul Knight as he explores the challenges facing local government. You can’t rebuild a house if it’s still on fire. Yet the ask of many councils may feel just like that - attempting to redesign and rebuild for the future whilst simultaneously trying to fire fight the crises of today. Working with councils rising to this challenge, I learned long ago that creating genuine space for strategic and transformational thinking, starts with getting a firm grip on immediate challenges. More recently I worked with a council where their much needed customer service transformation repeatedly stalled because the team were simultaneously trying to manage significant increases in face-to-face contact and implement new ways of working. The reality was they were struggling to do either job well, despite herculean efforts of their staff. The good news is they quickly accepted this reality needed to change and made what proved to be a critical decision - creating two distinct but connected teams. One focused entirely on stabilising the current service, implementing tactical improvements to reduce and manage the demand. The other was redirected for a month, and then restarted having a protected space to test new ways of working with customers and services. Part of the key to their success was a defined scope for each team, clear communication between them, and shared ownership of outcomes. This approach transformed their ability to deliver change. The 'grip team' reduced contact volumes through tactical improvements, creating breathing space for transformation. Within six months, they had successfully piloted new approaches that would have been impossible to design while fighting daily fires. It was about having the courage to say - we need to do this first, so we can do that properly. Whether it's establishing dedicated teams for service improvement or creating focused capacity for strategic change, the key is maintaining relentless grip on immediate priorities while protecting the space needed for transformation. Many organisations valiantly try to deliver strategic change while lurching from crisis to crisis. It's not sustainable, it doesn't work, and more importantly it’s really bad for staff - requiring massive sacrifices that yield little results. At RPNA, we're helping councils create this headroom, whether it’s working the problem and developing an approach, and/or bringing in targeted support to help grip immediate challenges while we help build foundations for sustainable transformation. If you would like an informal chat about this at your organisation , drop me a DM and I’d be happy to share my experiences.

This month’s board meeting was done on the move. Coffee shop. Tow path. Pub. Tow path. Coffee shop. Things we were reminded of. 1) Movement stimulates creativity and different thinking. 2) Honesty and candour are enabling, not disabling. 3) Go to the loo when you have the opportunity. 4) Always choose appropriate footwear. 5) Independents serve better coffee. 6) Take appropriate supplies. 7) Never forget (3) or (5). Next month the Brecon Beacons. We’re growing and are on the look out for top talent, and especially those who want to lead and have a stake in a growing business. Does this sound like you? Do you want to join an organisation that thinks about work differently, delivers outstanding results every time, and has fun along the way? Then get in touch.

Continuing his series on Transformation and focussing on Organisational Readiness...Paul Knight challenges us to get beyond the checklist... I've sat in many leadership meeting over the years where there's apparent agreement about transformation, only to see it fracture when there are difficult choices need to be made. Real readiness starts with honest conversations at leadership level. Are we genuinely united in our ambition? Can we maintain consistent messaging when pressures mount? Most crucially - are we prepared to make tough choices that benefit the whole organisation, even when that means individual directorates might need to compromise? These aren't comfortable conversations. I have worked with authorities where initial enthusiasm for transformation, and genuine good intentions, quickly gave way to departmental protectionism when resources became constrained. The programmes stall until we tackle these fundamental issues head-on. It's far better to have these discussions early than mid-way through delivery when competing priorities emerge and resources are stretched. In my experience, the strongest foundations for change are built on both clarity and commitment. It's not just about having a compelling vision - it's about creating an environment where innovation and delivery are encouraged to flourish, where accountability is clear, and where people feel genuinely empowered to drive change forward. Without these elements, even the most detailed implementation plan will struggle! At RPNA, we're bringing organisations together to explore these challenges openly and objectively. Using our Change Readiness Assessment approach, developed from real-world delivery experience across councils of all shapes and sizes, we help organisations understand their true starting point and quickly build the foundations needed for sustainable transformation. If you would like to talk about what transformation readiness means for your organisation, let's have a practical conversation about your specific context and challenges.

Paul Knight is posting all month on Successful Transformation. Below is his post from yesterday on "Major Programmes and Investment" Major programmes of transformation and change cannot be delivered on the side of a desk. Actions still speak louder than words. Countless times I've seen talented people trying to deliver strategic change while simultaneously managing daily crises. It's not sustainable, it's not effective, and it leads to a focus on the short term only. In my twenty years (yikes!) of delivering transformation programmes, I've learned that anything less than proper investment means hoping for the best - and hope is not a strategy. I've seen organisations set out ambitious plans, only to then rest their success (sometimes their very survival) on their workforce somehow adding it to their already sizable 'to do' list. Successful transformation requires investment in people - specifically in their skills and time. Sometimes that means freeing up staff from their substantive roles, sometimes it means bringing in external delivery and training support. More often, it's a careful balance of both, ensuring ownership while maintaining pace. What it can't be is what I describe as a 'best endeavours' approach - placing unrealistic expectations upon already stretched staff. In two decades, I'm yet to find an organisation with staff twiddling their thumbs! This becomes even more important if success is defined as (and I think it has to be) not only the delivery of a programme of major change and transformation, but having done so whilst building the organisation that can take that success and use it to realise their longer term priorities. Of course, the cost of change is often challenging to justify. But how does that compare to the cost of failing to deliver change at all? It's why before agreeing to work with any organisation, I spend time ensuring there is genuine commitment to putting in place the key conditions for success. I'm scratching the surface in this short post, please add your thoughts in the comments! #FutureReady #OrganisationalDevelopment #ChangeManagement #localgov #Transformation #Leadership #Wellbeing #Change #Publicservicereform #Devolution #LocalGovernmentReform Rich Hanrahan Paul Knight Ashley Roper Nick Cobley Lizzie Rogers

Today we're not even going to mention our local government wellbeing benchmark survey and the fact that it is the last day to contribute. Today we're just here to celebrate the guy who puts the P in RPNA and stops us sounding like a discarded musical genre superceded by something with rythmn and soul... Another year older - another year wiser. Happy Birthday Paul Knight

“I regularly feel like I’ve had a good night sleep” 74% of you will wish that, like my dog Abby, you could fall asleep anywhere, anytime and you’ll wholeheartedly disagree with my opening statement. Yet the quality of our sleep has a direct impact on the quality of our work, our relationships, and our sense of wellbeing. When we are consistently well rested we can perform our best, have higher tolerance and patience, and we generally feel better. We make better decisions and we're also much nicer to be around. Better sleep can -       enhance our mood and mental health leading to a reduction in depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress -       improve our concentration, memory, and one other I’ve forgotten -       enhance our cardiovascular health, regulate our blood sugar, and strengthen our immune system If there are so many benefits why do so many of us struggle and what gets in the way? Whilst there are many things that are outside of our control when it comes to our quality of sleep, there are many that we can take control over. Here’s a list of top tips we gathered from people like Daniel White (who you should follow). So how can you improve your sleep quality, and sleep like Abby? - Reduce the lighting in the evening, Scandi style “soft lamplight is calming and supports the body’s natural rhythm. - Get natural sunlight first thing every morning – even on a cloudy day 10 minutes of daylight as soon as possible after rising helps regulate melatonin production – reducing it early in the morning and allowing it to rise as the day progresses. - If you must use bright lighting or digital devices late in the day (and the advice is not to), then use blue light blocking glasses. - Establish a bedtime routine that enables you to calm your mind and relax. - Avoid alcohol and eating in the evenings. Alcohol ruins sleep. Even a little will have an impact. Alcohol is a poison that our bodies have to work hard to dispose of, and a big meal needs digesting. Both activities raise our heart rates and our temperature making sleep more difficult, and less restful. All of these can have a dramatic impact on your wellbeing, your performance, and your long term health. What tips do you have to share that will enable others to get a great night’s sleep? #Sleep #Wellbeing #WorkplaceWellbeing #LeadershipStrategy #SustainablePerformance RPNA Paul Knight Ashley Roper Lizzie Rogers John Hibbs CoEfficient Truth about Local Government Matt Masters Our local authority wellbeing survey is gathering data on wellbeing across the sector. You can find the survey link in the comments below or on our website. It closes at the end of this week so take it today.

83% of employees and 74% of senior leaders report they cannot properly care for their wellbeing due to demands of work. With 30% citing stress and 27% pointing to long hours as primary wellbeing detractors, we face a sustainability crisis that demands attention. Here are some Practical Ways to Support Wellbeing - yours and that of others There's more to do, than ask "How are you?" A simple check-in can be valuable so when did you last ask yourself "How am I?" If your honest answer isn't "sensational," consider what advice you'd give to someone you care about and then take that advice to heart. Change the workload conversation Small language shifts create big cultural changes. Try asking, "What would you need to postpone to do this for me?" instead of "I need this done by Friday." Acknowledging capacity challenges creates space for dialogue and for you to offer assistance with the workload of those you lead. Prioritise recovery cycles Are you modeling healthy productivity and recovery patterns? Brief activities like a short walk outdoors, gazing at the horizon, or even a 7-minute workout can reset your physiological and psychological state and prepare you for your next period of work. We can all positively influence workplace culture by demonstrating an awareness of sustainable rythmns of productivity and recover and intentionally designing our working pattern. Want to talk about this more - get in touch? Got some top tips of your own? Drop them in below. #WorkplaceWellbeing #LeadershipStrategy #SustainablePerformance Our local authority wellbeing survey is gathering data on wellbeing across the sector. You can find the survey link in the comments below or on our website.

A much wider variety of factors contribute to our work place wellbeing than we may immediately realise. Our wellbeing benchmarking survey for local government explores factors that affect our environment, relationships, performance, and emotions. When colleagues go beyond their roles to create a supportive environment, this attitude can create a virtuous circle that benefits the entire organisation. With 45% of people first attracted to a career in local government by “passion for public service”, being part of a team that works together for public good can improve the engagement, sense of fulfilment, and overall wellbeing experienced in the workplace. However, individual statements only provide part of the picture. So we ask questions that consider situations from a multitude of angles to understand what is really going on. Are people frequently going beyond their job descriptions because of a lack of resources elsewhere? Or are they going beyond their job descriptions to make a difference because they have the time, capacity, and opportunity to do so? Same originating statement – different perspective on the response. If you're in local government, visit our website and take the survey today.

Congratulations to Matt Masters and the Truth about Local Government podcast - from passion project to influential sector voice...20,000 podcast listens 🥂