Leadership is for everyone

What is leadership and who needs to be good at it?

‘Leadership’ can be understood in a number of ways.  A common misconception is that the traits associated with good leadership are only needed when you are in a ‘management’ role and line managing others.  The role of management is described as controlling a group or an individual in order to achieve a specified objective. Whereas leadership is the ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute to a project or an institution’s success.

Goods leadership qualities include empathy, communication, decisiveness, resilience, delegation and agility, and are hugely beneficial to all stages of your career.

Take a look through the whole host of things on offer for you at Cardiff and perhaps take a few options with you into your PDR!!

 

Academic Staff Mentoring Programme

Who is it for? The mentoring programme for academic staff is a scheme open to Teaching and Research, Teaching and Scholarship and Research staff who are looking to focus on career and/or personal development.

What is it? An opportunity to invest time in your own self-development and be a part of a mentor-mentee relationship.

Outcomes: Mentoring can help with Grant and fellowship applications, Preparing for academic promotion, Leadership roles, Equality, diversity and inclusion, Public engagement, Teaching, Research impact, Flexible working, Career development.

How to register: https://sumac.ac.uk/account/cardiff-university-prifysgol-caerdydd/academic-research-college-mentoring-initiative

Contact to find out more: mentoring@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Cardiff Researcher Programme

Who is it for? All staff employed within the Research-only Career Pathway.

What is it? A free programme of training and development for all staff employed within the Research Career Pathway.

Outcomes: The Cardiff Researcher programme provides you with a wide range of opportunities for development, encompassing hands-on workshops for developing key skills, as well as information-based sessions and one-to-one coaching.  The programme covers a broad range of skills and topic areas from transferable and cross-discipline skills to those that are more closely aligned with specific discipline areas.

How to register: Course dependent.  Find more detail here: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/research-careers/cardiff-researcher-programme

Contact to find out more: ResearcherDevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Cynnau|Ignite

Who is it for? A leadership development programme for researchers and the professional, technical and specialist colleagues who enable research activity across the university.

What is it? The programme for research colleagues will run between autumn 2024 and summer 2025.

Outcomes: Funded by Wellcome, this programme will help participants to:

• develop leadership skills, contribute to our positive research culture and embody positive research culture values in their day-to-day research, and research support activity, regardless of their role type or career stage
• understand the wider discussion of research culture in the sector, and leadership skills which will help them to influence change.

How to register: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/news/view/2802568-develop-your-research-career-cynnauignite-is-open-for-applications

Contact to find out more: Ignite@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Diversifying Senior Leadership Programme

Who is it for? The programme will be delivered through a mix of online and face-to-face webinars, workshops and action learning sets, all of which will be facilitated by Advance HE.

What is it? The programme will be delivered through a mix of online and face-to-face webinars, workshops and action learning sets, all of which will be facilitated by Advance HE.

Outcomes: Participants will explore concepts such as ‘authentic leadership’, allowing the self-identity of their own leadership style and role as a leader to emerge and grow, as well as considering their motivation and influence. Featuring stories from high profile HE leaders, the programme is designed to provide an inclusive environment in which to discuss issues and personal narratives relating to lived experiences of working within HE. As a result participants build confidence, feel empowered and expand their professional strengths.

How to register: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/training-courses/diversifying-senior-leadership-programme

Contact to find out more: Noam Devey: Deveyn@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Elevate programme

Who is it for? Elevate is an innovative leadership and development programme for women from minority ethnic groups. The Elevate programme welcomes trans women and non-binary people who are comfortable in a female centred community. It is both a personal and professional development programme for Academic staff (grades 5-8) and Professional Services staff (grades 3-7).

What is it? It is both a personal and professional development programme for Academic staff (grades 5-8) and Professional Services staff (grades 3-7). Elevate creates a unique opportunity for Professional Services and Academic staff who identify as women from minority ethnic groups, to meet, share, support and learn together. The programme brings together colleagues from across six universities in the south-west of England and south Wales: (Bristol, Bath, Bath Spa, Cardiff, Exeter, and UWE Bristol).

Outcomes: Elevate will:

• provide a blended learning leadership and professional development programme over 6 months
• introduce participants to different leadership styles and approaches which support the development of leadership and influencing skills
• support participants to identify strengths and talents as well as development needs
• provide on-going support through Action Learning and cross-institutional mentoring
• empower women by using creative methodologies such as story-telling and journaling for reflection and sharing.

How to register: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/training-courses/elevate-programme

Contact to find out more: Please contact Noam Devey at deveyn@cardiff.ac.uk or Hayley Beckett at becketthc@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Fellowship support Programme

Who is it for? The Fellowship Support Programme is suitable for researchers who would like to:

• understand more about UK fellowship schemes
• assess whether or not they are ready to apply for a fellowship
• receive guidance on how to craft and submit a successful proposal.

What is it? Cardiff University’s Fellowship Support Programme (FSP) is a comprehensive support programme for prospective research fellows that will provide you with the necessary tools and support you’ll need to write a competitive fellowship proposal.

Outcomes: The programme comprises six half-day online sessions run over 4-6 months. The programme will run twice a year (Cycle one from Oct-Feb and Cycle two from March-July). Topics covered will include:

• how to find a fellowship
• how to craft a competitive application
• additional aspects of the proposal you need to think about; assessment and interview.

https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/research-careers/fellowship-support/fellowship-support-programme-fsp

Contact to find out more: RISResearchDevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

 

GW4 Crucible

Who is it for? ECRs working in Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.

What is it? GW4 Crucible is an early career researcher leadership development programme that brings together 30 competitively selected future research leaders to explore how you can enhance your career through interdisciplinary, cross-institutional research leadership and collaboration.

Outcomes: Over a series of three residential or online workshops, known as ‘labs’, you will explore how you can enhance your career by working with researchers in other disciplines, how your research can have greater impact, and how you can develop as a research leader while connecting with expert guest speakers, enhancing your professional networks and visibility.

How to register: Applications are open annually in the autumn – https://gw4.ac.uk/gw4-crucible/

Contact to find out more: gw4.ac.uk/contact

 

GW4 Training

Who is it for? All staff and doctoral training students.

What is it? A long-standing cornerstone of the professional development opportunities offered by GW4 Alliance, the shared training scheme facilitates the principle of freedom of movement by allowing staff and students at any GW4 university to access the training and resources from across the four institutions.  https://gw4.ac.uk/gw4-shared-training-scheme/

Outcomes: Various.

How to register: researcherdevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

Contact to find out more: researcherdevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Leadership and management

Who is it for? All staff.

What is it? Staff Development Programme courses available in the area of leadership and management. https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/training-courses/leadership-and-management

Outcomes: Various and course specific.

How to register: Course dependent.  Find more detail here: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/training-courses/leadership-and-management

Contact to find out more staffdevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Practical Leadership

Who is it for? Academic and professional services staff currently appointed to a management role with significant responsibilities for leading people, influencing change and developing strategic direction. It is suitable for both staff who have been in such roles for some time and those who are newly appointed to the responsibilities.

What is it? The programme offers staff with leadership roles an opportunity to learn through a blended learning approach, spread over a 12-week period.

Outcomes: By the end of this programme you will be able to:

• recognise the importance of the relationship between leadership and management
• understand the strengths of your own leadership style and how to adapt it to different situations
• identify and apply appropriate and inclusive methods of leadership and management that enable you and your team to flourish
• reflect on your own personal performance and style and seek out ways to continually enhance practice
• communicate effectively, manage performance and motivate staff
• improve your knowledge of, and ability to lead, change situations
• review and plan your own continuing leadership and management development.

How to register: HR system

• Course Code: LEAD0008
• Course Category: Leadership and Management

Online application form.  Any application will need explicit support from your Head of School and include recognition of the fact that you are committing to attend every session.

Contact to find out more: staffdevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Professorial Leadership programme

Who is it for? The programme has been developed with new professors in mind. However, participants with more experience could also benefit and the programme focus will suit all those who are willing and interested to work outside their usual subject or discipline.

What is it? Through a series of five one-day sessions over six months, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the governance of the university, explore opportunities to shape the university’s strategic direction and build a sense of community with colleagues from other schools.

Outcomes: By the end of the programme, participating professors will:

• be clearer about Cardiff University’s expectations of the professoriate, and about which of those expectations they are best placed to meet
• understand the professorial bands and have a plan for their personal development
• be better able to engage with a broader range of strategic issues facing the university
• be clearer about their role as leaders within their disciplines and about the range of skills they need to deploy to be effective in that role
• have practiced some new skills and new ways of working with peers
• have strengthened relationships with leaders within the university, and established an extended network of professorial peers across the university
• have developed their understanding of, and contributed to, university policy and practice with regard to an important project topic.

How to register: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/training-and-development/staff-courses-and-programmes/training-courses/professorial-programme/how-to-apply

Contact to find out more: profprogramme@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Senior Leadership Development Programme

Who is it for? The programme is intended for those who are currently leading academic or professional services units or departments or are about to take up such positions.

What is it? The purpose of this programme is to enable participants to develop their leadership knowledge, skills, and behaviours, thereby enhancing their effectiveness in contributing towards Cardiff University’s strategic ambitions.
During the programme, participants from the academic and professional services community will collaborate to explore and discuss the leadership challenges that bind the two communities together and those that make them different and distinct.
Individuals will have an opportunity to enhance their understanding and practice of leadership whilst at the same time considering how they lead change across the University.

Outcomes:

• leading people in times of complex change
• understanding the change process – Understanding transitions
• engaging others in the strategic planning and change agenda – developing the strategy
• bringing people with you – influencing and negotiating
• finding creative solutions.

How to register: StaffDevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

Contact to find out more: StaffDevelopment@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Staff Wellbeing Strategy

Who is it for? All staff. Wellbeing is embedded in all leadership programmes and equip managers to support wellbeing and mental health.

What is it? Leadership is part of the Staff Wellbeing Strategy (2020-2023) – https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/documents/2595981-staff-wellbeing-strategy-2020-2023#Leadership
Various options e.g. i-act for PIs and managers of researchers.

Outcomes:

• leadership – we will embed wellbeing in all leadership programmes and equip managers to support wellbeing and mental health
• individuals – we will roll out an enhanced mental health and wellbeing programme of training and awareness workshops to promote self-care, mental health awareness and wellbeing support
• prevention – we will promote healthy behaviours and equip you with the tools you need for self-care, confidence in recognising the signs of being unwell and the various strategies available to cope and recover quickly.

Early intervention – we will increase mental health and wellbeing understanding, awareness, literacy, and compassion with the aim of reducing stigma and promoting early intervention, rather than solely the support required when individuals have a problem.

Data monitoring – we will regularly monitor and measure the prevalence of wellbeing-related issues and ask for your feedback.

How to register: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/wellbeing-and-support/wellbeing-support-for-staff/workshops

Contact to find out more: staffwellbeing@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Welsh Crucible

Who is it for? Early-to mid-career stage researchers from any discipline, working in Wales.

What is it? Welsh Crucible is an award-winning programme of personal, professional and leadership development for the future research leaders of Wales.
programme selects 30 mid-career researchers or early to mid-career researchers to join three residential skills labs across Wales between May and July.

Outcomes: It aims to help participants to discover:

• how other early- to mid-career researchers in other disciplines are tackling the same issues as them
• how they can transfer their knowledge to the public sphere to make an impact
• the skills and attitudes that are likely to make their research more innovative
• how thinking creatively can make a difference to their work and career.

How to register: Applications are open in January and February each year – welshcrucible.org.uk

Contact to find out more: WelshCrucible@cardiff.ac.uk