As a new academic year begins with much promise and opportunities, as well as plenty of challenges to address, we thought it would be helpful to share some key articles, resources and a few opportunities too for you as Chief Operating Officers
National COO Conference
We are delighted to announce our first COO network conference to be held on 10th October in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. The day will be led and facilitated by author of the top-selling book ‘How to be a COO: 16 disciplines for success’, Jennifer Geary. In her book, Jennifer explores the COO role in-depth and breaks it down into 16 core elements; the three fundamental pillars of Culture, Strategy and Change, plus 13 technical areas. The day will be focussed around these core areas, putting them into a trust context (with examples from a guest education COO speaker alongside) and providing vital time for network members to connect with one another, discussing the key opportunities and challenges faced as a COO in today’s changing educational context.
Attendees will be able to draw on Jennifer’s vast experience of over 20 years’ experience in finance, technology, risk and legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit. If you haven’t already booked, here’s the link: Chief Operating Officer National Network Conference, The Archbishop’s Palace, Southwell | Forum Strategy
The COO/CEO partnership
The partnership between CEO and Chief Operating Officer is key to the development and implementation of successful strategy across a trust. Indeed, the new academic year is a time to reflect on how well the partnership is working, and its potential for the year ahead.
In this (members’) article, Tara Phillis reflects on the ingredients of a successful partnership at this level, and how she and her CEO, David Watson have seen their partnership evolve through the trust’s development: An Interview with Tara Phillis on the CEO/COO relationship – The Venturers Trust | Forum Strategy . Meanwhile, in this article, a longstanding CEO/COO partnership team, David Horn and Charlie Tebbutt, also share their reflections on working together over the course of a decade, here: CEO and COO – A ‘professional marriage’ at Beckfoot Trust | Forum Strategy
Meanwhile, in his recent thinkpiece with Charlie Tebbutt, Sir Steve Lancashire also considers the importance of an executive team with diverse experience and expertise in order to ensure a trust’s long-term sustainable development: Thriving Trusts Thinkpiece 5; Reflections on how we maximise public funds and generate greater resource to the benefit of pupils | Forum Strategy The thinkpiece also includes a very useful addendum on generating a culture that helps to ensure organisational compliance at all levels.
All resources are accessible using your membership website login.
Masterclass on the impact of AI on trusts and the implications for trust leaders
We are all undoubtedly aware of how swift and vast the development of artificial intelligence tools has become – with the use of AI growing significantly over the past 12 months, and set to only expand further in future. So how are we preparing for this? What are some of the potential opportunities and challenges associated with the use of AI within an education context? Our masterclass delves into this and offers perspectives from three different viewpoints – the national context and developments in this space; trust level considerations and examples of where AI is being utilised and considered strategically; and, through the learners perspective – how might some of the developments around AI impact on learning and therefore teaching.
As Chief Operating Officers, it is essential that you are up to speed on the implications for strategy, resourcing, professional development and much more across your organisations. This masterclass session will feature inputs from a range of leading experts, and individual members can now book their place using the following link: Members’ Masterclass: How can trust leaders harness the potential of artificial intelligence? | Forum Strategy
Get ahead on the ‘trust quality’ evidence base
Another key development as we move into the year ahead is the emergence of the Department for Education’s pillars of a high quality trust. It is clear that these pillars will be informing decisions around trust development and growth, and that a much clearer picture is emerging around the evidence that will be used to inform those decisions. At Forum Strategy we have broken down some of the key ‘need to knows’ at this stage, and the implications for you as trust leaders. So, why not take a look at this article so that you are in the picture around the latest developments on this front – and let us know if you feel you may need some support in making the case for your trust: Making the case for trust growth; the pillars, the evidence you’ll need, and not losing sight of the bigger story | Forum Strategy
We will also be running a Members’ Breakfast Briefing exploring this – looking at some of the evidence you’ll need to gather and how this can support trust growth. Book your place here: Members’ Breakfast Briefing I Developing the evidence base to demonstrate trust quality and support trust growth
Finally, from the archive: What can CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS learn from risk management and operational leadership in the world of Formula 1?
In this session delivered for trust Chief Operating Officers, Mark Gallagher, former senior executive at Red Bull Racing and Jordan Grand Prix, and a leading commentator on leadership in Formula 1, reflects on how high performing racing teams operate under high pressure and intensity. The presentation includes a wide range of valuable reflections for those undertaking senior operational leadership of an organisation. The full resource can be accessed using your membership login, here: Leaders In Conversation – Mark Gallagher, former COO of Red Bull Racing | Forum Strategy
We look forward to working with all our national COO network members in the weeks and months ahead. If you are not a member, you can find out more here: National #TrustLeaders COO Network | Forum Strategy
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