Given the economic and societal backdrop FE finds itself in in 2023, the continual problem is convincing leaders and managers to think beyond the next three months' concerns. There are many current issues, from curriculum reform to staff recruitment and constant financial problems. In such a complicated and dynamic environment, employees must be inventive, high-performing, and collaborative. Organisations are beginning to realise that developing inclusive leadership skills is not pleasant but an essential business requirement. Why is that so? The significance of diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion has never been more striking.
To support the further education sector, the Association of Colleges designed and delivered the Inclusive Leadership programme, commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation on behalf of the Department for Education. The programme recognised that inclusive leadership would be a unique and critical capability to support further education to adapt, survive and prosper in such volatile and ambiguous times. It focussed on humanistic leadership and psychological well-being to ensure these aspiring leaders can take positive action, develop inclusive workplace cultures and facilitate change within their organisations.
Because education is a social and ethical profession, we might have been tempted to assume that "that is just how we do things in FE ". The reality is that the way the leader speaks and "walks the talk" will define the organisation's culture - and not all of our organisations are as inclusive as we would like to think.
