Emily Martin explains how the Leadership Exchange Programme is helping to develop better partnership work across the third and public sectors

There is a lot of talk in public services about collaboration being the key to improving outcomes for people in Scotland. But how can we walk the talk and start to truly work in partnership?

Workforce Scotland, a partnership aimed at developing Scotland's public service workforce, has created a short video about the Leadership Exchange programme, in which Scottish Government permanent secretary Sir Peter Housden highlights the importance of cross-sector understanding for public service reform.

He said: “Mutual awareness, understanding and knowledge is really important in public services. And you can best extend your experience not from textbooks and lectures but through being in the room in a new context as other people go about their work."

Providing access to such opportunities is the aim of the free Leadership Exchange programme, which is run by Workforce Scotland and led by the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations. By pairing leaders from the public sector and voluntary sector for brief cross-sector exchanges the initiative allows participants to experience how it feels to walk in another’s shoes.

In 2011 the Christie report set the context for public service reform. A key message was that we need to get much better at working together to deliver better outcomes for individuals and communities in Scotland. The complex and interrelated nature of the issues we are facing means that they can only be addressed by thinking and working beyond traditional organisational boundaries.

It's been four years since the Christie report and Scotland’s public services are buzzing with new ideas. There is a fantastic willingness to shake up the ingrained ways of doing things and engage with other leaders and communities to transform the way we design and deliver services by the principles of participation and collaboration.

Anyone in public services will appreciate however that it is not always easy to put this into practice. Entrenched workplace cultures, ongoing pressures of change, personal dynamics and sheer workload all too often combine to squeeze out opportunities for people to learn how to effectively collaborate.

Walk in Another’s Shoes from Workforce Scotland on Vimeo.

Leadership Exchange offers leaders a flexible framework to learn from each other across sectors to develop leadership skills, understanding, and the ability to work collaboratively. An exchange also builds the all-important trusted relationships with colleagues beyond organisational boundaries.

The programme is open to leaders at middle, senior, and executive level and has successfully matched more than 120 leaders to date.

Join now by completing a short application or email me to discuss how you and your organisation can benefit from a Leadership Exchange.

Emily Martin co-ordinates the Leadership Exchange Programme, a Workforce Scotland initiative led by ACOSVO.