Welcome to this CLF PD platform post on the importance of Working in Partnership and how it contributes to effective leadership. The sections below will progressively immerse you deeper into the different areas and guide you to reflect on your current practice, any areas for development and direct you to further study.
CLF Talking Leaders
Below are a range of CLF leaders exploring their role, their career path and their connection with this leadership expectation.
The WHAT
WIP1 - We are committed to developing professional knowledge and learning beyond our specialist areas.
CLF leaders seek to create connections across the trust, to increase the sharing of expertise and excellent practice; we develop our own and others’ professional learning and gain new perspectives from other domains and contexts.
When leaders are successful in this area:
- They are aware of the strengths and gaps in their expertise
- They have professional connections outside of their immediate context
- They have professional connections outside of education
WIP2 - We are committed to developing partnerships, networking, and collaboration
CLF leaders are committed to working in partnership, to create collaborative opportunities; we secure a deep connection with our local communities and make a valued contribution.
When leaders are successful in this area:
- Team members have opportunities to share expertise outside the team
- They actively engage with the community
- New ideas can often be tracked back through partnerships and networks
- Team members can point to the positive impact of collaboration
WIP3 - We positively represent the Trust.
CLF leaders represent the values and purpose of the trust in their networks and communities; we can see beyond our own role to contribute to trust and system leadership, improving the education and life chances of all children.
When leaders are successful in this area:
- They make good impressions on external visitors
- They demonstrate trust values
- They proactively strengthen external relationships
The WHY
1. Why Internal and External Connections Matters: Leaders must actively create connections across the trust and intentionally break down silos because this is the primary mechanism for maximising collective intelligence. Facilitating the sharing of expertise and excellent practice prevents redundant effort, accelerates improvement across all schools and departments, and ensures that the best strategies benefit the entire organisation. Actively seeking new perspectives from other domains and contexts is essential as this outward focus prevents insularity, challenges established thinking and introduces fresh ideas.
2. Why System Contribution and Trust Representation Matters: Leaders must represent the values and purpose of the trust in all their networks and communities as it builds the CLF's reputation, secures partnerships, and reinforces public trust, which is necessary to attract talent and secure support. Crucially, effective leaders must see beyond their own role to contribute to trust and system leadership ensuring that individual contributions are strategically aligned with the largest goal: improving the education and life chances of all children.
3. Why External Partnerships and Community Connection Matters: Leaders must demonstrate an unwavering commitment to working in partnership and creating collaborative opportunities as they amplify the CLF’s reach, diversify resources, and bring in external expertise, leading to more impactful outcomes. Equally vital is securing a deep connection with our local communities and understanding the unique needs, and aspirations of these localities ensures the CLF makes a valued relevant and meaningful contribution.
The HOW - Key Leadership Behaviours & Actions
Be a Trust Ambassador and Advocate for All Children System-Wide: Consistently articulate and embody CLF's mission, vision, and HEART values in all professional interactions, internal and external. Ensure that your contributions to trust and system-level strategic discussions consistently prioritise the improvement of education and life chances for all children.
Actively Bridge Silos and Connect Expertise Across the Trust: Intentionally initiate contact and build relationships with colleagues in different schools, departments, or central teams across the trust. Map out key areas of expertise within the trust and proactively connect individuals or teams who possess valuable knowledge with those who could benefit from it.
Facilitate Knowledge Sharing Platforms and Model Professional Generosity: Champion and utilise formal and informal mechanisms for sharing excellent practice across the trust. Model professional generosity by being open and willing to share your own expertise, successful strategies, and lessons learned with colleagues across the trust, encouraging your team to do the same.
Contribute to Cross-Trust Initiatives and Model System-Level Thinking: Actively seek out, volunteer for, and contribute to strategic initiatives, projects, or working groups that span across multiple CLF schools or departments. When analysing problems or proposing solutions, demonstrate an explicit understanding of how decisions in one area might affect other parts of the trust or the broader educational system.
Curate External Insights, Translate Learning, and Support Cross-Contextual Growth: Actively seek out learning from other domains (e.g., business, healthcare) and other educational contexts to challenge established thinking. Critically evaluate and translate these external insights for their applicability to CLF, helping your team understand how these perspectives can inform and improve internal practice.
Identify Strategic Partners and Co-Create Collaborative Opportunities: Proactively research and identify potential external partners (e.g., local businesses, charities, public services) whose mission or resources align with CLF's goals. Actively reach out, nurture these relationships, and propose mutually beneficial projects or programs that leverage the strengths of all partners to achieve shared goals.
Act as a Bridge to the Community and Actively Listen to Local Voice: Be visible and engaged in your local community, seeking to understand the social, economic, and cultural fabric of the area. Create accessible channels for community members to provide feedback, express needs, and contribute ideas, ensuring that the CLF's contribution is genuinely responsive to identified local needs and priorities.
Nurture Partnership Effectiveness: Ensure clear communication of the shared vision and benefits of partnerships to all stakeholders. Manage partnerships effectively by establishing clear agreements, roles, and responsibilities, and regularly review progress to ensure the partnership remains productive and mutually beneficial over time.
Download the WIP Summary Sheet
Further Study
