Thought Leadership
14 Oct 2026
You can teach leadership. But how do you know you're ready to lead?
Strong leadership goes beyond technical expertise. Vic Allison explores how The Tri-Sector Challenge places participants from across public services in charge of a fictional local authority, where they navigate competing priorities and difficult decisions. For participants, it builds confidence and partnership-working skills. For organisations, it develops leaders who can see the wider picture and work effectively across sectors.
14 Oct 2026
At Our Best: Reframing pressure, uncertainty & change by building on strengths
Supporting people through pressure, uncertainty and change starts with understanding what they need to stay engaged and thrive. Michele Deeks explores the importance of meeting three basic psychological needs: competence, autonomy and connection. By recognising, valuing and helping people play to their strengths, leaders, managers, coaches and mentors can help individuals feel capable, empowered and connected—supporting wellbeing, motivation and successful change across teams and organisations.
14 Oct 2026
The AI Mixtape Years: Why I've Started Loving AI Differently
Michelle O’Neill reflects on how her enthusiasm for AI has evolved as she explores both its opportunities and unintended consequences. Through the “Mixtape Years” theme, she considers how AI can improve productivity and transform work, while also creating new complexity, risks and demands. Join this year’s AI Festival to explore these challenges, share ideas and shape what comes next.
16 Sep 2026
Why Equality, Diversion & Inclusion starts with recruitment: Building inclusion before day one
Graham Bradley explores how inclusive recruitment supports Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) by removing barriers, reducing bias and widening access to public sector careers. The article highlights practical approaches, including inclusive job design, structured interviews and data-driven decision-making, to help organisations attract broader talent pools and build workforces that better reflect the communities they serve.
16 Sep 2026
The hardest part of moving forward? Knowing what to leave behind
Moving forward isn’t always about embracing the next change. Sometimes it starts with deciding what to leave behind. Michelle O’Neill explores the idea of the pivot: the point where we let go, reframe what’s in front of us and find a different direction. For people, that means finding balance when things move. For organisations, it means creating the space to question old assumptions and make better choices about what comes next.
16 Sep 2026
Stronger communities start with stronger connections
Rebecca Davis reflects on the first West Midlands Community Cohesion Summit, highlighting how trusted relationships, shared learning and practical support can help public sector colleagues respond confidently to complex community challenges. She explores the importance of addressing misinformation, building trust before issues arise and finding common ground, while emphasising that stronger communities depend on continued collaboration and a resilient workforce.
15 Jul 2026
The broken middle: Why public sector recruitment is getting harder, not easier
Recruitment in the public sector is changing. While application volumes are increasing, many organisations are still struggling to make appointments, retain new starters and address ongoing skills shortages. In this article, Chloe Herrmann explores why the recruitment challenge has shifted from attracting candidates to assessing capability, improving conversion and building long-term workforce resilience. She examines the impact of AI-assisted applications, early attrition, workforce planning and local government reorganisation, and explains why recruitment success now depends on what happens between application and appointment.
15 Jul 2026
Inclusive leadership in a world of permacrisis
In today's world of constant disruption, leadership is more challenging than ever. In this article, Shakil Butt, HR Associate at WME, explores why inclusive leadership has become a business imperative. He examines how diverse thinking, psychological safety and the confidence to have difficult inclusive conversations enable organisations to navigate complexity, move beyond echo chambers and build cultures where people feel valued, heard and empowered to contribute their very best.
15 Jul 2026
The new unfair dismissal landscape: Rethinking probationary periods
The forthcoming changes to unfair dismissal rights are prompting many organisations to rethink how they manage probationary periods. Lorna Wells explores whether the real issue is probation itself, or the need for stronger people management from day one. She considers the implications for HR professionals, recruitment, onboarding and employee development, arguing that continuous support and fair performance management create better outcomes for both employees and organisations.