Developing Self and Others at SEO level

SLeading a workstream, I could see that a piece of work that needed a clearer link to wider priorities was undermining a wider objective my Grade 7 cared about, even though our local metric still looked acceptable.

TI needed to redesign our approach so local delivery supported the broader outcome, not just our immediate target.

AI analysed the evidence, mapped stakeholders and wrote a short options note linking our work to the wider priority. I tested the preferred option with operations and a peer team, agreed success measures in advance, and briefed my senior on risks and trade-offs. I implemented the change with clear owners, coached the people affected, and reviewed MI weekly so we could course-correct. This demonstrated Developing Self and Others through concrete actions rather than slogans. I documented decision criteria, set a feedback loop with frontline staff, and agreed a sunset or review point so the change did not drift. I also prepared handling for seniors and partners so the story matched the operational reality. Beyond the immediate fix, I mapped stakeholders who would feel second-order effects, agreed how we would handle exceptions, and made sure finance and delivery saw the same assumptions. I checked progress against the measures we had agreed and adjusted the plan when leading indicators moved. I kept a short decision log so others could see why we chose this path and what we had ruled out. I briefed the people doing the work in plain language, including what would stop as well as what would start. I made sure the result could be evidenced with MI or feedback rather than relying on assertion alone. I invited a peer to challenge the approach before we locked it in, which improved the final design. I clarified owners and timescales so the change did not depend on informal goodwill alone. I revisited residual risks with the senior owner and recorded what we were consciously accepting. I shared a short lessons note so a neighbouring team could reuse the approach without starting from scratch. I tested the user or stakeholder impact before scaling the change beyond the pilot group. I aligned the local metric with the wider objective so incentives stopped pulling people backwards. I scheduled a review point with a clear stop-go criterion rather than letting the change drift. I translated the decision into practical steps on the ground and checked understanding with two practitioners. I quantified the before-and-after as honestly as the data allowed, including what had not yet improved. I protected quality standards while delivering pace, rather than treating them as optional under pressure. I ensured communications matched the operational reality so seniors and frontline staff heard one story.

RWithin a month the leading indicator improved and the senior reused our note as a template for a related issue.