Listening, Learning & Leadership with Joe Agius

Watch the first session in the Stepping Up series of lively, provocative and honest conversations about equity in practice. We start at the top – what are the roles and obligations of practice leaders? What does it mean to step up on equity?

The speakers are Monica Edwards of SJB, Neil Stonell of Grimshaw and Joe Agius of Cox, in conversation with Justine Clark and Angelina Pillai, CEO of the ACA. CPD available.

Cultural change works best when there is leadership from the top. This is well-established through decades of research and experience across many sectors. It co-exists with the fact that many leaders are the beneficiaries of existing systems and may not see a need for change. How do we navigate this uneasy tension? Why do some leaders work hard to improve equity? How can we encourage more to do so? What needs to be learned, and what must be unlearned?

This first session is an excellent introduction to Stepping Up. The conversation includes the necessity of leaders taking responsibility for improving equity, the importance of effecting change within the profession, their experiences with the Champions of Change Architecture group and the value of the Listening and Learning process that is integral to creating and supporting change within the program.

Monica describes how the Listening and Learning process works and explains how it can be adapted and adopted into any practice, no matter the scale.

Joe considers the Listening and Learning sessions as a “safe space for people to speak their minds”, providing valuable insights to practice leaders about the day to day lives of their employees. “On a personal level, it was humbling, enriching and insightful to see the world from the viewpoint of various staff members at various stages of their career, living and working in different ways.”

Neil agrees about the value of the process to practice: “They are a very, very good thing to do when you want to analyse or understand better the circumstance and the culture of your organisation.”

So, what are the best ways to establish trust for the Listening and Learning sessions? How do you create an open and honest safe space for discussion? Ethical reasons for change are clear, but what is the business case for equity in practice?

Watch the full video for answers to these questions and more HERE.