When Hayley Burns joined the Strategic Leadership Programme (SLP) in 2024, she was at a crossroads in her career. Despite holding a senior position at the University of South Wales, she was questioning her place in higher education and considering leaving the sector altogether.
"I've had a very non-traditional route in my career as someone who has spent most of their career in professional services roles and is now in an academic leadership role," Hayley explains. "In my current role, recently I have felt that others have questioned my place and my abilities, and in turn that led to me questioning those as well. I'd lost a lot of confidence."
What she didn't expect was how transformational the programme would become for her professional identity and leadership approach.
Rediscovering purpose
The SLP offered Hayley something that traditional leadership training hadn't provided before - a chance to reconnect with her work and recognise that her different perspective could be an asset rather than a liability.
"The programme was really transformational for me. It helped me to re-centre and reconnect to my work," she reflects. "I've come to realise that as we can't continue to do things the way we always have, because that's clearly not working for the sector at the moment, my skills and experience could be part of the answer."
The impact was so profound that Hayley now describes the experience as "the time I found my voice and the confidence to use it" - a sentiment she shares when speaking with colleagues about the programme.
Beyond traditional training
Having participated in leadership development throughout her 20-year career, Hayley admits she approached SLP with tempered expectations. "A lot of us have done leadership and management training before, and I often find there's little new information or value that I get from those," she says.
The reality proved dramatically different. "It absolutely exceeded my expectations in every way," Hayley enthuses. "This programme was really different. It was scaffolded well."
What set the SLP apart was its comprehensive approach that combined theoretical frameworks with practical applications. Hayley particularly highlights the coaching sessions as "incredibly valuable" and something she "hadn't particularly expected to be as powerful."
Even elements she initially approached with skepticism became transformative experiences. "The role play was a session that I really wasn't looking forward to, but I had a real light bulb moment during my exercise. That, besides my coaching with Lisa Sofianos, was my favourite session of all."
Embracing Systems Thinking
One of the most significant concepts Hayley encountered during the programme was Systems Thinking - a framework that challenges traditional, individualistic notions of leadership.
"The Systems Thinking session we did with Joan Lurie was incredibly complex, but really, really interesting. That's the type of information I learned on the programme that's really stayed with me," she notes.
For Hayley, this approach resonated deeply with her natural inclinations toward collaborative leadership. "I felt a genuine affinity with this as my preferred style is to be collaborative: working across boundaries and subject disciplines and with diverse groups, empowering and working to co-create with others."
Creating connections in virtual spaces
Despite beginning online, the programme quickly fostered strong connections among participants - something that surprised Hayley. "I wasn't sure that the connections would build as quickly as they did between members of the programme, with the start of the course being online, but they absolutely did."
The virtual format even introduced her to new technologies that enhanced the experience. "I'd never come across Topia before, where I got to try my virtual dance moves out with new colleagues, so that was really fun," she laughs.
Commitment to growth
Hayley emphasises that participants need to fully commit to get the most from the programme. "It is an investment. I think as with everything, you need to find the time and the space to immerse yourself in the literature, the theories, and the actual modules that the programme has."
This meant resisting the temptation to multitask during sessions. "This is absolutely and easily the best programme and training that I've ever had in my career, so I really had to resist that urge to be looking at emails and getting involved in my day-to-day work - I fully committed to the programme."
Implementing systemic change
Looking ahead, Hayley sees clear applications for her learning in addressing the challenges facing higher education. "In a sector that's now firmly in the adaptive challenge territory - where we don't have the answers and there isn't a set of good practice to refer to or rely on - we need systemic leadership more than ever."
She believes the tools and knowledge gained from SLP will help her champion a more holistic approach to leadership at her institution. "I think we need to challenge traditional views of leadership which focus on the individual and move clearly into an approach that focuses on the organisation as a system."
For those considering the programme, Hayley is unequivocal: "I can't recommend SLP enough to anyone who's thinking about joining this programme. It has been truly transformational for me."