Common Purpose Research
Research commissioned by the Government Equalities Office in June 2009 to explore attitudes, motivations and barriers for public appointments. We conducted an online survey of Common Purpose alumni who have been on civic leadership programmes in the last six years. Participants on Common Purpose courses by virtue of the application process for these courses form a useful proxy for local leaders or opinion leaders. There is no firm "pathway" in to national public appointments. Anecdotal research and discussions with public body board members and chairs has highlighted a common theme of local leadership and engagement being an important training ground and experience base for those who move on to national public appointments.
To understand better the likely potential pipeline of public appointees, a study of local civic leaders, whether or not yet in a formal public position, was proposed to explore attitudes towards public appointments, as well as motivations for, or barriers in applying for, public appointments. This study was designed as a pilot to explore whether there are issues that diverse groups of the population who are currently under-represented on the boards of public bodies are more likely to face. A sample of 659 Common Purpose alumni responded. The respondent group was not a fully representative sample of the whole of the population, as there was a slight bias towards the over 30s, although there was a good split across gender, geography, ethnicity and disability. Download a PDF of the report
A report by Common Purpose into the expectations, challenges and hurdles of making the leap to a national leadership role. Feedback from many senior leaders suggests that nearly everyone fears that they aren’t up to the task at some point. To understand what it takes to rise to the challenge, Common Purpose has asked a diverse range of national leaders about their experience of making this leadership leap.
Squeezing the training and development budget: the cost of not developing your staff in tough economic times. That issue is explored in a new study which warns of the consequences of cutting training and development budgets during an economic downturn. The report, Taming the Wolf at the Door, by leadership development organisation Common Purpose, found that almost half of training and development professionals surveyed are expecting a budget cut of 20% or more.
Over half of young managers are dissatisfied with their jobs and are considering change. These are the findings of a survey by leadership development organisation Common Purpose, who wanted to discover if there are career traps and barriers limiting junior managers and keeping them from fulfilling their potential as leaders of tomorrow. The report found that professional development could make their roles more fulfilling, but while nearly all had received training, only a third found it rewarding in terms of job fulfilment.
Common Purpose piloted "Local Links" to improve neighbourhood networking, support, skills development and information sharing for local decision-makers and active citizens in four Yorkshire areas. The aim was to assist them to be better informed, empowered and more effective in their community roles.
Nearly half (49%) of UK managers also have a leadership position outside of their paid jobs, according to a survey conducted by international leadership organisation Common Purpose. Furthermore, another 17 percent of those surveyed said they planned to take-up a leadership role outside of work over the coming year. Becoming a school governor, sitting on a public board, becoming a special constable, being volunteer councillor or getting involved in a community campaign are just some of the ways UK leaders are giving something back. Download a PDF of the report.
Each week contestants on The Apprentice have to summon the courage to lead their team on a challenge that they have little or no skills. To be successful in the modern world of management this kind of dogged determination is essential. So why then do the majority of the UK’s managers admit to regularly dodging daunting challenges?
These are the main findings of 'Causes and cures for timid management', a report published today by leadership development organisation Common Purpose. Download a PDF of the report.
Young people between the ages of 25-35 are in danger of being caught in a career trap and are leaving their jobs in pursuit of more fulfilling work. Debt, difficulties in combining work with their wider life ambitions and employers who fail to listen are cited as key reasons, according to research by leadership development organisation Common Purpose. The report, Searching for Something, shows that the danger age when employers can lose their most talented young employees is 30. Download a PDF of the report.
Since 2001 Common Purpose South Africa has piloted and run programmes in Johannesburg with the aim of leadership, partnership and community development. It realises this aim by exposing a diverse group of current and emerging leaders, and Grade 9 learners, to challenging debate and hands-on experience of the issues with which their city grapples.
Angela Bull, for the Department of International Development, evaluated the success of these programmes in a series of in-depth interviews with a variety of the project's stakeholders and the results are presented in this report.
