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Opportunities
Gillian Askew • Apr 20, 2020
Opportunities - Published on Linked In 20/04/20
Pace and change
I’ve been amazed at the change of pace within the public sector over the past six weeks and how well people and processes have adapted. Decisions that would’ve previously needed multiple meetings, months of discussion and layers upon layers of approvals are now being signed off so much more dynamically. In some cases, governance may well have had to alter to reflect our new environment but even this can be managed in a way where the result is controlled, and unnecessary risk is minimal.
Normal wasn’t working
But how will the public sector take stock of the invaluable learnings we’re gaining during this period of duress? The trick surely would be to keep hold of the good bits, recognise what has worked well and embed them in as new ways of working. Acknowledge what was chaotic and imperfect and resolve to leave these ways of working behind us. I'm hopeful that the public sector will not slip back into how it was before because that would be a travesty in many ways. The UK economy needs us to take the positive lessons out of this situation and drive them forward. I saw a post on Facebook this week that said: ‘We don't want to go back to normal because normal wasn't working’ and I agree with that.
Joint bidding
On my current commission within the Ministry of Justice, I had the pleasure of attending a joint bidding presentation made by Dr Jane Lynch from Cardiff University. My primary learning space within this project is how we can support smaller business supply chains. It also dovetails with the tender readiness project that I’m involved in and this is an example of just one of the activities that's developed on the back of that.
Collaboration can be transformational within the small business communities, especially when geographical scope is broad or the public sector contract value is substantial and so it was brilliant to have received some invaluable insights which I plan on sharing in a separate blog post.
As individuals we notoriously find it hard to embrace change. But as a society, under duress, we are proving that it can be done and can be done effectively. I just hope we don’t rush back to old habits because by welcoming and being in control of the change, we can break the chain and deliver better results for the future. After all, the future is ours to design, we simply have to see how we want it to look and then make it that way.
In 2019 I approached the Federation of Small Businesses asking if I could work with them on trying to make it easier for small businesses to access and work in the public sector. They invited me to set up and Chair a Special Interest Group (SIG). The SIG is made up of small businesses and public sector organisations and our one exam question is centred around that widening participation agenda. We have 4 activity streams in the SIG, one of which is SME/VCSE development program. We've called it Go4Growth and it's a free (forever) program and community. Go4Growth as a team is made up of several small businesses working together to help other SMEs and VCSEs to navigate the sometimes complex world of the Public Sector. We have a built a program that we believe can help any smaller business, regardless of type. Here are just a few of our current focus areas: 1. Helping businesses to grow in the Public Sector 2. Building relationships or taking the first steps to supply the Public Sector 3. Collaborative working or consortia/partnerships 4. Building greater economic resilience for the future 5. Recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 6. Dealing with Brexit, environmental or other issues Our program offers support in various ways; our aim is to ensure it's accessible to everyone, personalised to your business so support is given in a way that makes the most sense and adds the most value to you. I'm really proud to be Go4Growth, I'm proud of the program, how quickly we have developed it and how only a few weeks in we are seeing more and more businesses get involved so already we're identifying barriers and helping businesses to overcome them. For any small businesses or VCSEs out there reading this blog, give me a shout. The program is there to help you grow in the public sector and connect you with a fast growing business community. Gill gill@go4growth.co.uk www.twitter.com/Go4Growth_UK www.LinkedIn.com/Company/Go4Growth www.facebook.com/Go4GrowthUK www.facebook.com/groups/Go4Growth
This week I wanted to write something that relates directly to the ethos of All Things Procurement – the social enterprise I run – which is ‘see the world how you want it to be then make it that way’. So I’m going to talk about the kind of world I want to live in and the things I’m doing to contribute to making that world a reality. To do that I need to give you some background. I’m a 47 year old woman and I adore the profession I chose (albeit by accident) way back in 1995. I’m what I lovingly call a ‘career procurer’. It’s what I do, it’s part of who I am and it’s given me so many opportunities over the years to really make a difference. I feel very lucky to have the career I’ve had but I will admit, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Women in business I’ve worked in some sectors where my gender has definitely made it more difficult for me and I’ve felt the weight and pressure of that sadly many times. The need to work harder, be better, smarter, funnier even than my male counterparts and I’ve been that director where when I entered a boardroom full of my male peers, the quip was “Oh good, she’s here. Now we can have coffee” or being told I should categorically re-think the role I was about to undertake because no female executive had done it before, or when I got divorced to be told I was now “fair game”. It's not a small list sadly, and thankfully things have improved over the years but there is still much more to be done. Have those experiences soured me? No. Have they made me champion women in business? Absolutely yes. Last year I joined a Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Women in Entrepreneurship group because I want to help young women feel empowered to set up their own businesses. I want to support and mentor other females who have the burning desire to do great things but may not have the confidence to get started. I’ve been a part of women in business and women in procurement groups for years, all of which are designed to help women forge their careers without apology. I will do all I can to help women navigate their chosen career path because sometimes; all it takes is for somebody to see your potential, and help you take the all important first step in the right direction. Judge me on my talent Does any of this make me a feminist? I’ve often wondered about this over the years. I’m not a fan of labels, but I guess if I had one it would more likely be that of an individualist. I want to live in a world where your success is driven by your own ambition and on your talent; and those things alone. I want to live in a genuine meritocracy where the barriers to entry don’t exist and the equality of opportunity is tangible. I want to be judged on what I do and how I do it; my values, talent and work ethic. This is evident in how I am shaping All Things Procurement which is founded on the principles of widening participation. I’m focussing right now on helping the small business and VCSE communities access the public sector where it can be notoriously difficult for smaller organisations. I am helping to help shape the public sector into a place where every business has the same ability to access. I am both a small business and a public sector procurement professional and have been for many years now, so having the insight from both perspectives helps me make sense of how to level the playing field better. I am helping to create more local employment opportunities, build resilience into local economies, increase the social and economic outputs for communities and spend the taxpayers’ money better. Building diversity into the supply chain I’m focussing on helping make the public sector business environment both traversable and accessible for small businesses and VCSE’s. I’m happy to say I’m not alone in this and in doing so, the process itself starts to naturally build diversity into the supply chain. It’s a big ask and I’m grateful that the Special Interest Group I chair on behalf of the FSB is full of people who have the same ambition and aspirations. It takes real commitment and passion to drive through change and we’re starting to make a real difference. I’m Gillian. And I’ve seen the world how I want it to be and I’m doing my bit to make it that way.