In 2003 the DfT initiated a Talent Management programme whose aim was to develop a collective leadership community across DfT central and its 7 agencies to take the department into the 21st century.
Our Story
The programme started in 2003 when Faraday was invited to design and deliver 3 Talent Management programmes: one for members of the SCS with the potential to go higher; one for those aiming for the SCS; and one for AO to SEO grades with the potential to reach Grade 7.

The aim of the programme is to develop potential within the department by helping participants identify and develop the leadership skills and capabilities they and the department need for the future.  This process can generate some internal creative conflict as participants begin to challenge the way things are done and offer alternative approaches to leadership. However, the internal sponsors are keen for that to happen and are utilising some of the creativity and new thinking by inviting participants to lead new cross-cutting projects.

The programme has gone from strength to strength. It is now aligned to the Professional Skills for Government (PSG) framework and the development objectives for each participant stem from PSG.  The evaluation of the first cohorts was very favourable and the key success criteria have been achieved.

Patricia Hayes’ Story

"The development of a collective leadership community is the single most important objective of the programme".

The need for a Talent Pool Development Programme came from our recognition that we needed to bring on people within the organisation and so we generated a Talent Management Strategy. The aim was to give accelerated development to selected individuals who would be then positioned to lead the department in the future. We realised we needed to strike the right balance between buying in talent from the outside and not doing enough to leverage our own capability.

Now that the programme is in its third year, the benefits we are experiencing are on two levels. First, on an organisational level, we are developing a resource of motivated, enthusiastic and energised people to help lead and change the department in the 21st century. We now have a mature and functional resource pool.

On an individual level, people are having personal successes, gaining confidence and developing opportunities to learn and grow.

It is seen by the department as a worthwhile investment. It is being recognised as an opportunity to have thinking time, time out, a safe space to build confidence, to learn from others and also to lever other development opportunities.

What is it like working with Faraday? Faraday strikes just the right balance between recognising and delivering our needs and challenging us. Consultants are often either too compliant, and do just what we ask without really understanding our needs, or not compliant enough and do what they think is best. With Faraday we have a genuine partnership and a trusting relationship and we work together to try and make things better.
P. Hayes, Head of Leadership and Talent Management, 2007