At Saxton Bampfylde, our mission is to change the world by changing the leaders in interesting and important organisations. We have always been passionate about creating a fairer and more representative society, and recognise the positive contribution we can make in Supporting, Transitioning, Elevating and Promoting inclusive and diverse leadership in the social impact sector and beyond.
Our STEP programme was founded with the ambition of leveraging the firm’s unique expertise and networks to deliver a holistic coaching and development programme, designed to support leaders from underrepresented groups. The programme particularly focuses on those operating (or recently operating) in a leadership position who will likely be considering significant career progression at executive and non-executive level.
Since the programme launched a year ago with a pilot cohort, it has paired a number of coaches and mentors with leaders looking for support with personal and professional development as they move towards executive or non-executive level roles. STEP was designed to build on existing skills and talents as individuals embark on the next stage of their career.
Following on from the success of the first cohort on the STEP programme, we are delighted to have reopened the programme for a second year.
The STEP Programme is broken down into four core components:
Assessment
Participants undertake psychometric assessments to give a clear and defined insight into natural strengths and areas for development.
Coaching
Across six coaching sessions, participants work with an experienced coach or mentor to develop their leadership skills, working through specific topics and priorities.
Consultant guidance
Participant receives one-to-one access to Saxton Bampfylde’s consulting team, working on mock interview situations, presentation technique and delivering advice and guidance.
Networking
Participants gain exposure to a broad network of like-minded individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds.
STEP Coach Insights
Rory Campbell, Board and Leadership Advisor, and co-founder of New Vantage Consulting
What do you think is different about STEP? What prompted you to become involved?
STEP is confidently leaning into a pragmatic need: providing high quality development to the next generation of executive leaders from diverse backgrounds. It’s doing more than just talking about the ‘talent pipeline’, it’s helping it to flourish. Knowing the calibre, ethics and quality of Saxton Bampfylde gave me confidence that this is a programme delivered with belief and purpose. I want to play my part in creating more inclusive businesses – and that involves diverse and inclusive leadership.
What advice would you give people who are looking for a coach?
Be open to learning, welcome the support to think in a way that you may seldom have the opportunity to in your busy day-to-day working life. Expect to be stretched – not because the coach is stretching you, but because you’re reaching even further and deeper into your potential.
It takes commitment and an appetite to grow, along with a willingness to put in the work. You might come to coaching looking for answers; you’ll leave realising you are limitlessly resourceful and that you can surface the answers from within.
Can you describe a big change you have gone through or helped a client through?
I recently worked with a newly appointed CEO who had risen through the organisation in a blaze of glory and praise, only to find they struggled with the demands of the top job. We worked together to recalibrate their measures of success, reconnect their driving passion, elevate their inner sense of purpose, and to have the resolve when restructuring their executive team with vision and aspiration. I was deeply inspired by their leadership and courage.
What has the last year taught us about the need to have more diversity at the leadership level?
Through this last year, the nature and scale of inequality has been visible for all to see. We’ve seen that it pervades every aspect of society – wellbeing, community, work etc. Businesses have operated at the human scale, not the abstract, and reckoned with the powerful impact we can have. It’s reminded us all, that our leadership is better for diversity, both to lead with inclusion by design and to account for the many potential paths to recovery and shared growth.
What are the barriers to getting more minority ethnic individuals to a leadership level?
We are making progress; it’s just glacially slow. Why? For two key reasons: 1) The seats are already occupied. It takes time for opportunities and minds to open. 2) Many organisations are compelled to act by legislation and governance, not by self-determined motivation.
To make faster and deeper progress, we need to elevate our diversity conversation, to explore how we can inspire authentic progress by establishing clearer links to organisations’ purpose and be consistently demanding of accountability for outcomes.
