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| West Midlands council chief: women in local government need to grab power | |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Imagine being in a lengthy management meeting. A woman suggests an idea and it’s ignored. A man then says the same thing and everyone nods in approval and loves it. | Imagine being in a lengthy management meeting. A woman suggests an idea and it’s ignored. A man then says the same thing and everyone nods in approval and loves it. |
| Being “hepeated” in this way is a wearyingly familiar experience for women in the workplace - and local government workplaces are no exception. | Being “hepeated” in this way is a wearyingly familiar experience for women in the workplace - and local government workplaces are no exception. |
| But with more than a decade of experience as a chief executive behind her, Deborah Cadman makes no bones about calling hepeaters out, as well as men who interrupt their female colleagues during meetings. “It’s hilarious - they kind of look bewildered and apologise profusely,” says Cadman, who two months ago became chief executive of the newly-formed West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which encompassing 18 local authorities and four local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). | But with more than a decade of experience as a chief executive behind her, Deborah Cadman makes no bones about calling hepeaters out, as well as men who interrupt their female colleagues during meetings. “It’s hilarious - they kind of look bewildered and apologise profusely,” says Cadman, who two months ago became chief executive of the newly-formed West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which encompassing 18 local authorities and four local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). |
| “Fifteen or 20 years ago I’d have been completely wracked with self-doubt about stopping a meeting to call that sort of behaviour out,” she says. “I wouldn’t have had the confidence.” | “Fifteen or 20 years ago I’d have been completely wracked with self-doubt about stopping a meeting to call that sort of behaviour out,” she says. “I wouldn’t have had the confidence.” |
| Today, though, she most definitely does. After 22 years away, Cadman is back in her native city of Birmingham, working alongside the Conservative elected West Midlands mayor Andy Street to move powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands. The WMCA has an ambitious £8bn investment programme to bolster the region’s economy, including, according to Street, the biggest investment in public transport infrastructure since the Victorians. | Today, though, she most definitely does. After 22 years away, Cadman is back in her native city of Birmingham, working alongside the Conservative elected West Midlands mayor Andy Street to move powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands. The WMCA has an ambitious £8bn investment programme to bolster the region’s economy, including, according to Street, the biggest investment in public transport infrastructure since the Victorians. |
| Cadman has taken the reins at the combined authority’s from interim chief Martin Reeves, Coventry city council chief executive. It follows her six years as chief executive of Suffolk county council, and, before that, chief executive of the East of England’s regional development agency. | Cadman has taken the reins at the combined authority’s from interim chief Martin Reeves, Coventry city council chief executive. It follows her six years as chief executive of Suffolk county council, and, before that, chief executive of the East of England’s regional development agency. |
| It isn't enough just to be a 'good bloke': men can do more to be better allies to their female colleagues | It isn't enough just to be a 'good bloke': men can do more to be better allies to their female colleagues |
| Her new role is an exciting opportunity to shape something completely new and recruit her own leadership team, says Cadman. She is proud that half of WMCA directors are women, including Laura Shoaf, managing director for Transport for West Midlands, and devolution expert Julia Goldsworthy, director of strategy. | Her new role is an exciting opportunity to shape something completely new and recruit her own leadership team, says Cadman. She is proud that half of WMCA directors are women, including Laura Shoaf, managing director for Transport for West Midlands, and devolution expert Julia Goldsworthy, director of strategy. |
| In a wider context however, so far nine combined authorities - “super councils” - have been set up under devolution, just two of have women at the helm, with Patricia Greer chief executive of the West of England authority. Seven have elected metro mayors, all men. The story is similar in local councils too, with the vast majority of chief executives being male, and overwhelmingly white. | In a wider context however, so far nine combined authorities - “super councils” - have been set up under devolution, just two of have women at the helm, with Patricia Greer chief executive of the West of England authority. Seven have elected metro mayors, all men. The story is similar in local councils too, with the vast majority of chief executives being male, and overwhelmingly white. |
| Cadman’s own authority has set up a leadership commission to scrutinise the lack of representation in leadership roles. It will start by looking at itself. The aim is to improve opportunities for women and people from BME and LGBT backgrounds, as well as disabled people and those from lower income backgrounds, such as white working-class boys. | Cadman’s own authority has set up a leadership commission to scrutinise the lack of representation in leadership roles. It will start by looking at itself. The aim is to improve opportunities for women and people from BME and LGBT backgrounds, as well as disabled people and those from lower income backgrounds, such as white working-class boys. |
| In theory, local government should be the perfect environment for leadership which isn’t just white and male, says Cadman, because the mark of a good leader is changing. Good leaders are now being defined by their empathy, sense of community and ability to collaborate, says the chief executive, who was praised by Street when she was appointed for her energy, natural enthusiasm and strong track record in building and maintaining good relationships with partners and stakeholders. | In theory, local government should be the perfect environment for leadership which isn’t just white and male, says Cadman, because the mark of a good leader is changing. Good leaders are now being defined by their empathy, sense of community and ability to collaborate, says the chief executive, who was praised by Street when she was appointed for her energy, natural enthusiasm and strong track record in building and maintaining good relationships with partners and stakeholders. |
| Those traits, together with appreciative inquiry - thinking carefully about what works well and doing more of it - tend, according to Cadman to be typically defined as feminine and form a departure from the so-called masculine traits of heroic leadership: individualism, control, assertiveness, domination. | Those traits, together with appreciative inquiry - thinking carefully about what works well and doing more of it - tend, according to Cadman to be typically defined as feminine and form a departure from the so-called masculine traits of heroic leadership: individualism, control, assertiveness, domination. |
| “The paradox is, even though those traits are associated with women and are being celebrated as a good model of leadership, the very few numbers of women at the top show that we are yet to benefit,” she says. “ We should be thinking about that. Is it now our time to grab that mantle in more of a strident way?” | “The paradox is, even though those traits are associated with women and are being celebrated as a good model of leadership, the very few numbers of women at the top show that we are yet to benefit,” she says. “ We should be thinking about that. Is it now our time to grab that mantle in more of a strident way?” |
| Action needs to be taken by men, as well as women. It isn’t enough just to be a “good bloke”, says Cadman; men can do more to be better allies to their female colleagues. There are simple things they can do like speak out when there is a glaring lack of women in the room. She praises Street for refusing to take part in all-male panels and would like to see more men do the same. “It can’t just be women saying this isn’t acceptable; we’ve got to get the men in the room saying that as well and it would send a really strong message.” | Action needs to be taken by men, as well as women. It isn’t enough just to be a “good bloke”, says Cadman; men can do more to be better allies to their female colleagues. There are simple things they can do like speak out when there is a glaring lack of women in the room. She praises Street for refusing to take part in all-male panels and would like to see more men do the same. “It can’t just be women saying this isn’t acceptable; we’ve got to get the men in the room saying that as well and it would send a really strong message.” |
| Cadman has near enough lost the Brummie accent (although she says it comes out after a few beers or when she is excited), but says she is happy to be back. Is it a different place to the one she left all those years ago? “The number of people who are homeless and sleeping in doorways is shocking, it’s one of the biggest things I have noticed coming back,” she says. | Cadman has near enough lost the Brummie accent (although she says it comes out after a few beers or when she is excited), but says she is happy to be back. Is it a different place to the one she left all those years ago? “The number of people who are homeless and sleeping in doorways is shocking, it’s one of the biggest things I have noticed coming back,” she says. |
| Birmingham has one of the highest incidences of rough sleepers in the country and the region is to run a national pilot, Housing First, that will see homeless people facing drug or alcohol abuse given permanent accommodation without having to go through rehab first. The initiative, first adopted in Finland, is an example of how WMCA can deliver action more easily and at scale compared to at an individual council level, says Cadman. By 2030, there will be a tangible, physical difference to how the region looks and feels, she says, with ambitious plans to transform brownfield land and build 215,000 new homes. | Birmingham has one of the highest incidences of rough sleepers in the country and the region is to run a national pilot, Housing First, that will see homeless people facing drug or alcohol abuse given permanent accommodation without having to go through rehab first. The initiative, first adopted in Finland, is an example of how WMCA can deliver action more easily and at scale compared to at an individual council level, says Cadman. By 2030, there will be a tangible, physical difference to how the region looks and feels, she says, with ambitious plans to transform brownfield land and build 215,000 new homes. |
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| Looking for a job in central or local government, or need to recruit public service staff? Take a look at Guardian Jobs.eep in devolution negotiations, she is putting her leadership skills to good use and is keen to get cracking. | Looking for a job in central or local government, or need to recruit public service staff? Take a look at Guardian Jobs.eep in devolution negotiations, she is putting her leadership skills to good use and is keen to get cracking. |
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