Exclusive: Inclusive leaders are key to transformation, says Tyzack

Leaders who maximises the use of talent and give them a voice are essential for successful transformation.

Mark Iliffe of executive search firm Tyzack, says that a lot of the traditional sectors need to make tangible improvements in order to progress. “Take Steve Robertson, the once dynamic CEO of BT OpenReach, who turned the struggling BT division into a cutting-edge, future-shaping business and succeeded in developing informal leaders by ensuring everyone within the organisation was given a voice.”

Iliffe says this is going to be particularly important in the healthcare sector. “Healthcare has become the world's largest industry, reportedly with a value and cost three times greater than the banking sector.

“No surprise therefore that the NHS alone is the UK's largest employer. Yet it has a business model which is change-resistant. Which is just one of the reasons why Simon Stevens' recent appointment as head of the NHS is creating a stir of optimism. Stevens may just be the man to improve the NHS’ future.”

However, Stevens needs to develop leadership capability that creates strategic differentiation according to Iliffe. “He also needs to avoid generic, off-the-shelf programmes, build deeper leadership qualities rather than functional skills with his key staff and ensure they have the resilience and self-awareness to help him drive and sustain major change,” says Iliffe.