Patience is a virtue, but it has its limits

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After a protracted period of planning, our Royal College opened its doors without fanfare in mid-April. For some, this process was the culmination of years of influencing and the challenging work needed to bring the college to life, and for them it was a very fulfilling moment to see it launch.

But for most of its members, and the profession at large, it was about as uneventful as you could possibly imagine. It reminded me of a silent disco, where the head-phoned participants are obviously enjoying the moment, while being totally oblivious to the disengagement of those around them!

And now, nearly three months later, we see a commitment – “A Concordat for Delivery” – which sets out how the College will collaborate across the diverse sectors of our professions in a way which will foster a sense of belonging and collegiality.

It describes a flexible framework for moving towards a new model of leadership for the profession from 2030 onwards. Its carefully crafted words are encouraging, but there are many questions arising and some pressing, more immediate, concerns.

While we wait, how does the Royal College reverse the haemorrhage of members? Can it afford, both financially and reputationally, to continue as it is for over three years before it celebrates its “phoenix moment”? I do not believe it can. We need a powerful and credible vision, convincingly strong reasons to believe and a compellingly refreshed member proposition. And we need them now.

Some may take the view that these are unreasonable expectations at this stage. I respectfully disagree and would suggest that this is exactly the time. When would be a better moment?

Nothing new

As an active proponent of the College, I am convinced of its need and its potential, but so far I see nothing new. Nothing which would tempt me to join if I were not already a member, and nothing compelling to ensure that I remain a member if I felt at all ambivalent.

Communication is key. Take members with you on the journey of discovery rather than create an information vacuum and expect them not to fill it with their personal assumptions and prejudices.

“Members and non-members alike are rightly looking for convincing reasons to believe, but they will not stay around waiting forever”

I am certain of the best intentions of those elected to the Councils and those who hold positions of office, but I am concerned with the apparent lack of urgency and the recognition of the importance of riding the wave of support, which was most evident at the time of the special resolution vote by members.

There is a drag anchor at the core of the College that needs to be cut loose. If we expect the same people working in the same way with the same mindset in the same culture to deliver anything other than the same output, we are frankly deluding ourselves. Something must change.

Which is why I am pleased to have seen a steady injection of new talent into the executive team, and particularly the recruitment of a director of strategic communications and engagement.

But they are only as good as their people – and their people are only as good as they are allowed to be. If they feel disempowered and frustrated working in a culture where institutional rigidity, risk aversion and inertia effectively throttle organisational responsiveness, innovation and agility, it can only lead to paralysis.

College must find its voice

Time is of the essence here. We simply cannot wait around for all the jigsaw pieces to be in place. We need a loading dose of impatience, pace and pragmatism, along with the courage to take managed risks, if the college is going to cut through to make the difference I know it is capable of.

It now needs to make itself heard. It must find its voice and make an overwhelmingly strong case for its purpose and mandate. Crucially, it must prove through actions, not just the rhetoric of a concordat, that it is capable right now of supporting the work of members in the interests of the public.

In short, it urgently needs to start to deliver on its potential. Members and non-members alike are rightly looking for convincing reasons to believe, but they will not stay around waiting forever. And certainly not until 2030.

Patience may well be a virtue, but it is impatience that gets things done.

Steve Churton is a former president of the RPSGB.