Alice Gregson- Bridging Silos

Okay, so when you introduced yourself, you said about your cross-sector experience.

So we're going to delve into that now.

So Alice, what do you think you've learned from seeing how different systems operate, particularly in how they respond and adapt to a rapidly changing world? Because that's where we are now.

What patterns and mindsets and ways of working seem to characterize maybe different sectors as well?

Really, really interesting question.

And I think I think there's a lot to be learned and gleaned from, you know, thinking about different sectors and how they coexist and work together.

So I think one of the biggest things that I've learned from my cross-sector working is that every sector that you come across really likes to believe that it's unique, special or particularly complex, which...

I think they are in their own way, but I wouldn't say to the extent that it should close down learning from other wider sectors.

I've always said, and I know you've said this a lot, Tamara, and I'm sure you have as well, Catherine, is that your context is what's unique, but it's your challenges and your opportunities.

They're the ones that aren't necessarily unique.

So if you look, for example, at some of the top challenges, some of the top opportunities.

For most sectors, it's going to be around technology, finances, people, and really being able to meet the challenges of the people that you serve.

I think that's quite common across pretty much every sector that you work within.

But I think it's the context within which those things are applied that are particularly unique.

So I think what that means is that the leaders within any sector who are open-minded, are curious, and to use that word again, and really are welcoming of other perspectives and other viewpoints, I think they're the ones that are going to be able to respond and adapt better than those who sort of batten down the hatches and sort of say that they only want the knowledge from within their own sector.

And I think the other thing that's important about cross-sector working is that ability to share the load as well.

I'm sure we've come across, particularly within education, so many issues that feel as though they are just at the school's door when in actual fact they should be shared across policing, they should be shared across health, they should be shared across education.

So part of it is about learning from each other, but the other part is about sharing that load and being able to work together.

I like how you've therefore phrased that I'm sure you'll come on to talk about this but I know it's some of the work that you're now doing which I think is so needed and really important that there was just a little bit more of you know looking outside um and and looking elsewhere for for the learnings um

Thank you.

I mean, I'm sure we've all come across people who've said things along the lines of, why am I going to this event or conference where there's this person from health or this person from business? All I want to hear from is my education colleagues.

And I just think that's so narrow-minded.

I think I absolutely agree there needs to be a balance.

It's about what you can learn from them.

My favourite quote I think that I've ever heard that summarises it really well is that we've got more in common than that which divides us.