We recently brought together a Community of Practice on Place – a collective of leaders working in local systems, exploring what it means to lead for place when place itself is changing shape. Not simply a geographic label, place was understood as emotional, political, and lived; made up of relationships, history, structures and contradictions. The provocation that opened the session was powerful: Change is constant — so how do we hold onto our sense of place, and our connection to it, even as it shifts beneath us?
Helen Bailey
We were fortunate to be joined by Helen Bailey, Chief Executive of the London Borough of Sutton. Helen led our conversations and provided a helpful framing:
Where we are now…
Where we could be…
And what it takes to move between the two
What follows is a summary of the group discussions…
The shape of change
Elections, restructuring, transformation: these are now a constant feature of local systems. Some saw these as a moment of possibility, an invitation to take stock and reset. Others described the churn and instability; how just as one structure begins to bed in, another sweeps it away.
Places are home to so much: history, geography, demography, identity. They carry the feel of belonging and responsibility. Yet in policy terms, places are often reshaped, renamed or merged, sometimes into forms that feel unfamiliar or unwanted. So how do we hold on to the idea of place when its formal shape is redrawn?
As leaders, we are often where the rubber meets the road. We’re connected to people in places and we see how national ambition lands (or fails to land) on the ground. There was a clear sense that we need to speak up more about this. To be prouder of what we do. And to act on the opportunity that’s opening up: real activism, new coalitions and transformation.
Some named the tension between increased autonomy and tighter accountability. With devolved powers comes promise, but also scrutiny. Those in newly-formed or struggling authorities might not be given the same space to experiment.
Leading in systems
The group explored how leadership must respond:
- Let our place and people guide us
- Use data to demonstrate insight and impact
- Empower those already getting things done – councillors, officers, community leaders, health partners
- Own the space national government can’t or won’t reach
- Don’t wait for perfect structures; let new ones emerge
We returned to the idea that place leadership is often about working in the gaps. In complexity. In ambiguity. And it requires a different kind of skillset. Not just technical strength or formal authority, but the capacity to hold relationships, build shared purpose, and support others to act.
There is a growing gap between the skills we advertise for and the ones that truly help leaders thrive in place. This isn’t just about better individuals. It’s about building teams and networks that can lead across systems.
A number of questions stayed with us throughout and after the session and we discussed how to turn our reflections into practice. We have shared all of this in our summary of the event which can be found here.
Overall there was a recognition that this is ongoing work. We don’t need perfect structures. We need people with a shared sense of purpose, the ability to act, and the courage to keep going when the ground is shifting.
If this resonates – if you’re working in or with place, and want to be part of a growing community of practice – we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with Theo to join the next session.