Transformation roundtable - How to Lead Transformation (afternoon session): 22 May 2025

Georgia Rudin, Adviser,LGA

Georgia Rudin (GR) hosted the LGA transformation roundtable focused on how to lead transformation. The session highlighted the importance of local government leaders guiding and inspiring transformational change to achieve more with fewer resources and fostering engagement and clear vision across their councils. The presentation from Catherine Mills, Assistant Director - Transformation, Sheffield City Council, focused on the roll out Sheffield City Council’s ‘Future Sheffield’ programme across the organisation.

Catherine Mills, Assistant Director - Transformation, Sheffield City Council

•  CM reflected on how leading transformation differs from traditional service leadership. Each space demands different behaviours, energy, and communication styles, especially when navigating complex, cross-cutting change.
• CM explained that a key challenge has been moving the perception of “Future Sheffield” to being owned by the wider leadership team.
• CM emphasised that sustainable transformation must be led by directors and heads of service. Empowering others to lead by providing tools, clarity, and support - ensuring that transformation is embedded across the organisation rather than centralised in one team.
• CM recognises that complex diagrams and technical language can alienate staff. Translating the target operating model into four clear, relatable focus areas helped leaders better understand and communicate the purpose of the transformation
• CM stressed the importance of building internal and external networks for support. Her reflections underscored the human side of transformation and the resilience required to lead it effectively.

How do you ensure transformation is focused in the right areas, especially service delivery, and engage leaders who are too busy or constrained to participate?

CM acknowledged that service delivery is the most challenging area for transformation, particularly in high-demand services like children’s and adults’ social care. Sheffield is addressing this by involving service leaders early and linking transformation to broader organisational changes, such as a council-wide role review. She emphasised that financial pressures make inaction untenable, and that strategic leadership is essential to drive change. However, she conceded that resistance still exists, especially in non-statutory services, and that benchmarking data is sometimes met with defensiveness. The key is aligning transformation with both financial necessity and the Council’s strategic goals.

How do you manage the tension between strategic transformation and short-term tactical pressures, especially under financial constraints?

CM explained that while Sheffield is currently dealing with tactical pressures due to financial gaps, the goal is to avoid “salami slicing” and instead pursue strategic, designed change. She uses storytelling and personal motivation to connect people to the bigger picture as to why local government matters and what would be lost without it. This helps shift the conversation from short-term fixes to long-term purpose and sustainability.

How do you balance clear, accessible messaging with the complexity of transformation, so people understand and buy in without being overwhelmed?

CM emphasised the importance of tailoring messages to different audiences. For example, directors need assurance and strategic clarity, while service managers need to understand practical impacts. She avoids overwhelming people with technical detail and instead focuses on relevance e.g. how changes affect their work and customers. She also highlighted the importance of showing how data and benefit tracking are used, not just collected, to build trust and engagement.

How do you make governance and benefit tracking meaningful and not just another bureaucratic task?

CM shared an example from Sheffield’s digital transformation work, where taxi licensing processes were redesigned with input from taxi drivers. This reduced demand failure and improved customer experience. She explained that benefit tracking should be framed in terms of real-world impact e.g. like time saved or improved service, not just metrics. Keeping feedback loops open and showing how data is used helps build ownership and reduces cynicism.

A central theme across the group discussions was the tension between financial pressures and service needs. Many councils are navigating transformation in response to medium-term financial plans, with senior leadership often prioritising cost savings, while service teams focus on managing increasing demand. This divergence in priorities highlights the challenge of aligning strategic goals with operational realities. Participants also noted the difficulty of upskilling staff while maintaining day-to-day services and raised concerns about the practical limitations of automation and AI in delivering meaningful efficiencies.

Another key issue was the need to rebuild trust and secure buy-in for transformation, particularly among staff who may be sceptical due to past experiences. Groups discussed the importance of using tailored communication, behavioural insights, and visible governance to demonstrate that this time, change is being approached differently. Creating safe spaces for staff to engage with transformation and challenge assumptions was seen as essential, as was involving elected members early, especially through cross-party support to ensure political alignment and long-term commitment.

Finally, participants reflected on the complexity of delivering transformation in a fast-moving environment. The pace of technological change, particularly in AI, requires careful evaluation and communication to avoid overpromising or overwhelming teams. Siloed working, often reinforced by budget structures, remains a significant barrier to collaboration. There was also discussion about the limitations of traditional business cases, with some expressing a desire for more values-driven decision-making.