This content is part of the Vision for the Public Sector Zone
Background
In recent years there has been a major need for service modernisation within fire rescue services. Such modernisation has required a fundamental shift in the way services are led, with a move away from traditional command and control leadership styles to a more engaging, transformational approach of leadership.
The fire services of Yorkshire and Humber embraced the need for a new approach to leadership by funding a Regional Leadership Diagnostics Project, delivered by Real World Group, a company specialising in leadership development and researchThe Project aimed to diagnose organisational and individual leadership and development needs through assessing the leadership culture of the organisation, using the FRS (Fire Rescue Service) Leadership Culture and Change Inventory (LCCI TM) and the leadership style of individual managers across the Region, using the FRS360, a 360 degree feedback questionnaire developed specifically for the FRS.
The aim of the Project was for each of the services involved to act on the results so as to enhance the leadership culture of the organisation. In order to determine culture 
change, the survey was repeated approximately 18 months following the baseline survey.
WYFRS addressed the feedback with vigour and designed a comprehensive series of development activities aimed at enhancing the leadership culture.
Outcome: Why the Success
It is true that not all leadership culture surveys show a positive improvement between time points. So why was WYFRS so successful? There were a variety of reasons as to why the force was so successful, all of them equally important. These reasons can be found on the full report written by Margaret Bradley, Head of Research, Real World Group.
