Senior Research Leadership, UK University:
Influence built. Collaboration unlocked.

─── THE SITUATION

Senior researchers with deep expertise and limited institutional influence.

A cohort of senior researchers at a UK public university had reached a stage in their careers where technical excellence was no longer the constraint. They knew their disciplines. They had the credentials. But the ability to operate effectively across a complex institution, to build collaborative relationships across departments, to influence without authority and to navigate the political and cultural dynamics of a large organisation, had not developed at the same pace.

The result was capable individuals who were not operating at the level their seniority required. Research partnerships that should have been straightforward were complicated by interpersonal friction. Institutional opportunities were being missed because the skills to pursue them were not in place.

─── WHAT WE DID

Built the relational and institutional leadership capability the cohort needed.

The Leadership Development programme was designed for a cohort context, which brings its own dynamic. Individual capability development runs alongside the group work, and the two reinforce each other when the programme is structured correctly.

The programme focused on three areas: influence without authority, collaborative leadership and institutional navigation. These are distinct but deeply connected. Operating effectively in a large institution requires the ability to build genuine relationships across hierarchies, to understand how decisions are actually made rather than how they appear to be made, and to position oneself and one’s work within the political landscape without compromising academic integrity.

Work on communication, presence and the framing of complex ideas for non-specialist audiences ran throughout. Senior researchers are often technically brilliant communicators within their discipline and significantly less effective outside it. Bridging that gap is a learnable skill.

─── WHAT WE CHANGED

A cohort of senior researchers operating with greater influence, stronger collaboration and better institutional effectiveness.

The programme produced a measurable improvement in how cohort members operated within the institution, with stronger cross-departmental relationships and greater confidence in navigating the political landscape of a large university.