It truly is hard work being the biggest local ULO in the country and growth only adds to the workload. While staff are extremely busy delivering this year's service delivery plan, they look at me with a suspicious eye - "What's he up to now? Is he going to add another project upon our already heavy shoulders?" The answer is usually, Yes!
We have some great staff who are keen to help DD grow and one or two are even turning into "Mini-Me's" with budgets and efficiency always at the forefront of service, not sure if that is a good thing or bad? Although it does lead to an important question - do staff solely concentrate on delivering a service or do they keep Mr Pound Sterling in mind? Ok, here I go again, time to be contraversial........
Historically, many people joined the voluntary/3rd/not-for-profit sector out of a strong desire to support their communities or just to serve the people. Yet today our workforce consists of staff who previously worked across all sectors and all bring with them experience and ideas of how services should be run. I myself have worked for all three sctors too which has quite possibly led to the strengths of DD today. How? Whilst working in local government the need for a strong set of policy and plans was important. In retail, I became hungry to make the boss more money! And good old DD got me in touch with people and their needs.
Today, the survival of our sector depends on more staff with all of the above. I've said it before and i'll say it again and again - the days of government handouts are gone. Mr Cameron may have publically declared The Big Society as his idea, yet I'm sure all 3 parties will be singing from similar hymn sheets on that particular subject come next election.
CEO's can sit behind desks and talk business all day but it is the front-line staff who need to be the true wheeler dealers as they have to "stretch" the budget as far as they can to ensure Jo Bloggs gets the service they asked for. Our sector needs more people with vision and entrepreneurship and I urge people from the other 2 sectors to consider careers with us. If you don't have the skills, volunteer! Trust me, the gaffa will be watching to see what you can add to the organisation.
Agree? Don't Agree? Mr Raju has lost the plot?
