Co-op News (August 2019)

CO-OP CULTURE IN
LEADERSHIP
The impact of co-operative culture
on leading a business
BY ANCa VOINEA
Suma, the UK’s largest independent
wholefood wholesaler, has recently
embarked on a leadership development
journey – and doing this in a co-operative
way can be a challenging process.
Jenny Carlyle, strategic HR officer at
Suma, shared some of the co-op’s key
learnings during a session at Co-op
Congress in Manchester in June.
Suma was converted into a co-op in
1977, after its founder sold it to staff
two years after setting it up. Since then,
the business has been run as a worker
co-op, operating an equal pay policy.
Ms Carlyle surveyed colleagues to find
out what they thought about leadership.
She found that worker owners wanted
leadership and although they did not
know what that might look like, they
all pointed to the idea of collective
leadership. This approach means that
anybody can be a leader at any time;
individuals step into leadership roles
when appropriate or when there is a need
in the organisation. When that need is
over they will step back and continue
what they were doing before.
“The idea of collective leadership
resonated with our values and principles
and our structure,” said Ms Carlyle.
Meanwhile, the co-op’s equal pay
policy meant people chose to take extra
roles for the good of the organisation
rather than for financial incentives.
Ms Carlyle started looking at how Suma
could develop collective leadership, and
asking what was stopping people from
stepping into leadership roles. The survey
revealed the main barriers were a lack
of support and role clarity, with people
stepping in and filling in roles as needed,
without guidance.
In light of this, Suma started
a governance restructure to give people
very clear responsibilities. It is now run
by a board of nine people, replacing its
former management committee of six.
Those who wish to stand for the board
have to complete a skills assessment in
relation to the job description. Colleagues
also need to second the application and
explain why they think the person is
suitable. The new process was devised
to balance legal responsibilities, good
competence and democratic rights.
Suma has also set up a learning
and development team, looking at
membership skills within the co-op
and trying to incorporate elements
of coaching and reflective practice.
While still at a very early stage
of leadership development, the co-op is
focusing on involving and supporting
everybody wanting more responsibilities.
Ms Carlyle says a key lessons is that it
is important to identify what leadership
means for an organisation and what
leaders are expected to do.
“Tailor existing leadership
development literature to your skills and
organisation,” she told delegates.
Elsewhere in the movement,
Lincolnshire Co-op is recruiting people
at mid-career stage, particularly in food
store and managerial roles.
“They come from the plc world with
the expectation to invest massively in
technology, not necessarily in people or
values,” said Heather Lee, the society’s
head of people and performance.
With its purpose in mind, Lincolnshire
developed a nine-box talent matrix
to define what they are looking for in
employees. “Developing people is key to
40 | AUGUST 2019