I am a civil servant
Leading lights - SCS Base Camp
SCS Base Camp is the first ever corporate leadership induction course, shaped by the Cabinet Office's Civil Service Capability Group in collaboration with the Leadership Steering Group (made up of departmental representatives and chaired by Kevin White, HR Director at the Home Office) and the National School of Government.
The three-day course is designed for civil servants recently appointed or promoted to the SCS. It provides newcomers to the SCS with an opportunity to examine what the Service does, the job of leadership and the role of senior civil servants - now and in the future. It also brings to life the Leadership Framework, (link to leadership framework here) which was developed by the Leadership Steering Group and which is now an integral part of SCS performance management.
There will be three or four SCS Base Camps a year. Sign up for one now. [External website] 
The first Base Camp event at Sunningdale was a huge success, as we found out from three colleagues lucky enough to be there.
Sharing experiences
The course combined talks from numerous top civil servants, including Gus O'Donnell, with seminars run by leading consultants and academics. A particularly lively session involved putting people on the spot with a microphone and demanding answers to difficult questions: “So what are you going to do differently on Monday then?” The rest of the three days provided attendees with opportunities to discuss the issues covered and network with their colleagues in the SCS.
A key element of the course was to give people a better understanding of the leadership framework, and how it related to their role. It also focused on some of the main challenges the Service is facing right now, and the importance of corporate leadership to overcoming these.
Working together
A running theme, says John Barrett, Deputy Director of Policy and Research at the Department For International Development, “was that we should no longer see ourselves as working just for our home department - we now share the responsibility for shaping and driving the whole public service.”
John was particularly impressed by the attitude of everyone on the course, and their willingness to get the most out of the three days. “I was struck by the congeniality and good humour shown by one and all, with a genuine desire to learn, share and support. The commitment to making the Civil Service more effective in the 21st century was tangible.”
His colleague Tamsyn Barton, Head of the EU Department, agrees. “Actually the thing I found most striking was the emphasis on developing resilience. In the very first exercise we all learnt how the setbacks in our lives had really been the "base camps" for the next ascent. In the current climate, we all need to remember, as one permanent secretary reminded us with a resilient smile: "Bad patches happen to all of us: remember that they always come to an end.”
Looking to the future
Dom Brankin, who also attended the course, is Customer Services Director for Jobcentre Plus in the North East. He was particularly grateful for the opportunity to think about the bigger picture of Civil Service leadership:
“It was liberating to have time to think about the privilege of being a leader in the Service. It's too easy for us all to focus on our individual roles and responsibilities, rather than the part we all play in delivering a great public service.
“We were encouraged to think about our role in the future, and how we could shape this ourselves - rather than simply repeating what those currently filling the most senior positions are doing. We also explored what we could do to develop the next generation of leaders ourselves.”
Dom, Tamsyn and John agree that the inaugural Base Camp was an invaluable experience, and would strongly recommend it to all newly appointed SCS colleagues.