Solace blog

In this day and age, we should all be digital leaders, advocating the beneficial use of technology for our customers, residents, and members – and this year’s Solace Summit will help us take a step forward on this.

At this year’s event there will be sessions on day three focussing on delivery – specifically how digital can help us deliver services – and I am delighted that we will be joined by Dr Nicola Millard, Head of Customer Insight and Futures for BT Global Services, Dr Catherine Howe, Digital Innovation Director for Capita, Rob Shaw, Deputy Chief Executive NHS Digital and our very own Alison MacKenzie-Forlan, Deputy Chief Executive for Wigan Council. A great line up of stimulating and knowledgeable speakers.

Digital transformation, digital disruption, and digital leadership are all a part of our everyday lives, either as a consumer or customer, as council service provider or commissioner.

As Chief Executives and senior leaders in local government we need to be equipped for these conversations; to know ‘enough’ to lead in this space. None of us need to be technical experts, you don’t even need to have the iPhone X, but we do need to understand the power that digital solutions can bring to our customers, staff and elected members as well as the threats from cybersecurity and the changing needs of business continuity.

Everywhere we go as consumers/customers we see the advance and application of digital solutions from our private sector partners, nudging societal change. We can use this to accelerate our own digital transformation strategies, ‘stealing’ innovation and good practice as well as developing our own, like in Wigan.

I hope you will get to these sessions as I believe our thinking will be stimulated, knowledge broadened and aspirations to be an even better leader in a digital world improved!

By Matt Prosser, Chief Executive, Dorset Councils Partnership and Solace Spokesperson for Digital Leadership