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Why we need to steal with pride
The housing sector has a strong sense of identity and purpose, but it must look outside the bubble and import the best solutions if it is to truly succeed, argues Sandy Sohal, in the third of a series of blogs in Inside Housing by participants of the Leadership 2025 programme
We’re lucky in housing – and rightly proud – to have a strong sense of purpose and know that we work to benefit society. What we do is even more important now. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic we have seen others start to realise this too – it’s fair to think that some will want to join us.
I joined our sector four years ago, and my overall impression has been that while we achieve so much, there is much more we could offer.
For me, this means continuing to learn from each other and collaborate to bring about change and improvement as well as welcoming more new ideas and ways of thinking from outside our sector. Exploring what others have to offer and working together keep us moving forward.
The Leadership 2025 programme is a fantastic example of collaborating to create change, as are the various partnerships in place around the sector.
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We have a strong track record in importing ideas from outside the housing sector. Just as banking customers can view their accounts online, so can ours. People can book a grocery delivery online, so can our customers. Parts of the sector have adopted the Plentific repairs offering, which is based on Uber’s model. We won’t stop there, we’ll continue to work to improve what we do.
The world is changing around us faster than ever. We need to stay open to different ways of doing things to thrive – maybe even to survive. We cannot allow complexity or uncertainty to stop us from continuing to modernise, improve and prepare for the future.
So we must continually innovate. To improve customer experiences. To equip those that work in the sector with better tools. To find solutions to environmental issues: cut waste, improve quality and create better value for everyone.
These things are more important, not less, in our sector and particularly in these times. It is our customers – and ultimately society at large – that will pay if we don’t.
It doesn’t have to be super creative or a ‘big bang’. Some of the best innovations come from spotting things others are doing and adapting them to suit.
“We cannot allow complexity or uncertainty to stop us from continuing to modernise, improve and prepare for the future”
We just need to consider ideas, be willing to fail and learn, focus on testing and improving, and have the courage to stop something that isn’t working.
The good news is that we know of and are delivering some of these solutions already. Across the sector we’re investing every day in making a difference for our customers. As long as we keep learning from others, including each other, we’ll set ourselves up to succeed.
At one of my past organisations we called this “stealing with pride”.
Sandy Sohal, director of homeowner services, The Guinness Partnership
