In a move that recognises the power that leadership training has to transform culture, the Metropolitan Police two years ago pledged to commit to change through a new ‘Leadership Academy’.
This was introduced by the then newly appointed Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who said the Academy and new training was all about getting leaders to think, feel and act differently.
With around 43,000 employees, this was a huge undertaking, especially as the bulk of training is delivered face to face. So far the results and engagement have been impressive – we are excited that the Leadership Academy’s Assistant Director, Marc Molloy, will be joining us at our MAD World Summit in London on 9th October to talk us through the scope, strategy and success of the project so far (to register and see the agenda, go to the booking pages here).
We caught up with Marc ahead of his appearance at MAD World…..
Tell me about the thinking behind the Met’s Leadership Academy and transforming how you train your leaders…
Developing leaders is a core priority in the Commissioner’s plan to transform the Met, set out in ‘A New Met for London’. He made a clear commitment that every leader would receive leadership training as part of their role, every year.
This is the first time in the Met’s 200-year history that something of this scale has been undertaken, with 43,000 employees and around 10,000 leaders. The Met Leadership Academy was established to support leaders to be consistent, capable, and uphold the highest professional standards.
What is the main objective of the training?
Cultural reform — ensuring our leaders are equipped to lead in line with our values, maintain high standards and support their people in what is a very challenging and complex environment.
What is the biggest challenge?
We operate under intense public scrutiny, which is entirely appropriate given our role. That scrutiny affects our people and their families, and we recognise the importance of creating a supportive, values-led environment where they feel proud of the work they do and the organisation they’re part of.
We’re clear that there’s been a need for reform, and this programme is one of the ways we’re delivering tangible, lasting culture change.
Why was it important for the training to be delivered face to face?
When designing the programme, we consulted widely with officers, staff and senior leaders. The clear message was that face to face delivery would have the greatest impact, particularly when addressing difficult and sensitive topics.
While we offer an online option for those with specific needs, in-person sessions create space for open, honest conversations about leadership challenges, with a focus on pro-inclusion that holds a mirror up to the organisation and ensures all leaders are focused on sustaining the reforms outlines in a New Met for London – more trust, less crime and high standards.
Would you say you are creating a sense of community through this training?
Yes — for the first time, this programme brings together officers and staff at all leadership levels and across specialisms. It reinforces that our mission is bigger than any one person or team.
The programme is also peer-led, which has been very impactful.
Tell me more about the peer-led approach…
Each session is delivered by a leadership expert paired with an experienced policing leader on a short-term attachment. That operational experience is invaluable and we’ve seen a positive correlation in how content is received, the depth of conversation in the room and feedback from delegates.
For instance, if a delegate is sceptical about something, a peer facilitator who has faced the same challenges can speak from personal experience. It makes the conversations more authentic and credible.
Do you think a peer-led approach works particularly well for men? And are most of your delegates male?
There are currently more male delegates overall, although this is changing — particularly at more senior levels, where we’re seeing increased female representation.
The peer-led approach works well because policing is a uniquely challenging environment. Having facilitators with operational experience means they can relate directly to the pressures our people face. That credibility is essential in creating open, constructive conversations in the room.
Is there any part of the training that is working particularly well for leaders?
Yes — one of the most positively received elements from this year’s programme is a psychometric tool that gives leaders insights into how they manage themselves and work with others. It’s a practical tool that helps leaders understand team dynamics and how to build rapport, hold effective performance conversations and support wellbeing.
We’ve built on this by creating practical scenarios that help leaders consider how different personality types and leadership styles interact in team settings and how these correlate to operational performance.
Are there any improvements you’ve made to training as you’ve progressed?
Yes — we’ve continually refined the programme based on delegate and stakeholder feedback. While face to face training remains central, we’ve added online components to help prepare delegates in advance.
For example, leaders now complete a foundation module before attending the classroom session. That way, when they arrive, they can immediately focus on applying those insights rather than covering theory.
The total programme typically includes around five days of CPD learning, blending online and face to face sessions, tailored by leadership level and operational role.
Any feedback on the best way to present the content for time-poor leaders?
One consistent piece of feedback is to keep content practical and relevant, avoiding overly theoretical material or lengthy presentations.
As a result, our face to face sessions focus on discussion, real-life scenarios and peer-to-peer learning, with theory covered in advance through short, accessible online modules.
Anything else you think that has made managers embrace the training?
A key factor is that the programme has been co-designed with operational leaders, not developed in isolation by a central team. From the outset, we’ve engaged officers and staff, consulting with thousands of people and working closely with departments to ensure the content reflects real operational challenges.
We also maintain regular feedback loops, making adjustments based on what we hear from delegates. The Commissioner personally monitors engagement and feedback, which reinforces the importance of this work and ensures we remain responsive to the needs of our leaders.
Finally, we’re clear with delegates that while this is time away from their duties, it’s an investment in their leadership — giving them tools to sustain high performance, better support their people, build a positive culture, and deliver to the high standards the public expects.
Can you share any results from the training so far?
We are investing considerable time and effort in understanding the immediate feedback we receive from delegates and how we can track longer term outcomes. Over 75% of delegates provide feedback on their course experience and of those surveyed 90% feel confident to apply what they have learnt within their role and empowered to drive high standards within their teams.
We are working with external partners to build on our theory of change – identifying the short, medium and long term measures and racking impact.
What are your ambitions for the future?
The response from our leaders has been exceptional and our ambition is to maintain the high standard of training each year – working in partnership with internal colleagues and external stakeholders to build a curriculum that supports and sustains the very best of the Met for the people of London.
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