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MMs focused on the HIA projects achievements to showcase achievements and manage activities within their extensive work portfolio. These activities were enhanced through the promotion of good news stories. The determination of MMs to extol the virtues of the HIA project was testified by a corporate executive. The following example demonstrates how the resolution of the MM to update their corporate executive on the virtues of the HIA project had led to a positive

endorsement of their achievements. This was evidenced by the commendation by the corporate executive on their effectiveness in raising awareness on the complexity of tasks associated with integrating services across partner local authorities. This

provides an illustration of useful feedback from the corporate executive highlighting the MM as being particularly successful in exploiting windows of opportunity to champion the HIA project:

I have said to [my MM] so I’m not just idly flattering. I think the mark of their success has been getting the partners to work at this and to buy-into it because that’s not easy. [my MM] has not done a lot of the normative stuff, has not done a lot of changes to the system but [my MM] has been the person saying “this is not good enough we can’t keep doing this. It is a win-win situation we will improve the service for the customer but we will also save a lot of time and effort in everything else and in what we are doing”. So to me it is just another example of “don’t tell me why you can’t do it” and a positive example of even with the most complicated of

approaches involving a number of partners you can still make

some really good progress (CE3).

The following sections explore the purposeful activities of MMs and their interest in promoting good news stories.

Focusing on achievements

MMs sustained the interest of corporate executives by exploiting occasions where they could promote good news stories. This activity ensured sustaining the

awareness of corporate and political executives towards the HIA projects activities:

I have kept on pushing and saying this is what we are doing this is what we are delivering and bringing good news stories to [my corporate executive] who is now prepared to give time to it, which is very valuable because [my corporate executive] fully believes in

The MM in this example was determined to promote the positive activities that were being undertaken within the HIA project. Such activities were effective in sustaining the commitment of the corporate executive. This had the desired result of sustaining agreement to devote more attention to HIA project activities.

Field note 142: 25/07/14 observed the proactive attempts of MMs to produce a matrix identifying the core components of the service, opportunities that could enhance the service and its benefits to customers and organizations. This provides an example of the endeavours of MMs to develop a positive message for dissemination to corporate and political executives. This represented an opportunity for MMs to promote the achievements of HIA project activities.

Opportunities to showcase achievements

MMs were committed to seek out appropriate occasions that would sustain the support of corporate executives towards HIA project activities:

I suppose what we could be doing, I’m kind of thinking about engaging them in a event … I suppose what we should be aiming for is that we keep [our corporate and political executives]

engaged about the good news as well so that they are aware of our project and it is in the back of their minds. We should be doing that as well. Promoting the positives as well as the less positive…We could do that a number of ways. Corporate Management Team

have Monday morning meetings. You could book a slot to go to

that (MM10b).

The above example provides a useful insight into how the MM was keen to take advantage of the internal engagement process in order to sustain the attention of corporate executives. The MM was driven by an awareness of the potential impact that such an event would make in providing the opportunity to exploit positive stories. It also had the potential to engender engagement and sustain the buy-in from corporate executives.

MMs were committed to the exploitation of channels of communication that could be utilised to positively raise the awareness of the HIA project through good news stories. However, there was also an inherent awareness that securing occasions that were suitable for sustaining buy-in were contingent on the timing as to when this engagement should take place:

In terms of more locally I think we are little bit divorced from what is going on. In terms of the actual delivery and it is a little early for good news stories. Obviously we are keen to present a favourable impression of the project and [another MM] is probably sick of me suggesting how things are going in terms of good news stories. I think we are just on the cusp of having some of those I was

anticipating involving them a little earlier in the pilot (MM6b).

It was evident from this example the MM was motivated by the need to preserve a positive reputation with corporate and political executives. This had led to a decision by the MM to deliberately hold-back on reporting on the progress of the

HIA project until there were sufficient good new stories to positively demonstrate its achievements.

Field note: 13: 22/02/13 observed MMs discussing their representation at a forthcoming event aimed at showcasing the activities of the HIA project. MMs extended discussions on how they would present these activities positively to corporate executives. The key point of emphasis was effective partnership working culminating in the integrated delivery of the HIA project.

Managing Awareness-raising within the work portfolio

While MMs were purposeful in demonstrating the added value that the HIA project was delivering they were also aware that this needed to be carefully managed within the current workload. This involved carefully balancing the time that could be devoted to promoting the achievements of the HIA project within the constraints of other activities:

I think this is a reality of how difficult it is to manage this within the interplay of many other things. It does not stand-alone and there are many other things going on. My judgement call is there are other things more important than this that I will spend more time on. I will spend just enough time on this to make sure it keeps going in the general direction with which we are all happy and that it does not cost any more. To ensure it gives overall benefits that I am clear and satisfied about … regardless of anything else I have looked at the quarterly report and assessed its benefits to social care. I am happy with the amount of investment that I am putting

in … we are getting this much out and it looks about like this (MM 5b).

The above example demonstrates how the MM carefully balanced the promotion of HIA achievements within other priority areas within their portfolio of work. This was also evidenced by a commitment to spend just the right amount of time to the promotion of HIA activities to ensure that it continued to be supported by corporate and political executives.

MMs motivation to champion HIA activities was also carefully managed to ensure that it continued to receive the backing on corporate and political executives:

There is a careful balance to make sure that it continues with a positive reputation but we don’t overstate it or over play it because

that could actually backfire. (MM5b).

This example illustrates the intuitive awareness that MMs had developed in ensuring HIA activities received continued backing from corporate and political executives. Opportunities to champion its achievements were notably deliberately constrained at times to ensure that it maintained a favourable impression amongst corporate and political executives.

Field note 121: 28/03/14 observed MMs discussing the need to demonstrate the contribution that the HIA project team could make to the strategic priorities of

corporate executives. Concerns were expressed that progress could be hampered owing to a lack of progress on scoping the project. This culminated in the decision to conduct a re-scoping exercise.

The determination of MMs to promote the added value that the HIA project could deliver was maintained by a quarterly-reporting process. This was in the form of a standard document that was produced for and discussed at HIA Project Board meetings. It measured customer outcomes and improvements and system changes that had been achieved over time.

The fact that the HIA project had maintained the integrated partnership arrangement with a number of local authorities was a good news story that MMs wanted to exploit. This was perceived as an issue that could be sold as part of their commitment to sustaining the support of corporate and political executives:

Now we’ve kept the key players throughout that that’s been one of the things that’s made this possible has been that constancy of people involved through the same journey. What they have then done is try to talk to their [corporate and political executives]

about it (MM1a).

This example supports the purposeful activities of MMs in defining the HIA project as a journey that could be championed as a good news story to corporate and

There was sufficient evidence to support positive stories in selling issues based on the achievements of the HIA project. However, there was nonetheless an awareness that more work needed to be done:

I don’t think we are very good at communicating or demonstrating and I suppose that aspect of work is how can we demonstrate the

effectiveness of what we are delivering (MM4a).

This example demonstrates how there were differences in attitudes towards being resolute about promoting the project to corporate and political

executives. It was evident that there was an awareness by the MM that not everyone was tasked with the same determination to champion the

achievements of the HIA to corporate and political executives.

The MMs who had been persistent in proactively championing the achievements of the HIA project were able to describe this as a complex activity:

It is really interesting how we can influence through evidence, we can influence through what we do on the ground and who we talk

to but also personalities come into play don’t they (MM8b).

This example demonstrates how MMs were aware of the need to be steadfast in engaging with corporate and political executives. This included developing an awareness of the personalities of the corporate and political executives to define what could be considered to be a good news story.