Leadership skills: Confidence, Communication and Influence

About

This half-day event, run by The National Archives and the Archives and Records Association, is designed to support recordkeepers at all career stages who want to feel more confident, more influential, and more engaged with their ongoing professional development. It is part of a joint programme of support from both organisations, to develop recordkeepers’ leadership skills and find solutions to workforce development challenges.

The event builds on the Leadership for Recordkeepers Summit delivered in June 2025 and responds directly to feedback from participants who wanted greater confidence, stronger professional voice, and more practical support in influencing conversations and decisions.

Rather than focusing on technical skills, the day concentrates on the human side of professional life: how confidence is built and eroded, how communication works under pressure, and how CPD can be reclaimed as a creative, energising form of leadership rather than an administrative requirement.

The programme includes panel sessions on communicating with influence, managing difficult conversations with confidence, and practical case studies on negotiation, influence, and imposter feelings, all grounded in real organisational challenges. Psychological frameworks will be used to make sense of why change feels difficult and how professionals can respond with greater clarity and agency. The event also looks beyond the day itself, exploring simple ways to sustain learning and confidence.

Programme

10:00 – 10:15 – Welcome

10:15 – 11:00 – Panel 1: Communicating to Influence

11:00 – 11:20 – Tea, coffee and break

11:30 – 12:15 – Panel 2: Managing Difficult Conversations with Confidence

12:15 – 13:15 – Networking lunch

13:15 – 14:00 – Case study presentations: Negotiation and Influence in Leadership

14:00 – 14.15 - Wrap-up

14:30 - Close

Who should attend

The event is aimed at practising recordkeeping professionals at all stages of their career, including archivists, conservators and records managers. A limited number of tickets were released in advance to previous attendees of the Leadership for Recordkeepers summit, as this event has been designed based on their feedback, however, places opened up to all recordkeepers on Wednesday 4 March.

When registering, please book the ticket type that most closely matches your career stage according to the below definitions:

Early Career: Perhaps you have 1-10 years’ experience in the sector. Examples might include those who have recently completed a professional qualification (or are working towards it) or are thinking about working towards ARA Registration. You might be in more junior roles, focused on developing more technical skills with limited management responsibility.

Mid-Career: You may have more than 10 years’ experience. You may have responsibility for managing staff, budgets or other resources. You actively continue with your professional development, and you might be working towards or have gained Registered Membership of the ARA.

Senior: You may have responsibility for a recordkeeping service, or may be in a role with a wider portfolio that includes responsibility for a recordkeeping service. You will have responsibility for leading the strategic direction of the service or you may be working with a range of organisations to provide strategic support around recordkeeping. You might be working towards or have gained ARA Fellowship.

Apply for a travel bursary

A limited number of bursaries are available to help cover travel costs to the Leadership Summit for delegates who have to pay for their own travel. Priority will be given to delegates travelling from outside Birmingham and successful applicants will be reimbursed after their attendance. Apply for a travel bursary.

Additional information

This is an in-person event only. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

The event will be held in meeting room 144 and 145 at Conference Aston.

The Hotel and Conference Centre is located on the Aston University campus in Birmingham City Centre, easy to get to by road, rail and air. Here you'll find guidance on how to get there.

By registering, you are committing to attend the event. If you can longer attend, it is important that you give us as much notice as possible to ensure we can re-allocate your place to another person. This event comes at a cost to both The National Archives and the Archives and Records Association.

If you have any questions or accessibility requirements, please email [email protected].

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