Scottish Water: The Flooding Solutions Team’s Journey to Improved Collaboration and Efficiency

When VISION partnered with the Flooding Solutions Team (FST), we encountered a group deeply committed to delivering the best outcomes for their customers. In previous engagements, we had focused on process improvements, but this collaboration shifted towards behaviours and relationships, essential for lasting culture change.

Our promise for the engagement was centered around three areas: 

•  Reimagining Leadership: One Team Approach
• Improving Survey Timelines
• Creating Meetings That Matter

Reimagining Leadership: One Team Approach

The heart of this transformation was the formation of a new leadership team. Recognising that strong leadership is essential for effective collaboration and decision-making, we supported the team in creating a structure that brought together representatives from Scottish Water and each of their partner organisations – Stantec, Mott McDonald, Arc, and Clancy.

The new leadership team was designed to reflect the principles of the Flooding Solutions Programme: collaboration, transparency, and shared accountability. Leaders from across functions came together to agree on their collective goals, as well as the individual commitments they would make to support the programme. A key focus was fostering a “One Team” culture, where everyone—from delivery partners to planners—worked towards shared outcomes.

One of the first steps was to define the Leadership Team roles and escalation routes, ensuring that decisions could be made quickly and confidently. This clarity helped reduce bottlenecks and empowered teams to focus on what mattered most: delivering for customers. 

As the engagement neared its conclusion, we facilitated a series of assessment-sharing conversations—a cornerstone of VISION practices. These conversations provided a safe and structured space for the leadership team to voice assessments they had been holding on to, some for years. By bringing these to the surface, the team was able to address lingering frustrations and unspoken concerns, fostering a deeper sense of trust and understanding. This was not an easy process; the conversations would not have been successful if we had not established trust with the team and they had trust in each other that they were willing and open to listen and change. The team’s courage and commitment to their shared goals—including improving outcomes for end customers affected by flooding—enabled them to move forward with a renewed sense of purpose. These candid discussions created a fresh path for collaboration, leaving everyone feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the future.

Improving Survey Timelines

One of the first tangible improvements came in the area of survey timelines. The existing process, which could take up to eleven months, was causing delays in decision-making and execution. However, the real shift came not just from optimising workflows, but from the conversations that changed the way the team approached the problem.

The team confronted the challenges and delays head-on, acknowledging them openly for the first time. This transparency enabled them to move beyond frustration and into action, leading to the creation of a survey improvement plan. The team at Clancy fully engaged in this process, committing to making the necessary changes, which in turn fostered trust with Scottish Water.

As a result, survey durations were reduced to nine months, with the team remaining on track to achieve the five month target by March 2025.

Creating Meetings That Matter

Meetings, which had sometimes felt routine and unfocused, became another area of transformation. We introduced a framework to help the team reimagine their approach to meetings, focusing on purpose, participation, and outcomes.

Rather than relying on standard formats, meetings were restructured to align with the programme’s goals. Every discussion now had a clear purpose, whether it was resolving an issue, making a decision, or sharing updates. One key practice we implemented in every meeting was leaving 5 – 10 minutes at the end to reflect on what was discussed, ensure everyone was clear if there were actions, summarise decisions and brainstorm how the next meeting could be improved even further.

Face-to-face quarterly reviews became an essential part of the new meeting cadence. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity for leaders and team members to connect, share insights, and reinforce their shared vision. As one leader noted:

 “The reviews have reminded us of the importance of seeing the bigger picture and how each of us contributes to that.”

These changes have not only improved the quality of meetings but also strengthened collaboration and relationships across teams. Meetings are now seen as an opportunity to build momentum and align efforts, rather than a time-consuming obligation.

Our Story with the FST

The story of the Flooding Solutions Team is one of collaboration, learning, and progress. By working together to overcome challenges, we have not only seen their performance improve but also witnessed the strengthening of their ability to serve the communities that depend on them.

For our team at VISION, working with the Flooding Solutions Team has been a rewarding experience. Their openness to change, willingness to embrace new ways of working, and commitment to improving—even when faced with difficult adjustments—stood out as exceptional. Few teams demonstrate such engagement and determination, and it was a privilege to support them on this journey. As we look to the future, we have no doubt they will continue to achieve remarkable results.