I remember sitting in the sunshine one day reading one of my favourite books “The Language of Kindness: A Nurse’s Story” by Christie Watson. My grandmother had given me the book after I received the news that I had been successful in gaining a place on the BSc Mental Health Nursing course at Swansea, and whilst reading it I came across a quote which I have held onto ever since.
“A mental health nurse is a dream-catcher in a desperate window.”
This analogy is something that has stuck with me throughout my training and is something I think of often. I’ve always had a passion for mental health and how our minds, as humans, work. I have always been told from a young age that I am emotionally intelligent and very empathetic. These are some of the attributes that I would later learn are vital in leadership.
Because of my interest in the mind, I pursued psychology from GCSE level all the way through to completing my BSc in Psychology at Cardiff University.
During my psychology degree, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. I didn’t realise at the time how important this journey would be for my future career. Being a regular patient in the healthcare system opened my eyes to whole new perspective that I hadn’t seen before. It gave me so much insight into the patient experience: what worked well, and what didn’t.
Although nursing had always been on my mind, it was my diagnosis, and experience with my illness, that really drove me to want to enter a healthcare profession. When I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, I remember being in an appointment and being told that my prognosis wasn’t great and that I’d need further surgery in the future. The bedside manner of this particular consultant was to be questioned. It drained me of hope. And yet, not long after, I was sat in an appointment with a different consultant, who, despite facts remaining the same, made me feel as though my prognosis was different, she gave my hope back. And it was all down to her kindness and empathy.
This brings me back to the quote I included at the start of this blog. We, as healthcare students and future staff, should strive to take the worry and distress away from our patients. We should strive to be the dreamcatcher who ‘holds’ their distress for them, until they can do it themselves. We can, with kindness, give them the power of knowledge, education and medicine that allows the patient to take matters back into their own hands. The consultant I saw was a dreamcatcher for me. She altered my entire outlook on my disease, with kindness and a listening ear. Our attitude can make the world of difference to our patients.
Fast forward to starting mental health nursing at Swansea. In the early weeks of the course, we had a talk regarding the Swansea Leadership Academy (SLA). Needless to say, I went home that day and started my application. I was thrilled to hear I had been accepted to be part of 2023 SLA cohort.
The conference days as part of SLA were so interesting, and I remember feeling like, for the first time, I had met people who had the same ideas and passions as me. Through SLA, we were encouraged to apply for the Council of Deans of Health’s Student Leadership Programme (150 Leaders). After hearing about the programme, from which SLA is based on, I knew I had to explore it.
Ironically, I was in hospital just before the deadline for the 150 Leaders application, finishing my application from a hospital bed. I was sure I wouldn’t be chosen to attend due to not giving it the same effort as I usually could. As you can imagine, I was extremely shocked to find out that I had been successful in gaining a place out of hundreds of applicants.
During my time on the 150 Leaders Programme, what stood out to me was how similar all the attendees were, despite coming from all parts of the UK, doing different degrees, working in rural and inner-city areas. We all shared the passion to want to make healthcare better for our patients and staff. We want to lead with compassion and empathy – I was sitting in a room full of potential future NHS leaders.
Through both leadership programmes that I have been lucky to be a part of, I have had coaching from some welcoming and inspiring people who have allowed me to express my passions, take part in conferences, and discuss ideas. The opportunities I have been a part of since the leadership programmes have been outstanding for my learning experience. I have really enjoyed speaking to leaders in their field and will carry their knowledge with me throughout my career.
I believe that my life experience has led me to where I am today. Being innately passionate about the care of others, and now being able to put that into practice has been overwhelming in the best way.
The leadership programmes have taught me that being a good leader is not just about skill and experience, but also about being compassionate, emotionally intelligent and a good listener, who takes actions based off what their staff/patients are saying. If you heart is in the right place, the rest will follow.
I have taken my learning to the classroom and have taken steps amongst my classmates to act on their behalf and speak up for them. By being a student rep for my class, I strive to be that person who acts when situations occur that require my cohort to speak up. I enjoy being that person people can come to and feel confident that I will listen and take steps to help.
Being part of the SLA has given me a lot of confidence to do things I maybe wouldn’t have done with such ease before. SLA unlocked a part of me that was always there, I just didn’t realise it. I didn’t realise that my innate attributes were the recipe of a good leader. Kindness is the driving force to all good things, but taking steps to act is what sets you apart.
I strive to always be that dreamcatcher for my patients. I promise to hold as much worry as I can for them, and to use that to take action in ensuring that they get the best care they can. I promise to be there for my colleagues and to always show compassion in everything I do.
The Leadership Academy experience at Swansea University has been an extraordinary journey. One that has sparked passion, commitment, and curiosity. Leadership is quality that is not confined to CEOs or managers alone, but something that can be cultivated by anyone willing to take on the responsibility of leading. In this blog article I will explore the essence of effective leadership that I personally experienced with my mentor and with other individuals. Below are some examples of my own findings after spending time with Hazel Powell and several other individuals who are leaders in their field.
I was very lucky to have been matched with Hazel Powell and listened intently to her presentation of supporting and initiating the training for overseas nurses. Hazel is inspired by equality and diversity and is empowered to helping and nurturing them to train and integrate them into our culture. I, like Hazel, am also empowered by equality and diversity and feel very strongly about supporting the journey of neuro diverse medical students into the NHS workforce. This is something close to my heart, and together with my teaching background, the SLA has inspired me to pursue this venture further. Hazel and I visited the training suite for the overseas nurses, and it was one of my most favourite experiences of the SLA. These nurses leave their homes, family, sometimes young children. They are already qualified in their fields yet undertake a rigorous training course along with several forms of inspections and examinations before being signed off to work in Wales. They were so resilient and faced much adversity. They were some of the most inspiring people I have ever met and felt a huge privilege of meeting them.
I have been invited and exposed to a variety of areas such as suicide prevention, meetings with HEIW, Clinical audit visits, Quality and Assurance meetings, I have been connected to areas such as PALS team in Morriston Hospital, Care after Death team, palliative care nurses, to which I now undertake bank work. I am in contact with the “Arts in Health” team and digital stories. I have experienced perspectives from social workers and Occupational therapists. I am awaiting to experience and organise a placement with QI and a visit to Ashworth, along with the health hand safety team at the “Welsh Risk Pool”.
I have also been in contact with the Bacteriology department to gain an insight in this field and experienced a day with a diabetic nurse to expand my knowledge in this area. I am currently in contact with a nurse researcher who I hope to have a placement with to gain further insight into this role, as this is something that I would like to further explore.
Vision and purpose:
At the heart of leadership lies a clear vision and purpose. Great leaders possess the ability to articulate a compelling vision that inspires and motivates others. They have a deep understanding of their purpose, and they communicate this with authenticity and passion. A well-defined vision sets the direction and act as a guiding light, enabling the leader and their team to navigate challenges and make informed decisions. I felt this very early on with Hazel, after being inspired by her presentation at the Leadership Academy. Hazel was very open and honest about her own experiences and journey, and very engaging and supportive when answering questions, I had. Another experience through the SLA I was privileged to meet Kimberley, an individual who had, in recent years, set up the “Care After Death Team”.
Kimberley was an absolute inspiration and her dedication to set up this phenomenal service and nurture and grow it, was absolutely awe inspiring, and rooted from her very own personal experiences within the NHS. Kimberley was a rare individual and the NHS are extremely lucky to have her.
Emotional intelligence:
Emotional intelligence distinguishes exceptional leaders from the rest. Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence have a heightened awareness of their own emotions and those of others. They are empathetic, understanding, and skilled at building relationships based on trust and respect. By acknowledging and effectively managing emotions, leaders can foster a positive and inclusive work environment, enhancing collaboration and productivity. Whilst being on several meetings that Hazel chaired, I was in constant awe of her absolute determination and openness to support individuals and teams with ideas on how to improve services. She was so supportive of trialling and testing new ideas to constantly want to improve services within the NHS.
Effective communication:
Clear and effective communication seems to be cornerstone of successful leadership, and something that has been highlighted to me on numerous occasions during my time at the SLA. Leaders were skilled at conveying their vision, goals, and expectations to their team members. They listened attentively, sought feedback, and provided constructive guidance. The open and transparent communication helped to foster a culture of trust, encouraging innovation, and ensuring that everyone was aligned and working towards the same objectives.
Adaptability and resilience:
It was evident on many occasions that I witnessed adaptability and resilience. By remaining flexible and open-minded, leaders can navigate uncertainties and inspire their teams to thrive amidst adversity. Hazel was resilient and lead by example, demonstrating courage and perseverance, which evidently empowered others to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
Empowerment and delegation:
Hazel and many individuals I met understood the importance of empowering their team members and delegated responsibilities effectively. They recognised individual strengths and talents, and they provide opportunities for growth and development. By empowering others, leaders create a sense of ownership and foster a culture of innovation and collaboration. Effective delegation allows the leaders to leverage the collective, enabling them to achieve successful outcomes.
Continuous learning:
From my experiences, I have realised that leadership is a lifelong journey of growth and learning. Great leaders are committed to their personal and professional development. They stay curious seek new knowledge and embrace feedback and constructive criticism. By continually expanding their skills and perspectives, leaders can stay ahead of the curve and inspire their teams to do the same. They lead by example, encouraging a culture of continuous learning within their organisation. For my personally, I am constantly curious and felt privileged to meet individuals who have inspired me and have helped nurture my growth and confidence. I am very eager to experience as many different experiences as I can, purely to get to know the service as a whole and to understand the microsystems that work within it.
The SLA has taught me that leadership is not about holding a position of authority; it is about inspiring others to achieve their full potential. I have witnessed clear vision, emotional intelligence, and excellent communication skills. I have seen adaptability, resilience, and empowering team members. Leadership is a journey that requires continuous learning and personal growth. By embracing these principles, I feel I can proceed and unlock my true potential and move forward, embracing each opportunity as a learning experience and I am determined to never lose my curiosity. I look forward to continuing my journey with leadership and feel utterly privileged to have met the people I have through the SLA. I hope to always be reach out to them for future support and growth.
I have loved every minute of the SLA experience and encourage anybody thinking of applying to do so. I also recommend those who apply to go after what inspires them, what they feel passionate about and if they have a vision of where they wish to go, or what they would like to improve in themselves is to reach out and make those connections. Use this opportunity to you advantage, and don’t waste a second. Embrace it all. Good luck!
“Andrew, do you see the way that you work with your patients?”
When I was a Health Care Support Worker for a Community Mental Health Team, I would never had known, that a short conversation in 2015, with a psychotherapist colleague, would send me on a journey of self-exploration and personal and professional development.
Having been told by my colleagues that when working with a patient, I would look at the patient’s journey, how they got to the situation they were in, showing compassion, true empathy and that I was in touch with their emotions. For me, I was under the impression that everyone worked in this manner. I was advised, that I should look to explore what opportunities were out there to enhance my learning and also guide me into putting theory behind my therapeutic practice.
This lead me to initially complete a 10 week counselling taster course with Swansea University, to then funding myself to take up a 2-year Higher Education Certificate in Counselling skills. On completion of this, I had developed my self-awareness, personal growth, self-acceptance and my personal beliefs about myself and others.
Fast forward 3 years to 2020, where I applied for the part-time BSc in Adult Nursing, which I was successful. I was a few weeks into the course, when one night, I was casually reading through a book called “A Handbook for Student Nurses” (Benbow & Al, 2019). I came across a page in the book titled “Emotional Intelligence” and that is when it all clicked and where my journey with emotional intelligence really took off. I had never heard of the term emotional intelligence, but within this one page in this book, I totally understood everything it was about.
In the short piece within the book, it defines emotional intelligence (EI) as the capacity to perceive, evaluate, and effectively handle our own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Then goes on to break EI into four key areas – Self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and social skills, which mirrors Daniel Goleman’s key ideas in his book “Emotional Intelligence, Why it can matter more than IQ”. In relating to this small, one page chapter, I recognised that I was always in tune with my own emotions, my strengths, weaknesses, values and what motivated me. As well, as this, the management of my own emotions, impulses and reactions in maintaining an emotional balance.
At around the same time that I had read the small chapter on EI, I had an online lecture called “Leadership and the Self” with Beryl Mansel. To tie in with the lecture, we were given a “Leading the self” workbook, which was based on developing self-awareness. Within the workbook, the idea that self-awareness is an understanding of a person’s own strengths, weaknesses, and the differing aspects of the self. The workbook also covered how a person can look into their self and grow an awareness of their strengths and limitations, can lead to a person acquiring the insight and skills needed to be an effective leader. This got me reflecting and recognising my own strengths and weaknesses. I was aware that I was a good communicator, adaptable, honest and passionate in the development of others but areas to work on were self-confidence and self-belief. After the lecture I spoke to Beryl about my interest in Emotional Intelligence and how could I look into developing it. Beryl advised me to apply for the Student Leadership Academy (SLA) at Swansea University, which is a programme aimed at students who aspire to lead and make a difference. A key aspect within the SLA is gaining confidence in a person’s skills and an increase in self-awareness. This seemed the perfect programme to understand my strengths and enhance my emotional intelligence.
I spent the week perfecting my SLA application and then the next couple of weeks, nervously waiting to see if my application was successful. When I got the email stating that I had been successful in my application, I was over the moon. I knew I there would be the opportunity to meet likeminded individuals like myself and build strong networks.
Due to covid, the initial 2-day leadership conference was held online. It consisted of motivational speakers from varying health and social care and education backgrounds, interactive group sessions and the opportunity to network. Of the phenomenal calibre of guest speakers, one that stood out for me was Nicola Davis-Job, who is the Acute Care and Leadership Adviser for the Royal College of Nursing Wales. Her presentation on ‘Leading with Emotional Intelligence’ really resonated with me personally, when she talked about resilience, grit, motivation and optimism. The areas that Nicola talked about validated my own characteristics, as an optimistic motivating individual, not only with the patients in my care, but the people in my close circle around me.
As part of the SLA, the delegates were given an Emotional Intelligence Workbook and within the workbook, it discussed how developing the four areas of EI (self-awareness, Social awareness, self-management and relationship management) would lead to becoming more productive and successful in what we do. I could relate to my own ongoing development in these four areas, which has led to a reduction in stress in my personal, work and university life and helped improve the relationships within these areas. Towards the end of the workbook, it listed “Ten habits of emotionally intelligent people” and within these ten habits were two, which really resonated with me personally. Showing respect for and validating other people’s feelings, was something I had always done naturally. When seeing this in the EI workbook, it validated my own empathic ways of being and having and understanding and acceptance of individual’s feelings. Respecting and validating people’s feelings, wasn’t just aimed towards the patients I cared for, but also with the people in my personal life.
Reflecting back on my time leading up to the SLA, I was able to recognise my own elements of emotional intelligence through reading literature. However, I had not been able to fully gauge all aspects of EI, and taking part in the SLA, helped me go deeper into recognising other areas of EI in myself and adapt a growth mindset, surrounding EI. The SLA guided me into realising the importance of EI and leadership, especially in health and social care. The idea that in the workplace, a leader who possesses the ability to regulate their own emotions and demonstrate empathy towards others, will exhibit greater effectiveness. Going forward in my own leadership journey within the health service, I can now acknowledge the importance of the ongoing development of my own EI, through dedication and self-reflection.
At the time of writing this and completing the SLA, I have gone on to successfully complete the national 150 Leaders student leadership programme which is run in partnership between the Council of Deans of Health and the Burdett Trust for Nursing. Furthermore, I was invited back to the 2023 SLA, to deliver a presentation to the new delegates on my experiences on the 150 leaders programme and co-present a presentation on “Developing your Emotional Intelligence”.
By stepping outside my comfort zone and continuing to develop my emotional intelligence, I am truly excited to see where my leadership journey takes me.
References
Benbow, W., & Al, E. (2019). A handbook for student nurses : introducing key issues relevant.for practice (3rd ed.). Lantern Publishing.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bloomsbury.
Steve Gutzler Leadership Keynote Speaker and Executive Coach. (2013, April 1). Steve Gutzler. https://www.stevegutzler.com/
My journey in leadership throughout the Student Leadership Academy 2023 has been an incredible one.
The first conference, on the 9th and 10th of March, was a strong start to the whole process – from getting to meet a lot of like-minded students, to getting to witness great talks from extremely senior members of staff (Chief Executive Welsh Ambulance (NHS) Trust Jason Killens). While the talks and networking with staff was very useful and genuinely interesting, to be able to connect with my fellow healthcare students was also a great aspect of the Academy. Throughout my general university life, I have ample chance to socialise with other student nurses, but unfortunately have had little time nor opportunity to engage with students of other healthcare degrees. However, in the Student Leadership Academy there was a large mix of students. Nursing students were well represented, but there was also midwifery, paramedics, neurophysiologists, and occupational therapists.
The first two days set up how the rest of the experience would go – encouraging me to think about what truly matters in a great leader, and how these key aspects in the good leaders around me utilize these to give their staff and patients the best possible working and healing environment.
One challenge that students were asked to think about before returning for the second and last part of the Academy was an achievable change that Swansea University could implement to improve the student lives. The group that I was in decided to go with my idea of a society catered towards all healthcare students – created with the goal of uniting students across the boundaries of degrees, making life-long friendships that would benefit the student in university but additionally once working together in the NHS. Our group the “HealthSoc Committee” then committed to starting a presentation to be shared on the final day of the Academy.
The next stage of the Student Leadership Academy was the coaching scheme, which involved one-on-one meetings with senior members of different aspects of healthcare organisations in the UK to speak about leadership and learn from one another. The coach that I was paired with was Simon Cassidy, a member of staff in Health Education in Wales. Simon was always incredibly pleasant to me and enabled me to feel comfortable to ask him continual questions about his experiences whenever we met up over Zoom. This was around once every month from April to September 2023 – which may have been slightly more than other students met with their coaching mentors! Simon and I had a good relationship over our chats, and so he invited me to speak at a HEIW conference with four other students from across South Wales.
With some students from Cardiff University, Open University, University of South Wales, I was proud to be able to represent Swansea University by my lonesome. On the 24th October 2023, in my speech to a crowd of around 100 people, each with their own years long experience as a nurse, I spoke about the future of nursing as it seems to students, mentioning the negative press surrounding nursing (potentially turning away future needed nursing staff), and the positive way I had been treated by multiple staff members on placement ensuring my enjoyment.
As I was going first of the group, I was quite nervous, but persevered. I got through the speech – hopefully with mistakes to a minimal! Some audience members were also kind enough to come to the students’ table after the event and congratulate us all on our speeches. A comment made by a sister stuck with me – that our talks reminded her “of what it was like to be a student and to have that ambition and drive to improve”.
With positive reviews on the day and on the internet afterwards, I was feeling grateful that the Academy enabled this opportunity to come to me – but that was not the end of positive effects from SLA!
The final day on the 7th of July came upon me fast. The “HealthSoc Committee” group had been preparing for the presentation, and we had organised a survey for healthcare students to undertake – with full approval from the SU research ethics team. We did not anticipate the response, with over 140 responses from many different healthcare degrees. This encouraged our team, as it showed a real gap in the SU experience and incredible preliminary interest in the idea, and through this survey process we gained valuable advice and knowledge from multiple senior staff members. We then presented in front of staff and students, an experience which helped me build my confidence in my presenting skills. The feedback we received was exceptionally positive and made me thankful for the work that my group and I had put in, all supported by the skills garnered from the Student Leadership Academy. As a direct result, we now have a healthcare society, of which the majority of committee are SLA members of 2022/23.
The final opportunity that I can thank the Student Leadership Academy for is meeting hosted by HEIW staff with five other students online, of which I was the only student from Swansea University, and additionally the only student studying Adult (General) Nursing.
It was in this meeting I got to learn about how HEIW is planning to recruit nursing staff, and the future of nursing from their perspective – as well as share my own thoughts. The topics ranged from AI to decentralisation. Throughout I was honoured to get an inside look at how nursing could look in 10 years time – a chance earned through SLA.
When I first applied to attend the SLA, I was not expecting to be given these great events throughout the year – but as I have I would encourage everyone to give the Student Leadership Academy application a go. You may just get through and open yourself up to improving yourself with leadership skills, and incredible networking opportunities in which you make stable and lifelong relationships!
As a mature student I thought I understood leadership. I didn’t! It was only when I participated in the Leadership Academy, my knowledge began to grow and gave me the confidence to believe in myself.
Leadership isn’t about being the loudest in the room, it is about active listening, self-awareness, communication, and collaboration, along with many more skills. I always knew I had some of these qualities but never really knew how I could develop them further and if I even had the ability to do so, but Beryl and her lovely team made myself and the rest of the room believe that we could.
Attending the leadership academy was a little out my comfort zone, but being in a room full of leaders, I really had nothing to be worried about. Listening to motivational speakers, working within teams, and enjoying learning about myself and the type of leader I am and how I could enhance those skills that I already had. Being apart of the leadership academy also taught me self-awareness of my own traits and what I wanted to learn, grow, and how I wanted to empower other people with this knowledge.
My name is Toni Evans and I am soon to be a year 3 student mental health nurse. Something that I am very passionate about and I am always looking for new ideas to put into clinical practice to make sure our lovely service users are receiving the best care possible and I believe the newly found leadership skills I have devloped will help me achieve this.
Here are a few examples of how I can achieve this:
Communication:
Active listening is one of the main components that I believe makes a good leader. It is about being able to give someone your time to fully concentrate on what you are being told, to understand them and to respond to them. Ive also learnt it’s about being respectful to others.
Empathy:
Empathy is a vital skill all leaders will need to adopt. It is about being able to build trust, understand and inspire others.
Collaboration:
Collaboration skills are just as important as any other skills in leadership. Having the ability to be able to work well with others but it is also about sharing the responsibility and decision making.
Those are just a few examples of different skills that a leader may have. Most people reading this will already have those skills, but for me, it was about learning how to develop those skills and apply them.
Attending the leadership academy has taught me so much about the type of leader I am. I had the privilege of having our chief nursing officer for Wales Sue Tranka as my coach. It really was a dream come true. She was able to guide me and support me through my journey with the SLA. She taught me so much about myself in such a short space of time. It’s something I will never forget in my personal life and professional career.
I had previously met Sue at another function, so was already aware of what a great leader she was, but this time, I was able to speak to her about my own leadership journey.
Keeping in touch with Sue didn’t end there……I was also asked to attend the chief nursing officers conference in Cardiff in October 2023 as a guest speaker about my own personal journey with mental health. It was the most surreal experience that I have ever had. I was in another room full of leaders, but this time it was very experienced leaders. I got to talk in front of 300 people in the room and 150 people online. Something I would never have been able to do before the leadership academy.
I left school with no GCSE’s above a D and worked in an office for 12 years but when my own mental health journey started 5 years ago, with the professional help and my own determination, I decided I wanted to help others who may be in the situation I was in 2019. I never in a million years imagined I would be speaking at the chief nursing officers conference just a few years later, empowering other people.
Believe in yourself and always be open to learning.
If you were to Google ‘Leadership’, you would get billions, even trillions of results in half a second. This makes it hard to narrow down and identify the elements. So let’s make it simple; You don’t actually have to be in a chief executive position, a politician, or a manager to be a leader. Leadership isn’t about position; it is about who you are and the influence you have. Every single one of us can be a leader and make a difference in some way whether that be through paving the way for organisation, inspiring teams, or my personal favourite, creating communities.
Authentic leadership is about turning up and being ourselves. – having a clear understanding of who we are, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and working in a transparent way to bring it all together. Through my coaching with Beryl we talked a lot about self-leadership and that in order to be a great leader, to start, you must have good self-leadership.
I have held leadership positions in many organisations and many workplaces, but it was only since joining SLA that I actually reflected on my own leadership, the traits and expectations I hold for myself and others and this brought about a self-awareness.
It’s probably time I introduced myself, for those of you that don’t know me, my name is Tilly, I’m a current 3rd year Student Paramedic and I have held a few different leadership positions in the past.
I hope you will indulge me now as I take you through a snapshot of my leadership journey, and tell you some stories, in no particular order of the leadership lessons I have learnt along the way.
1: Take care of your team.
So to start, lets take it back to 2003 I am 8 years old and a cub scout. Tuesday nights are my playground and I have my first leadership experience as a Sixer, which means that I am the “responsible one” for a small group of other 8-10 year olds- now I don’t know who thought that this was a good Idea as I was rather scatty back then. A highlight here was being the chief pirate on a bamboo raft race, doing a marvellous job taking care of the team, laughing and smiling despite our raft being half underwater and on the verge of sinking.
I think my biggest worries were about making friends and making sure we were all having fun. Undenounced to me, I was building the foundation blocks of the social skills, I have used throughout my life to take care of people. I didn’t think back then, making sure my 6 all had a glue stick, and an egg would lead me here.
2: Be open to being exposed to new experiences and new ways of thinking
Its 2006 now, I am 11- I am a patrol leader in Scouts and I am camping in a farmer’s field in Swanage where there are no flushable facilities on this camp. The toilet is basically a bucket, with a lid, in a tent. There was a lot of confusion on this camp at the beginning- our parents had paid for us to go camping for a week and we were expected to use that?! But someone had to go first, and that person was me. There was a moment on camp where my friend accidentally dropped the last toilet roll in the bucket. But it can’t have been all that bad as I did go on to complete over 200 nights away camping in Scouts. So, the lesson here- be open to being exposed to new experiences and new ways of thinking. It might not always be as bad as it seems.
3: Encourage growth in others
Back in the day, roughly around 2007 I used to be a competitive swimmer. Unfortunately, or fortunately I found out about cake and didn’t carry this on. But being a swimmer led me to being able to instruct swimming as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Awards. My bread and butter was progressing children from Goldfish 3- being able to blow bubbles underwater and swim 5 meters with no feet on the ground, to Angelfish 1- jumping in the big pool and swimming 20 meters back to the wall. This might seem wholly irrelevant in the stance of leadership, but by celebrating small goals on the way to big achievements, you are encouraging growth and progression in others, and this can foster a great team environment.
4: Use SMART targets to your advantage
I am now 17 and beginning my career in the outdoor industry, starting as an activity instructor and then a manger. One of my favourite activities to instruct was archery. I got quite good at it with practice, and I will never forget the looks of disbelief on some teachers faces when I hit 5 arrows, on 5 balloons in the gold ,one after the other by sheer fluke in my demonstration. In archery, it’s all the about the set-up, the aim and the action. Getting teams on board and aligned is vital for success, and keeping people coordinated and aimed is a continual process. You’re the luckiest leader in the world if this happens by default. But one way to ensure people are co-ordinated and aimed, is to use SMART targets to your advantage and each success can encourage growth.
5: Increase opportunities through community, connections and collaboration
Another milestone in my journey was completing a degree and qualifying as a Youth Worker- Paired with my outdoor instructing background, I applied for a job in Appalachia- trekking with disadvantaged young people on the Appalachian trail, encouraging them to break down barriers, collaborate, lead, and form meaningful connections in their community through the outdoors. Sometimes this was difficult- especially when you notice a bear has been following you and your group of 12 young people for the past half an hour. But those lessons those teenagers were learning can still be transferred into our professional careers- you just don’t have to trek a long way to realise it.
6: Listen to your colleges
On return to the UK, I picked up one of my old jobs again- Supervisor to 50 lifeguards daily at an outdoor seasonal swimming pool, where we had a ground capacity of 3000 people. Reacting in emergency situations was challenging, especially during heatwaves and when unexpected scenarios play out, but being able to adapt to changing situations and stay calm under pressure was at the forefront of my role, and an environment now in which I feel I thrive. This role taught me that communication is the essence of leadership, but it is listening that is the most important aspect. I know you all know how communication works- People can express feelings, pass on information and share thoughts, and in turn boost morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction whilst also forming meaningful relationships and communities of support along the way. Sometimes though, just like when we were all children, you have to cross your legs, put your fingers on your lips and keep your ears open as that’s the only way for any learning to begin.
7: Develop leadership strategies and skills to lead yourself and others
In my previous free time – though I can tell you I don’t currently have much of that. I was an Army Reservist, part of the Officer Training Corps under The Sandhurst Group. This was quite frankly the most nerve-racking thing I have ever done. This wasn’t as free spirited as my previous off the whim adventures. But the preparation for this gave me the chance to reflect and look at where I truly wanted to be. I was not only being judged on my aptitude with psychometric testing, my fitness and my personal leadership, I was also being judged on my ability to guide others and whether I had the secret golden nugget within me that was right for the role. The preparation for this for this was a lengthy process but enabled me to develop strategies and skills to lead myself and others.
8: Be willing to be misunderstood
My role in Scouting as an International Youth Advisor has taken me oversees- new cultures, new languages, different organisations with different priorities and ways of thinking. A prime example of this was a trip to Tunisia, with a language barrier that we hadn’t even thought about. I thought I could lead by example to help change ways of thinking and make processes better. But I realised that this was not true. People and organisations must choose to change on their own. I learnt that if I changed my approach when things weren’t working, I could inspire others to do the same. The willingness to be misunderstood and the self-awareness and ownership to sometimes take a step back, can be the best ways to help others.
9: In order to be a great leader, you need self-leadership.
Which brings me finally to the here and now, the SLA and the coaching that I have received. It’s been a journey. I’ve learnt that in order to be a great leader, you must have good self-leadership. There Are Big Differences Between Leadership And Management. Leadership is an art. Management is a science. Leadership is about people. Management is about things. People are unstable, but things are stable. You rely on behaviours and values to lead, whilst you use skills and knowledge to manage. Leadership is about “being.” Management is about “doing.” Understanding this difference will bring huge clarity into your day-to-day life and help you focus on self-leadership.
I started this by introducing myself as a third-year student paramedic, but I am so much more than that. We all need to be challenged on our leadership journey to ensure that both ourselves as leaders and our colleagues can develop and achieve. People often want to lead others, but I think it starts by leading yourself, and we are all more than ready to take that step and make that journey.
At a very young age my father was diagnosed with a long-term condition which would deteriorate over time, over the years the illness would make his life more difficult by becoming severely disabled and a wheelchair user. However, also made life for myself more difficult as I took on the role of a carer for him. Throughout his illness he spent months at a time in hospitals for treatment and I almost felt like the hospital was my second home. This resonates with me as growing up I never liked going to school and would rather have stayed home to look after him through the acute stages of the illness progressing. This reflected on my academic work in my last year of school due to only being predicted one GCSE. Fast forward – I did finish year 11 with all my GCSEs. However back to the point in question, throughout my father’s care and treatment by multidisciplinary teams, I just knew I wanted to aspire to a profession within the NHS. In 2010 at the age of 17 I joined the NHS as a domestic assistant, this was a role that I would go onto to enjoy and where I finally felt my purpose in making a difference to people.
Throughout my career I would go onto to experience various roles within the NHS which included clerical officer, healthcare support worker and admin officer. All of which embedded the foundations needed when working in a busy hospital environment. Within my healthcare support worker roles, I encountered negativity towards the nursing profession, and this discouraged me to apply for the nursing degree. In 2016 I was successful in gaining a secondment opportunity with the Leadership, Education and Development department, after 6 months the role was then made permanent. Within the role I was supported and funded by the Health Board to complete the CIPD level 5 human resource management course. The course sparked my further interest in leadership and made me realise the importance of effective leadership within any organisation and the processes which would need to be embedded to support authentic leadership. Within the course effective leadership was emphasised a lot, however to me it felt that this did not happen at ground floor level within the NHS (little did I know this thinking would change my mindset). However, while I was supported and valued within the team to develop for further career opportunities, there was a part of me which always felt something was missing and I did not feel complete in the role. The more time I spent in a non-patient facing role the more I realised I had forgotten my purpose in life which was to make a difference to people. I would sit at home and watch 24 hours in A&E and think “I wish I was doing that”, which sounds stupid, I know. Each year that passed was a year I regretted not applying to do a nursing degree. After completing the HR course, this pushed me to change my future career path and return to a healthcare support worker role, to then apply for the nursing degree as this is where I wished to make a difference in the profession and become a role model in providing holistic patient-centred care.
After gaining my place on the nursing degree there was an opportunity to apply for the Student Leadership Programme at Swansea University. I applied, filled with self-doubt, but I felt my life and work experiences would be a valuable part in succeeding in the programme. Through the first year of university, I lacked self-confidence and developed imposter syndrome on times. The programme is facilitated with leaders you would aspire to become and is an opportunity to develop skills and have a wider understanding of effective leadership within the NHS. The NHS is currently under immense pressures and challenges, and I think it is vital to have emotionally intelligent leaders to encourage and inspire colleagues. This enables the delivery of high-quality, safe care and creates positive working environments and relationships. The programme offers an opportunity to network with other aspiring students and enhanced my learning to develop my own leadership style which identified my own leadership strengths and limitations. The coaching scheme, which is part of the programme supported me in building on my own self-awareness and emotional intelligence, especially my self-confidence as I feel on times, I have undervalued my input and self, which is very easy to do. I was lucky to be coached by a person who I can wholeheartedly say puts life into the nursing profession. Also, had my path crossed with this person all those years ago, when I felt undecided there would be no doubt in my mind that I would have applied sooner.
Nursing is where I feel most passionate and, at every opportunity, I will promote the profession. One of the CNO (Chief Nursing Officer)’s priorities is to make nursing a career of choice for many more. I feel that throughout my training with colleagues and peers I lead and inspire others into the profession. I share my career experiences to encourage others and support in providing information about the different routes available to apply for the nursing degree. There is no wrong or right route into nursing, or time for that matter. My only advice would be not to listen to negativity and not to be discouraged. Most importantly follow your heart and not your head as I wished I had done years ago. I am currently in the last year of the 4-year part time course, and I have never felt so proud to have come this far. Trust me, it has been a journey and I am beyond excited for what the future may hold within the nursing profession for me.
I became a children’s nurse to make a difference, I became a children’s nurse to care for sick children, I became a children’s nurse to be the positive influence in someone’s otherwise dark day. I did not become a children’s nurse to lead… Or so I thought!
Prior to starting my journey to becoming a children’s nurse, I was a middle manager within the Civil Service. I had worked hard to climb that ‘corporate ladder’ and secured my post managing my team to drive business change and meet company targets. However, while I enjoyed working with my team, there was always a part of me that felt the need to do more to make a difference. So, I decided to give it all up, start again and become a children’s nurse, believing I’d hung up my manager/team leader cap for a more caring and compassionate role.
However, within my 1st year it became more and more apparent that the skills I had developed as a middle manager would also be needed within the role of a good children’s nurse. The question was how? I had never worked within a health care environment, my background was in volunteer youth/children’s work and the Civil Service, I had no business trying to lead.
I was encouraged to join the Student Leadership Academy to learn and understand how to best utilise my leadership skills and continue to display compassionate care as a children’s nurse. Due to the restrictions of Covid, our first day was spent as an online conference, meeting the other candidates, and hearing from current leaders working within healthcare and their leadership journeys.
We learned that the journey to good leadership, begins with good emotional intelligence. Being aware and in control of our own emotions allows us to fully understand others and recognise when others need support. Emotional intelligence also allows us to recognise areas of development or need in ourselves, allowing us to seek out opportunities to learn and grow. Upon reflection, I came to realise that many of the skills I had developed to be a good leader in my previous career, were the same skills required to be a good nurse, as emotional intelligence is key to building resilience when caring for others. As a children’s nurse, I continually encounter families at their most vulnerable, looking for advice and support to help make tough decisions about their child’s health. Being emotionally intelligent allows me to build real connections with people, allowing them to feel valued and trust in my ability to support and guide them in caring for their sick child. It is with this realisation that I came to accept that leadership was not just for the managers or senior nurses; a good leader is someone who guides and drives other to achieve a common goal. As a children’s nurse my team, expands to the child and their family, our goal to ensure the child’s recovery or best possible outcome.
Following on from our initial introduction to the leadership academy, we were given the opportunity to partake in a motorship programme. During my mentorship, I had the opportunity to seek advice on developing my leadership skills and gained great experience attending multi agency meetings alongside my mentor. But the real turning point in my time with the leadership academy was when I attended the Collaboration for Compassion in Healthcare Conference. Having the opportunity to see first hand the strategies and plans of likeminded people to fully embrace compassionate leadership as health care providers, was both inspirational and uplifting. I learned from current leaders how to fully embrace my desire to provide support to others, and to show empathy and kindness, while also being a strong confident leader. Compassionate leadership encourages a focus on relationship building through shared values and experiences, careful listening and understanding, empathising, and supporting others. Permitting those we encounter to feel valued, respected, and cared for.
Another key learning point was how to show vulnerability as a leader. Allowing others to see your vulnerability, opens the door for shared connections, and allows for long-lasting trusting relationships to develop. The understanding that compassion is multifaceted, and not only something we provide to others but also something we can receive and provide to ourselves as leaders is an essential part of emotional intelligence, aiding our ability to build resilience.
My decision to join the leadership academy, enabled me to fully grow and develop my skill not only as a good leader but as a compassionate children’s nurse, allowing me to understand that compassion and leadership can be interlinked. Compassionate leadership results in more engaged and motivated teams with high levels of wellbeing, which in turn results in high-quality care.
Chadwick, A., & Leigh, J. (2022). Identifying and developing clinical leadership in relation to transition . In A. Darvill, M. Stephens, & J. Leigh (Eds.), Transition to Nursing Practice from Student to Registered Nurse (pp. 119–136). SAGE.
Reflecting on the first two days of the Student Leadership Academy (SLA), there was so much information to absorb, think about and unpack. I believe that it’s often initially best to sit with ideas to let your mind process, consider, and explore them before writing about them. This allows experiences and ideas to consolidate. One of my best friends compares it to how when learning to play guitar you reach a certain point where you get stuck, but coming back to it later only to find what you’d been working on previously has become embedded. Similarly, I’m finding currently within my own Mental Health Nurse training that certain things are clicking into place from the experience gained by working on wards as a student and a HealthCare Support Worker (HCSW).
So, what is leadership? To me it’s a way of being, a way of thinking and a way of treating people, understanding their needs and being able to connect with them on a deeper emotional level. It’s not just about logic and rationale, although both are important, people are emotional beings and often don’t respond to purely logical reasoning. It’s about being authentic, believing what you say, and saying what you believe, finding the best ways of working and setting a standard for others to follow by showing the way. It’s so much harder to relearn things and train out bad habits than to learn the best ways in the first place.
Leadership is also competence and experience, not just seniority. The motto of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is that we carry the torch, which I interpret as shining a light for other people to follow. On the first day of the SLA I met Tesni, Reena, Mossie and Hannah, who were all from different nursing specialities. The SLA is exactly the kind of interdisciplinary, interspeciality learning and networking that I want to see embedded within our training, so we can all learn from each other and grow. The views of people outside a profession, e.g. the multidisciplinary team and people starting in an industry often have the most important insights. One of the principles of Dialetic Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is that there can be multiple right answers, or that it’s possible for more than one thing to be true, people can see the same thing with different eyes.I’m also an advocate of the Napoleon Hill style Mastermind concept, one of his quotes is: ‘No mind is complete by itself, it needs contact and association with other minds to grow and expand.’ There is so much strength to be gained from collaboration, you literally cannot do everything by yourself, you need allies. For example, from Reena I picked up an excellent idea for drawing anatomy on your own body to truly understand it.
We started with a very motivating talk from Judy Jones, Student Mental Health Nurse, which to me emphasised the importance of having self-belief and trusting your gut instinct of what is right, even when other people doubt your abilities and try to hold you back. Always listen to others, but ultimately trust yourself. This was followed by an inspirational talk entitled ‘Leading with Emotional Intelligence’, from Simon James and Andrew Lelliott, who are both past alumni of the SLA. I talked to Andrew and Simon over the course of the two days and was impressed by their passion, supportiveness, and happiness to share information. I particularly liked Andrew’s background within mental health with an aim of wanting to bring more adult nursing and counselling skills into that environment. I’m a firm advocate for more dual qualified nurses with expanded skillsets.
I spoke to Lisa Matthews, one of the facilitators of the course, thanks to being put in touch by Beryl Mansel, in respect of Swansea University restarting the post qualification speciality conversion courses for qualified nurses. This is something that I’m excited is currently being explored already within the faculty. I feel strongly that the future of nursing is for nurses with a more generalised knowledge base, particularly at an advanced level. I feel we lose so much by specialising too soon within the nursing profession currently, even as a HCSW by working in different environments you can gain so much extra knowledge and experience. During his talk, Simon also stressed the importance of developing skills to get through tough times and failures. This reminded me of the advice I once received from a friend, that anyone can be positive when things are going well, but when things are bad that’s when you really need to be positive, when you truly need to dig in and try even harder. We were each given a card on the first day with a motivational message by Andrew, my own card said ‘attract who you want by being what you want’. This is very similar to one of my own personal favourite mantras which is to ‘be the change that you want to see’.
We then discussed Emotional Intelligence (EI). The definition of EI which I particularly liked was the ability to monitor ones and others’ emotions, and to use this information to guide ones thinking. Emotional intelligence is also recognising your own limitations and understanding your weaknesses, like Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry, a man has to know his limitations!, working on them and understanding your strengths. It sounds cliché but you can sometimes really turn a weakness into a positive, or to quote another personal favourite, to turn lemons into lemonade. For me, emotionally intelligent people are life smart and socially smart, which is totally different to being academically or intellectually clever. It’s reading situations, gauging situations, not taking things personally and maintaining curiosity. It’s about being able to build connections with people using both your brain and your heart. When we form deep connections and closer bonds, people are more likely to listen to us. You can inspire and win people over and change their minds with your passion, regardless of how they might initially treat and think about you. For me there’s nothing more pleasing than seeing someone warm to you and their perception of you change before your eyes. You really do have the power to change people’s minds, days, and potentially lives with the way that you talk and behave with them. People are puzzles and I’m intrigued by people, I’ve always thought that they can often reveal so much of where their mind is at through the questions they ask and the underlying motivations behind them.
There is a powerful idea that when someone believes in you, they can make you believe in yourself through their belief too. People can often see things within others that the person in question might not see within themselves. I think over the course of the two days of the SLA, I met some people who didn’t realise how good they are, or how much they can contribute. It was exciting to see them grow, flourish and to see the seeds of a growth mindset and of new ways of thinking starting to develop. We all have reservoirs within us of untapped ability.
Good leaders also have a way to make you feel supported and comfortable. I was told by a couple of people over the course of the two days that they felt like they were sharing more information than they usually would with the people around them. Part of that may be due to being around like-minded people, but I also think good leaders and communicators make you feel comfortable and relaxed around them. When you make people feel heard, listened to and understood, that’s when deeper connections can form. Another important aspect would be looking at all people that you are dealing with like they are someone important (because they are). Bill Clinton and Princess Diana for example were both known to make others feel amazing with their undivided attention and focus.
We then received a talk from Richard Jones, Consultant Nurse. I’ve previously met Richard on two occasions on placement, but to listen to his story was fascinating. Richard worked his way up from undertaking temporary contracts in St David’s Hospital, to his current role as responsible clinician and approved clinician for a Psychiatric Care Unit (PICU) and Long Stay Unit (LSU) in Carmarthen. Richard basically undertakes the work of a Consultant Psychiatrist within his role, although the law hasn’t quite caught up with this in certain respects currently, and more needs to be done here within the next six years. For me personally, there is a significant upside to more Consultant Nurses given both the current shortage of Psychiatrists combined with Consultant Nurses knowledge within both the medical and nursing model. This enables them to provide truly holistic care and look at things from a different perspective. Richard has been a trailblazer within the nursing profession and is someone I respect for his intelligence, creativity, drive to succeed but also the empathy and compassion I’ve seen from him when talking to patients. Richard emphasised the need to be determined, and if you see opportunities that appear reasonable and logical, to go for it. Where there is a gap and you identify a need, research possibilities, test what is testable, identify innovation and then try to make it happen. Richard also emphasised that you are only as good as the team around you, it’s never just about the individual. In my own view there has been, and will continue to be, changes in professional boundaries between nurses and doctors, and these changes can bring resistance, such as when Advanced Nurse Practitioners began prescribing there was resistance from some quarters before acceptance.
We ended the first day with a fun talk from Em Cookson-Williams in respect of self-compassion. Personally, I’m a big advocate of Stoicism and I feel that self-compassion incorporates many of the same ideals the stoics were advocating thousands of years ago. Like the saying goes ‘there are no new ideas under the sun’. Another quote I like from George Orwell is that ‘happiness can only exist in acceptance’. I think a lot of self-compassion stems around acceptance, an acceptance of what is, and of your best effort in your current circumstances. I also feel self-compassion ties into self-awareness, you have to look inwards and understand yourself and your own behaviours, before you look outwards, look inside yourself.
On the second day I paired with a different set of students Jessica, Kerry, Sarah and Steph, which again encouraged building more networks. We also spent some time with Zoe who attended the SLA last year and who added to the discussion between us. Sarah Tobin from Plymouth University opened up with a talk on compassion. She made some excellent points, such as good leaders bringing out more compassion in others through their way of being. Conversely, I feel bad leaders can also decrease empathy in others. For example, there is a study that Sarah referred to which suggests that people shouted at in work are 50% less effective following this. Interestingly, other people who see someone being shouted at are also 25% less effective. Bad leadership has a cumulative effect. The aim should be lifting both yourself and other people up together. There is a saying that a rising tide raises all ships, and I believe this to be true, that you can bring people along with you by being supportive, patient and curious enough to try and understand others, building strong rapports and establishing networks. It’s a similar principle to building strong therapeutic relationships with patients, when people feel heard, listened to, and connect they are far more likely to respond and listen to you. There’s so much to take into account as a team leader for example different learning styles, neurodiversity etc which can alter how you approach your job. How you create cultures is also exceptionally important.
A quote that Sarah referred to which I liked was ‘in a world where you can be anything, be kind’. Another quote Sarah referred to was ‘Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all’ from Aristotle. Nursing at its heart is a people orientated profession, not a task orientated one. Skills, knowledge and theory are all important, but not at the expense of being compassionate. Sarah finished by saying that nurses need to roar with passion and compassion, nurses must have a voice and to aim to be exciting, powerful, brave, creative, and exceptional.
We then had a talk from Swansea University Lecturer Debbie Rowberry, which to me again emphasised the need to have courage to stand up for what you believe in. As Debbie identified, the standard you walk past is the standard you accept. This very much reminded me of the saying that if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. Jason Killens, the Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust then gave a brilliant talk. He emphasised that leadership is individual to each person, and to find a style that works best for you. He stressed the importance of jumping out of comfortable situations to somewhere uncomfortable, so that you can grow, challenge, and stretch yourself (like the stoic concept of getting comfortable being uncomfortable). Jason also said that leadership is not a position, it’s self-confidence and a way of being. Leadership is about people, it’s not about having degrees, it’s about doing the best for people and creating environments where they can give their best, grow, and expand within the organisation. Jason said that he was proud when people went onto bigger and better things and drew attention to the importance of encouraging growth in others. He outlined that leadership is about being authentic in what you say, otherwise people will sense it and they won’t go with your decisions. You must believe it. He also explained that the justification behind decisions is nearly as important as the decision itself. He stressed the importance of trusting your instincts and what your intuition tells you about a situation. The main qualities Jason emphasised were; authenticity, fairness, consistency, compassion, personal resilience, or as I like to term it ‘bouncebackability‘, doing the right thing, and by doing the right thing often being prepared to upset other people. You will never please everyone with your decisions, but you can be ultimately happy as long as you can look at yourself in the mirror and on balance say that your decision was fair, reasonable and can be justified. Sometimes you are left making the best decision possible from a bad range of choices. Jason also said that you need to listen to people at the ground level, you need data and information.
In the coming months I’m looking forward to applying for the 150 Leaders Leadership Course, I also want the RCN to develop a leadership course for Student Nurses and I will be advocating for this using my position on the Student Committee for Wales in the future. I’m currently reading Heather Henry’s “Be a Leader in Nursing” and will be trying to implement lessons learned within. I’m very excited to see which mentor I get assigned and to work with through the SLA.
There are other opportunities and I want to make sure I don’t leave anything left unexplored in my time as a student. I’ve always done my own thinking and gone my own way with things. I’m passionate about my career in healthcare, in trying to make a difference, in continuing to learn, incrementally improve, grow and in helping other people grow to achieve their aims also. I always prefer a loose plan, mixed in with some freedom, and possibly a little chaos! there are many roads to Rome so to speak and I find things often seem to fall into place if you keep working.But in three years’ time I would like to be qualified as a Mental Health Nurse, working towards obtaining a second qualification within adult nursing to be dual qualified and then with the aim of being an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. As Earl Nightingale said The greatest puzzle is life and greatest journey is the journey of the mind, since this is what determines the journey of life. By living we’re on a voyage of discovery individual to each of us, and we’ll see where mine takes me.
So, at the grand old age of 47, I decided to go to university to study for a degree in mental health nursing. Why so old I hear you cry?
Well… at the tender age of 18, I became pregnant with my first child; becoming a mum was the biggest and most important thing I had ever done, and I wanted to be the best. I remember holding my son for the first time and feeling an overwhelming sensation of love, quickly followed by fear. His whole future happiness depended on me being everything he needed me to be. I married and had another two beautiful children, daughters; I was delighted and wanted to be the very best version of myself for them too. While my children were small, my career had to take a back seat, but this did not take away from the burning ambition I always felt to become a registered mental health nurse.
I felt great pride working as a healthcare assistant with the NHS for twenty-two years, but even with all those years of experience, I had never felt like a leader. Whilst I loved my job and enjoyed working as a team, I recognised that I lacked the ability to be assertive, preferring to take a back seat and follow the natural leaders I worked alongside.
I did not doubt that I had all the attributes it takes to be a great nurse- someone who was not afraid of hard work, determined to be an advocate for my patients, caring and compassionate always; however, I felt that a leader I was not!
Soon after starting my degree, I was invited to apply to join the Student Leadership Academy (SLA); I plucked up the courage to apply and was delighted to be accepted onto the programme by the director of the SLA, Beryl Mansell. This was the beginning of an exciting and illuminating journey.
Why was I so afraid of being a leader?
I realise now that past experiences had obscured my perspective of what it takes to be a leader! I had worked with some intimidating leaders during my career where there was no room for compromise or negotiation. I never wanted to be that person, so I just presumed I was not cut out to lead.
The Student Leadership Academy was welcoming and encouraging and put a completely different spin on the type of leadership I had witnessed many times during my career. This was about encouraging leaders to demonstrate emotional intelligence, compassion and empathy, considering the views of other team members to create the best outcome for all involved. This made me think I could be a leader after all! Maybe I already was?
My learning experience at the SLA began with online conferences (due to covid 19 restrictions) where we were introduced to people who held various leadership roles within the NHS. I felt genuinely inspired by their stories of what had led them to want to become the type of leader that they had become. This was a turning point for me; I began to believe that I had all the qualities that a leader needed to be successful. The people I listened to were passionate about their work and demonstrated genuine care for their colleagues. I felt enlightened by this supportive encouragement towards colleagues to be open and honest without fear of retribution!
I was then introduced to Mrs. Hazel Powell, a Nursing Officer in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities who became my personal coach for the rest of my time on the programme. I am so grateful to Hazel for all the understanding, support and kindness she showed me. I was wracked with guilt for wanting to pursue a career in Nursing, as I knew it would impact my family for me to do so, particularly throughout the three years at university. By sharing her own personal experience with me, Hazel was able to give me some insight into some of the feelings I may encounter. This helped me understand that instead of thinking how selfish I am for wanting to better myself, I am demonstrating grit and determination that my young daughters can learn from, reminding them that with hard work, it is never too late to give up on your dreams. Nothing is impossible if you want it enough!
I have now told my children to make a promise to themselves, that no matter how hard life gets, to never give up on their dreams.
And so here I am today telling you, my story; I begin the final year of my degree in just over a week, and I now feel like I am a leader. I feel empowered, but most of all proud of how far that once fearful 18-year-old girl with her whole life ahead of her has come.
As I was going first of the group, I was quite nervous, but persevered. I got through the speech – hopefully with mistakes to a minimal! Some audience members were also kind enough to come to the students’ table after the event and congratulate us all on our speeches. A comment made by a sister stuck with me – that our talks reminded her “of what it was like to be a student and to have that ambition and drive to improve”. 
With positive reviews on the day and on the internet afterwards, I was feeling grateful that the Academy enabled this opportunity to come to me – but that was not the end of positive effects from SLA! 
Swansea University Student Leadership Academy 