Tag: life

Student leadership Academy Reflection

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by Daniel Marks

Going into the course having previously attended leadership style educational events in the past I expected it to be more around the theory and how to put it into practice within our chosen areas. Upon taking part in the day sessions and moving forward into the discussions that took place between myself and my mentor I realised that it wasn’t really that and more about peoples lived experiences and how they were able to adapt their practices and lives in developing themselves as leaders. I had confidence in myself but did find it difficult to put ideas forward that I had due to feeling that those ideas weren’t good enough or that they simply wouldn’t be willing to have those conversations required in order for development to take place not just in practice but my own personal development journey.

Through discussion with my colleagues, lecturers and my mentor, I was fortunate to learn that my ideas had a place within the field I was looking to implement them within. The elevator pitch session stuck out to me, I was now aware that my ideas were valid and now I had to take them to the people that were going to be able to aid me in facilitating their implementation into practice. However whilst I was confident in being able to discuss them within my comfort zone, my learning group and lecturers for example. Taking them forward to the people that could actually allow me to make a difference was a different matter entirely.

Using the elevator pitch as a basis I began by reaching out to those people that could affect the change, upon receipt of their agreement to discuss with me I determined that the little time they were allowing me would have to be maximised. The academy had given me the skills, being able to put across the critical information around my change, whilst putting it in clear language with provision of some evidence of what I would like to implement would aid in facilitating the changes that I wished to bring about. Discussions with my mentor taught me that I was very passionate about my area of study and that things I had learnt in the past would allow me to discuss my passion in a confident manner and gave me the feeling that I actually knew what I was talking about.

As time went on heading into those conversations, where previously I would have had some nerves about talking to those in more senior positions about ideas and my thoughts on an area I was relatively new in. Now I found myself much more confident in my own abilities, the positive reinforcement from those around me aided my confidence that my ideas were worthy of being heard and I went into those conversations with elevated belief that although they were in more senior positions they were still willing to listen to what I had to say.

Having undertaken the academy I learnt that being able to step out of my comfort zone isn’t going to be comfortable but challenging, however that challenging aspect is what allows you to learn the most about yourself, do you have the ability to do the difficult things, have the difficult conversations, be able to stand up in front of a group of people and put across the topics that you may have confidence in your knowledge of but to be able to put those ideas to others in a way that facilitates their own learning and development. On the course I had the opportunity to stand up and present ideas of my own to the group, whilst the concept of what I was talking about was new to me, having had those conversation within the groups allowed me to develop my own understanding of the topic it did not automatically allow me to discuss in front of a group of people so being able to adopt the ‘fake it till you make it’ approach gave me the chance to appear more confident in front of others than I otherwise would have been.

In short take the chances you’re presented with, take part in the difficult conversations, reach out to those that can influence and adopt the ideas and changes that you come up with. One thing I learnt is that everyone is the same as us, each one of us has a group of people that we would feel uncomfortable standing up in front of and discussing topics were involved in. Take the time to speak to parties that you find more confidence putting your thoughts and opinions over to, allow them to come back at you, question you on your thoughts and knowledge on the area, this will allow you to gain that necessary feeling that you know what you’re talking about and when you have conversations with more senior parties you will feel far more relaxed than you did in the past.

I’m already a leader so why the leadership programme?

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by Ellesse Mathias

The leadership programme was proposed to my cohort as a workshop to attend if you want to build confidence, presenting skill or work through imposter syndrome. However, my rationale for applying for the leadership programme was to establish how to become a compassionate leader. I needed to do this to enhance my passion and desire to influence change in the Learning Disability Field of Nursing.

Prior to University I supported families with children who have complex physical and medical health needs in the community. I managed a team of care staff to deliver quite invasive bespoke care and interventions. As my position as a team leader grew and grew, I found myself drowning in the responsibilities, demands and expectations of me within my role. I worked anything between 60-100 hours a week between hands on care, admin and data collection but found I always neglected myself, my wishes, aspirations and social life.

 I always stated, ‘it didn’t matter, I loved what I did’.  

I knew I was outstanding in my role, and I could evidently see progress and improvement in the family I was supporting therefore it was worth the sacrifices I was making.  I always felt I conducted myself well but soon found myself receiving feedback that I appeared tired, stressed and even unapproachable to members of my staff team, but never knew how I could alter my mindset, my work ethic and my approach to my team.

This is how the leadership programme enticed me to delve into a search to improve myself, grow my understanding and approach to finally support, empower and work in co-production successfully within my desired career and life.  

Throughout the workshop I listened to tips and tricks in how to establish our leadership style and I have utilised skills such as self-reflection, recognising my personal values and my methods of leadership to enable me to find a way to grow and develop.  Spirally into internal questioning of – Why do I feel this way? Why do I need to do everything? Why does this frustrate me?

I have such a passion for Learning Disability nursing and supporting, advocating and improving the quality of lives of all the people encounter throughout my personal and professional capacity. However, I have reflected on my previous leadership style, and I am aware that it did not reflect, project or nurture my passion in a way that always inspired others, in the way that I hoped.

I wanted to develop my ability to be a compassionate, influential and motivating as a Leader. I have come to understand that ensuring my own self care is paramount along with meaningful teamwork. I have always struggled to delegated tasks due to being a perfectionist, but I’ve come to understand that delegation of tasks is important for to develop staff role identity and self-worth. I have always been commended for my dedication, knowledge and experience in supporting individuals, but I wanted to utilise the leadership programme to develop myself and skills to empower, educate and understanding being the best, the top person isn’t a good ideology to have.

Coaching

I had the wonderful opportunity to request a coach Ruth Northway who has been pivotal in the Learning Disability field of nursing in research, education and supporting adults in the community for over 40 years. Despite announcing her retirement in 2023 she kindly agreed to mentor me in April 2024.  During our first meeting Ruth asked me – what support would you like from me?

I kindly requested to utilise her decades of experience, connections and wisdom to support me to widen my knowledge and experience but more so to have the opportunity to self-reflect with someone actively listening.  

I knew I needed someone to help me reflect on situations I have been in or encountered as a student and then learn how to challenge others in authority correctly, professional to showcase me passion rather than come across intimidating.

Ruth suggested that instead of being the front runner in discussions to sit back and observe but also ‘put yourself in situations where you are the stand along voice for Learning disabilities and from there your opportunity to advocacy, create change and educate others will be most influential’.

I found this advice useful -which appeared simple to achieve with the variety of placements as a student and utilising my unique perspective on situations to impact discussions in different field of nursing such as mental health.  During my 3 month coaching experience with Ruth we met a few times via teams and in person which greatly enhanced my coaching opportunities and having that dedicated time to self-reflect, openly and honestly with Ruth is a skill and protected time I will always utilise within any team I work apart of in my career.

Reflection and now direction

During our final day at the academy, we completed a ‘Spin a Yarn’ activity which ended a little emotionally on my behalf, as I drew back on the feedback boxes we collected at the beginning of our leadership journey.  I was taken back by some of the notes in my box that stated……….

  

This was very raw as it was the opposite to a comment that was made to me the day I left my previous employment. Being unapproachable was something I never spoke about out loud or even rationalised it was something I have internalised for a long time, and this was something I never wanted to leave behind or affect my ability to lead a team. However, despite being perceived in that matter within 2 days surrounded by a room of strangers was very insightful and provided a lot of hope and reassurance that I am on the right pathway to become a compassionate leader.

Yes developing yourself is important and looking to grow is great but to learn how to demonstrate effective leadership via looking after myself, my mental health is becoming vividly clear to my desired success. This is a topic I will continue to advocate and promote as a student and into my hopeful carer as a Learning Disability Nurse.

 One quote I adore and will always resonate with me is ‘You teach best what you most need to learn’.

IT WAS MENTIONED THAT – “THERE IS NOTHING MATCHO IN ANSWERING EMAILS AT 4AM “.

This is something I always prided myself on that I was always accessible and dedicated to my role in supporting the children and families I support 24/7, but I now understand this is not attainable for the next 40 years in my desire career.

Especially within the field of nursing there are so many demands, and we get lost in the rabbit hole of to do lists on to do list.  Finding a way to only allow 3-5 things on your to do list at once is a tip I will always need to fall back on, and establishing set times for working, resting and recovering. I believe this is essential as a nurse as research has highlighted that

‘Burn out was one of the major causes for professionals leaving (Royal College of Nursing, 2023)

This is very disheartening to comprehend as a rational for losing valuable nurses as Learning disability nursing is a very small profession and we really need to support, nurture and nourish our small team.

In conclusion my main self-reflection I have found during my time in the leadership programme is:

I had a very high standard of expectations of myself to being the best at everything and this impacts my mood, productivity and patience.  On reflection I always felt like I was just perfectionist, and this is my ethos by wanting to problem solve, provide person centred approach to care but also improve individuals’ lives. I have come to realise that just because that is my ethos, that not everyone feels the same and maybe I shouldn’t project that onto others.  I am now a lot more mindful of my personal life and health and if I prefer things done in a certain way or in a certain time scale, but this shouldn’t always be my expectation of others around me.

My most pivotal reflection is that I expect the same from others as what I do myself, but this is a naive and uncompassionate perspective and expectation to have. I have only managed to achieve and experience so much in my life because of neglecting my own personal life, health and time to rest. 

Therefore, I realised I need to be a lot more compassionate and mindful of other’s personal needs, health and how this can impact on their ability to work productively, impact their absences and most importantly feel safe and supported in the workplace.

LEADERSHIP AND WELL BEING IS A JOURNEY AND I WILL CONTINE TO GROW, DEVELOP AND LEARN.

Thank you for Reading and I hope this will inspire others to be open, honest and constantly mindful of your own mental health and how this will impact on your team and others around you.

Ellesse Mathias

2nd year Learning Disability Student Nurse

https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/news/uk-latest-nmc-data-exposes-nursing-retention-crisis-says-rcn-240523

Embracing Leadership: My Journey at the Student Leadership Academy

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By Stephanie Todd

Attending the Student Leadership Academy (SLA), hosted by Beryl and Sam, was a transformative experience that far exceeded my expectations. The course was more than just about leadership skills—it was about growth, resilience, and learning how to navigate the challenges that come with stepping outside your comfort zone. The guest speakers shared their inspirational stories about their leadership journey.

One speaker’s message resonated with me. She shared two powerful quotes that shaped my perspective on success and personal growth. The first was, “Hard work puts you where the good luck can find you.” It reminded me that success isn’t just about waiting for opportunities to fall into your lap. Instead, it’s about laying the groundwork through consistent effort, even when things don’t seem to be going your way. It’s easy to get discouraged when it feels like others are getting amazing opportunities, but we often don’t see the countless hours of hard work they’ve invested.

The second quote, “Work so hard on yourself that you shine without a spotlight,” struck a chord with me. It emphasises the importance of self-improvement—becoming the best version of yourself, not for recognition, but for your own growth. This is what true leadership is about: working quietly in the background, knowing that your efforts will speak for themselves, even when you’re not in the room.

Throughout the course, I had the opportunity to learn more about Emotional Intelligence (EI), a crucial aspect of effective leadership. EI is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. During our group project on EI, I found myself stepping into one of my greatest fears—public speaking. I used to avoid presentations at all costs, terrified of making a fool of myself. My body would go into fight-or-flight mode: my heart racing, palms sweating, and voice trembling. Despite my nerves, I pushed through, knowing that every moment of discomfort was an opportunity for growth.

The experience taught me the importance of self-awareness, a key component of EI. Acknowledging my fears allowed me to manage them better and ultimately gain confidence in myself and my abilities. Even though I stumbled over my words, I shared my thoughts openly with the group about how I was feeling. And you know what? The world didn’t end. I survived, and more importantly, I learned.

The presentations we did throughout the academy became a powerful reminder of how far I’ve come. Each time I stood up in front of the group, my anxiety diminished. On the second day, when my team pitched an idea in a “Dragon’s Den” format, I could feel my heart racing, but it wasn’t as deafening as before. When our project wasn’t chosen, I didn’t let it discourage me. However, I was invited to join the team that won the competition. The experience was a testament to resilience: even when things don’t go as planned, there are always opportunities to grow and improve.

In fact, one of the biggest lessons I took away from SLA was that leadership is not about being perfect or always winning. It’s about being willing to face discomfort and persevere. As a student nurse, I know that true leadership is about showing up for others—whether that’s for my team, my patients, or myself. This course helped me understand that leadership is a mindset, not a title. It’s about developing the EI to build strong relationships, make informed decisions, and support others in their journey.

A pivotal moment for me came when Nicola, the Acute Care and Leadership Advisor from Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales offered to be my mentor. Her journey resonated with me, especially when she spoke about understanding my imposter syndrome as it is something she has felt too. Her support and guidance have been invaluable, particularly during our Zoom calls where we discussed leadership styles and personal growth. We even took a personality quiz and discovered that we shared the same personality type. It was a comforting reminder that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to leadership, and everyone’s journey is unique.

Nicola invited me to the International Nurses Day event at Swansea Bay University Health Board’s HQ, where I had the chance to network with senior nurses, directors, and other healthcare professionals. The event highlighted the importance of leadership within the nursing profession and gave me a broader perspective on the impact of strong leadership within healthcare. I also had the opportunity to participate in a corridor care workshop at the RCN’s Cardiff headquarters, where I collaborated with other healthcare professionals to discuss ways to improve patient care in the NHS. The experience opened my eyes to the power of collective leadership in driving change.

Throughout the academy, I continually challenged myself to step outside my comfort zone. On the third day, the project I had joined had to present the work we had done towards the ‘Resourced Student’ wellbeing project. Despite my nerves, I presented our ideas to the group again. This time, I found it easier. It was a reminder that personal growth happens when we face challenges head-on, rather than avoiding them.

As I reflect on my time at the SLA, I realise how much I’ve learned—not just about leadership, but about myself. In the end, my experience at the SLA wasn’t just about developing leadership skills—it was about learning to lead with emotional intelligence, embracing vulnerability, and growing through discomfort. Emotional intelligence, after all, is the cornerstone of great leadership. It’s about understanding ourselves and others, navigating challenges with resilience, and empowering those around us to reach their full potential.

I’m grateful I took the leap and applied for the Student Leadership Academy. While the academy has ended, I know that this is just the beginning of my leadership journey. I look forward to continuing my growth and finding new ways to apply the lessons I’ve learned, both professionally and personally. The journey of becoming a true leader never truly ends. It’s a process of constant learning, evolving, and growing—one step at a time.

From the Rugby Pitch to Personal Growth: My Journey Through Adversity, Confidence, and Emotional Intelligence By Rhys Evans

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Rugby from a young age was the biggest part of my life. From around the age of 10 I found a passion for the sport. Week in week out I developed my skills with an old ball, a pair of boots and some friends. As I aged, my ability started to develop, and I was getting noticed. At 16 I was asked to play for college, where I lifted 2 trophies. I entered my senior year with Cardiff and started to edge my career into the U20 development squad. You’d think that playing rugby for 10 years I’d be confident, resilient, and full of belief. However, these were constant struggles within my career. Always holding me back. The final nail to my career was a spine injury which abruptly ended my career and left 10 years of hard work completely over.  

I dropped out of university and spent a whole year spinning my thumbs. This time showed me how complex emotions are and how vulnerable I was at the time,  

After this time, of ups and downs I found myself applying for a job as a HCSW in an operating department. Nervous was an understatement. I wasn’t confident at all, I never thought I’d even make it passed the interview stage. Fortunately, I was accepted, and my NHS career started.  

“Rhys, I think you’d be a brilliant ODP, hurry up and do your training”  

Looking back at my insecurities for years, these were words I’d never thought would be told to me in such an environment. The compliments to my determination to learn, my work ethic, my compassion to patients, my energy for the role, my ability to remain calm and collected in stressful situations. After 4 years in the operating department, I decided to move down a different path. I used the skills I’d learned, and the confidence I’d gained to step into the entrepreneurial world.  

It didn’t get off to the best start, leaving a stable job to fall into a lockdown due to covid wasn’t my idea of trying to financially support a relocation with no income and no business experience, but I did manage to sustain this for around 6 months. As business picked up and I invested heavily into a business mentorship. Little did I know it was time for my second life 360. I was diagnosed with Bowel Disease. After unknowingly suffering for months, the truth finally hit after a colonoscopy. I felt like all I’d worked to get over, to move forward with my career and fill the void of my rugby career. This diagnosis regressed my person to my previous self and more. Thousands of pounds down the drain, no business, no health. I moved back home to my parents and entered this cycle again. 

 

(Crohn’s & Colitis UK, n.d.) 

After another long period trying to manage my condition, after years of fighting to sustain a business and manage my disease. I made the decision to step away from personal training and revisit my career into healthcare. After another year in theatre, I decided to apply for Operating Department Practice to be a student here in Swansea which, thankfully I was successful.  

Life has a way of putting the right opportunities in front of us when we’re ready to receive them. For me, that opportunity was the Student Leadership Academy. It was there that I was introduced to the concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) — and it changed everything. The Penny dropped that throughout the years of struggle, setbacks and very large hurdles.  I was unknowingly working on a lot of the traits of EI. Learning about emotional intelligence opened a new world for me. I realised that true strength wasn’t about bottling up emotions or pushing through pain silently. True strength was about self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and managing emotions. What I had been building in the background for what felt like years had finally made sense. The lessons in leadership and emotional intelligence didn’t just help me personally — they transformed my business, my relationships, and my outlook on life.  

Following this into my 2nd year as an ODP student, I had the privilege to present the EI workshop alongside a colleague of mine within the Student Leadership Academy at Swansea. Which was something I’d never had thought of I’d be capable of doing prior to the experience gained from this conference. Not only did the opportunities previously help me manage my emotions, but it also solidified my beliefs that despite all the setbacks, deep down I had the potential within me to truly feel success.  

IBD is still a part of my life, but it no longer defines me. Anxiety still shows up from time to time, but now I have the tools to manage it. Confidence isn’t about the absence of fear; it’s about moving forward even when fear is present. 

Today, I’m proud to say I live with more authenticity and courage than I ever thought possible. My journey — from rugby player to ODP, business owner, emotional intelligence advocate and EI Leadership taught me that every chapter, even the painful ones, builds the foundation for the next. 

Rhys Evans – 2nd Year ODP Student  

References 

Crohn’s & Colitis UK. (n.d.). Www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk. https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk 

 

Hard work and luck. By Felly Mistweave

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I have always been drawn to people. Their energy, their charisma and their stories. From a young age, I have always been creative. I followed my dreams and studied art and later worked with people of all ages in lots of different ways. I am now in my second year, studying occupational therapy, which means I will be able to continue working with people in a way that supports them to engage in their meaningful occupations.

As a mature student, I decided that I would take every opportunity that came my way, whilst studying, with such amazing potential opportunities in front of me. I knew as soon as Beryl Mansel came to give us a lecture on compassionate leadership and mentioned leadership academy, that this was something that I would love to be involved with. I was drawn to Beryls charisma and energy and her ways of thinking which honestly inspired me with ideas around compassionate leadership.

I was then of course extremely happy to have been accepted on to the student leadership academy, which involved a two-day conference with guest speakers and the opportunity for mentorship.  Now, reflecting on these two days almost a year later, there are three main things that stand out to me from this time- the people, the learning and how I felt.

The people

I was instantly in awe of the guest speakers that came to speak during this time, alluding such confidence and experience is a difficult position to imagine yourself in, when still studying the profession, you hope to one day be a part of.

Dr. Vivian Osuchukwu was a guest speaker that really stood out to me. She shared her story, the journey that had brought her to us. She shared where she had come from and how it is possible to make your way through the world- to develop your career not by being loud and assertive but by showing your capabilities. I loved the way she shared the potential of soft power. This quote from her, will probably stay with me forever “Hard work, will put you where good luck can find you”. This to me was the perfect way I would describe my approach to life- to work hard and embrace the luck.

I was also in admiration of the occupational therapy guest lecturer and what I loved about this talk- was the authenticity. Sharing their story of coming from a working-class family to now being the occupational therapy professional practice lead for Wales; influencing policies and stakeholders. It was my first glimpse of how occupational therapists can work in diverse ways, highlighting the importance of their role as advocates for social justice and gave me a glimpse into the potential within a career of occupational therapy.

How I felt

Whilst I took so much from the inspirational talks, I found myself feeling extremely daunted and overwhelmed after the first day. How could I possibly live up to this? I also felt the overwhelming pressure of this idea of being the “perfect person” and “perfect professional”. Is it possible to be so good and to do right all the time? These feelings resumed throughout the conference and when it came to presenting a well-being project at the end, I felt so overwhelmed I was unable to talk.

The information

Despite this, our team did win the well-being project as an idea and so since this time, we have been slowly and quite unsurely working on our project called the “Resourced student”. The reason I say unsurely, is that we have had many challenges since its inception, to bring our ideas into reality.

However, what the leadership academy did teach me is the importance of learning from mistakes and openly learning from them, it also taught me the strength in upholding beliefs and values and so- despite a slow start to the project- we are still working to bring our ideas into fruition. This is our logo-

And we currently have an Instagram page. We are currently working to share well-being resources that will be beneficial to healthcare students at Swansea University.

Whilst my journey since leadership academy has included working on the Resourced Student Project, I have also had the opportunity for mentorship, which has allowed me to work on my confidence, emotional intelligence and presenting skills. I have since become a Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) mentor and I am currently taking part in peer assisted study session (PASS) to become a PASS leader.

Alongside this, I have had the opportunity to connect with my passion which is art and people, through a volunteering module. I have been doing this with the Glynn Vivian art Gallery in Swansea. Which has given me opportunity to utlise Golemans (1995) concepts of emotional intelligence in working with adults over 55`s in the community. These concepts such as understanding other peoples feelings and stories has been possible through art making and also understanding my own responses and behaviour through reflections and feedback.

*Images taken with consent from participants during Glynn Vivian Outreach project.

At the start of the two-day conference, we were asked to write down who I am? Where am I now? And where do I need to be in 3 years time?

Of which I wrote- I am a creative, inquisitive, overthinker and perfectionist, who has lost her confidence. In three years time I would like to improve my listening, have more confidence presenting and talking in groups.

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to explore this journey, to be inspired by such interesting people and their stories. I think that the leadership academy was just what I needed at the right time. An opportunity to rekindle my confidence, to explore new opportunities and to build upon myself. I hope that I can take all that I have learnt so far and continue learning and to share this during my journey and career as an occupational therapist.

References

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books.

Changing “I can’t do this” to “I will try”, my SLA journey

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by Jessica Davies

I have never considered myself a leader, nor thought I had the skills to become one. Does this sound familiar?. I know many people, including myself, to have thoughts like this during university, no matter what healthcare profession or degree they complete! That’s because being a leader can seem daunting and scary, but it doesn’t have to be! The Student Leadership programme helped me to realise that anyone can become a leader with the right help, and here is how I did it.

I have wanted to be a nurse from a very young age, and I have had the privilege of being surrounded by all things medical, with my father being a paramedic. At the tender age of five, he encouraged me to join St John Cymru, where I would spend the next eleven years of my life learning first aid, competing internationally in South Africa, representing Wales as a team lead for the international cadet competition (ICC) and even met a famous lady…. some would even say royal. During this time, I also experienced the loss of my grandad in 2012 due to cancer and witnessed my niece be admitted to hospital with septic arthritis at the age of two. Although these times in my life were difficult, observing the care provided by the nurses on the wards inspired me to become like them – compassionate, caring and, as I would later find out, confident. With these experiences and passion in my stride, I applied to study adult nursing in 2022. I was accepted to Swansea University, kickstarting my way into nursing…and my way to becoming a leader.

My sister and I after winning the national first aid competition

Myself giving ‘handover’ to the designated paramedic for the scenario in the ICC in South Africa

Myself meeting Princess Anne

During my first year at university, I was informed of the Student Leadership programme during a lecture. Although I didn’t know what to expect, I decided to try my luck and apply, not expecting to be accepted. However, a short while later, I received an email congratulating me on my acceptance into the programme, and I couldn’t have been happier , whilst also being a little scared!

The first part of the programme took place on the 9th and 10th of March, and the moment I stepped into the room, I felt calm and comfortable, as if all my nerves had disappeared. I was surprised to see that there were not only child, adult, and mental health nurses but also paramedics, neurophysiologists, occupational therapists, and midwifery students in attendance. I found this helpful during the programme as it allowed us to bond and understand each other’s profession and how leadership can benefit us all! I also found we could help each other by working together and encouraging one another due to how challenging our courses can be – a level of understanding helped each of us. After some introductions, we got onto the central part of the programme, where we gained a sense of what it means to be a leader, how this benefits us, our colleagues and patients alike and even had the opportunity to listen to some fantastic talks from previous SLA attendees and even senior members within healthcare such as the Chief Executive Officer for the Welsh Ambulance (NHS) trust.

Out of everything taught, in my opinion, Emotional Intelligence was the most exciting and surprising aspect of being a good leader. I knew emotions were important, but I never fully understood their impact on leadership and how simple changes to an attitude can change a situation immensely! Emotional intelligence allows people to understand feelings, goals, intentions, responses, and behaviours while understanding others and their feelings. My favourite way to see this is through changes in attitudes and beliefs. We were given a booklet with simple changes in thoughts that can change someone’s attitude and even a situation, and, as someone who struggles with this, the booklet has been so helpful!

Ten habits of emotionally intelligent people from our workbook

Another aspect of the SLA was the coaching scheme, where we were paired with senior members of healthcare, who guided us through learning about leadership and shared their experiences to guide us further. I was paired with a lovely woman, the Chief Nursing Officer for the Welsh Government. We first met over Zoom, and I was pleased to see how kind, pleasant and friendly she was; it made me know I was in good hands for the next few months of our journey together. Although we didn’t meet often, she helped me further expand my understanding of leadership and how I had been doing it for a long time! I was a leader at St John Cymru, especially when competing. I had been emotionally intelligent for a while as I had become very aware of how I verbalised my thoughts and considered other people’s feelings and opinions. Realising this made me feel so much more confident, knowing I could do things like this, no matter what I had previously thought.

Being a part of the SLA has honestly been one of the best things I could have done at university. I never thought of myself as a leader, nor did I think I could become one. The SLA taught me that with some help, being a leader doesn’t have to be complicated or daunting; it can be fun. Applying what I have learned to placement has also been beneficial, as I now have more confidence in my ability to work the best I can and provide the best care I can for my patients.

In a few months, I will be in my final year of nursing, and if I’ve learned anything, don’t be afraid to try. Try to learn new things, participate in new things, and take part in the SLA if you have the opportunity. I promise you will never regret that choice.

Leadership Blog

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by Tara Jane Storey

My journey started in somewhat of a backwards way, my leaders were not good examples and therefore drove me to want to get to a position where I could make a difference, a change, make better decisions, improve conditions, most importantly for patients but also the staff teams. Far from my idea of what leadership actually means, most of the reality of what a true leader is has been learnt since returning to university to undertake my master’s and being lucky enough to have joined the SLA. This has opened my eyes and I have gained a real insight into what being a leader means.

Unfortunately, most of the early years of my career were negative, consisting of poor management, untrained staff teams making it up as they went along and working in poor conditions for meagre wages. I started work at age 17 in an elderly care home, immediately I began picking up on things that I just knew were not right, this I now know to be intuition and is far away from the evidence-based model that I have learned to utilise over the last 16 years through study and work. Intuition is however proven to be a valuable skill in nursing which I have grown and developed alongside the scientific reasoning to help me along my journey towards being the best nurse I can be. I fell in love with the job, the field of older adults, however there was a lot left to be desired. I soon realised that I had a key interest in dementia, how it affects people, how interesting and yet heart wrenchingly cruel at the same time it was. So, I returned to college, studied health and social care, and chased my desire to learn how to care for people living with dementia properly, to learn about the disease, the symptoms, and the management of those symptoms. I wanted to know all I could to equip me to be able to make the biggest, positive impact for those people I cared for. I soon became a senior and began my personal leadership pathway. I enjoyed encouraging others, leading by example of practicing to a high standard, going that extra mile, being person centred, seeing the person behind the disease first, educating my team on behaviours, presentations, symptoms, and reasons why people with dementia do certain things. I loved it. I felt that this really was my WHY.

In amongst having 2 babies, I returned to study and completed a BSc in Care studies and well-being. Nursing was always my end goal however having a young family did not allow for placements at that time and I knew when I did get the opportunity for my nurse training that I wanted to be able to commit to it 100%. I did however mange to graduate with a first-class honour’s degree. My assignments were written whilst cradling my daughter in the Welsh shawl and occupying my busy toddler son. It was worth every minute as soon after I gained myself my ideal job, a band 4 post in the NHS with a brand-new dementia service. I was delighted.

My job involved teaching dementia friends training, raising awareness and information for families of a loved one living with dementia, undertaking cognitive assessments with patients, and supporting them throughout their journey with dementia, it was amazing, and I was there for 7 years. This role added to my aspirations of being a good role model and a leader in the world of dementia care. I met Teepa Snow – an American dementia guru famous worldwide for being a dementia specialist. I also worked with Nick Johnson who is the dementia lead trainer for Swansea Bay where I had12 weeks intensive training with him – he is just amazing and taught me so much. I learnt about the gem states – a model devised to view abilities not disabilities.  I went to dementia conferences, to speak and to listen, once again my appetite grew to gain all the knowledge possible in what I had begun to class as ‘my area’ of expertise.

Fast forward to 2022, my then babies were now 10 & 12, it was finally my time to do what I had always wanted to, so I applied for the 2 year pre-registration masters in mental health nursing at Swansea university and that’s where I met Beryl Mansel, (Programme Director of the Swansea Leadership Academy). I learned of her amazing work and the opportunities which could be gained by applying, instantly I was intrigued and knew I needed to step up if I was to learn how to become the best version of myself in a professional capacity. Despite my background in leading teams etc. I was really nervous, and the horrors of imposter syndrome nearly prevented me, but I thought just do it! And I am so glad I did, what an experience it has been.

The most valuable thing I have learned is to progress, you must step out of your comfort zone. A comfort zone is defined as ‘a settled method of working that requires little effort and yields only barely acceptable results’, this is not where leaders a born and no one ever achieves great things by staying comfortable. I have met some inspirational people who, like me have grown and succeeded by knowing their why. It is not about status, position, or hierarchy, it is about your why. Having the ability to be out of your comfort zone and advocating for your patients’ best interests regardless of how vulnerable you feel. The SLA recommends creating a professional twitter and offers a mentor for your leadership journey. This opportunity has been incredible to enhance my opportunity for networking with others. The people and services I have learned about and have been able to make contact with, get to know and learn from have been beyond my wildest dreams.

I had the lovely Hazel Powell, (Deputy Executive Director of Nursing), assigned to me as my mentor, I was enthralled but also anxious as I knew of Hazels’s amazing work and success, I thought how am I going to begin a conversation with such a prominent figure in our health board? ME? Tara? Talking to Hazel Powell about me? It terrified me but Hazel instantly put me at ease like a true leader, she was so down to earth and inspiring in a naturally leading manner, it was a wonderful experience that most certainly took me out of my comfort zone, however it was 100% one of the best experiences I have had to date. Hazel taught me so much about leadership but also about myself. I learned of skills which I possess that are transferable and elements of my life which can be utilised in many different settings. Hazel supported me to focus on my why, what is important to me, and it really brought it home to me what that was. My why is all those times I didn’t have the courage to speak up for those without a voice, all the times I saw things and challenged them but was dismissed by people in higher positions, for all the millions of people worldwide living with dementia and having inadequate skilled support. My why hopes for a world where people with dementia have a voice and dementia care is commended for its excellence, not condemned for short fallings. I am passionate and driven to be a leader in dementia care, I am determined and prepared to delve into the reasons behind why dementia care is perceived so negatively, why people’s experiences are so poor and contribute towards a revolutionary switch. Why abuse in the general patient population is around 6% but in patients with dementia is over 4 times higher at 25%, this is not acceptable, and I want to be part of this changing.

Since joining the wonderful SLA, I have been to London to the Florence Nightingale memorial service where I won a place by writing about why I am a leader, most of what I’ve written here was in my application as my why. I have been given the opportunity to present at one of the SLA days, again catapulting me out of that comfort zone, I worried, pondered, and stressed beforehand but I did it and I loved it. I am now due to go to Manchester in a few weeks as I am officially a 150 leaders’ member, to attend the annual 2-day residential event which will consist of seminars, networking, workshops, and some unimaginable opportunities which will set me up for a prosperous career in nursing, I cannot wait. The 150 leaders programme is run by the Council of Deans and supported by the Burdett trust. It’s aim is to promote and develop leadership skills among future nurses and allied health professionals to equip us with the skills we need to become leaders in our field and recognise our own personal style of leadership.  They have a significant application process every year from universities nationwide. It was a nail biting 3 months waiting from application to selection, but I got the email, I had been chosen. I was ecstatic, once again a tad more of my feelings of being an imposter had been lifted. I won my place, again from writing about my why. All these experiences are building my confidence and self-belief that I am not an imposter; I am a leader.