When leading is learning
As Team Lead on a programme, I am responsible for so much more than just the technical side of the work. I manage staff, deal with contracts, I'm overseeing our communications, our monitoring and evaluation, the list goes on and on! I'm also responsible for that sometimes elusive concept, 'leading'.
I was really privileged recently to work with my team to put together a short training course for some of our grantee organisations on strategic planning, governance, leadership and management. Of course it came with all the usual challenges of organising an accessible 4-day workshop, considering the venue, the materials, ensuring we catered for people's disability assistants, and more. We're in the fourth year of the programme now, and the team know what's needed in terms of accessibility (including asking the attendees!) so that went pretty smoothly. A bit more last minute was the finalisation of the training materials themselves, delayed by all the many other demands on our time.
Despite having only finalised materials at 6am on the day they were needed, it was fantastic to have the time and space to reflect on my leadership approach. Developing materials for our grantees, with feedback from my team, gave me an opportunity to reflect on this, which I wouldn't usually have.
It really struck me how important it is as a leader to be intentional about the kind of leader you want to be. And it also struck me how important it is to acknowledge the kind of leader you actually are, which might not be exactly the same as who you want to be. It was very freeing to be able to say to our grantees that I wasn't standing in front of them as any kind of expert. Just that I've been in their shoes, running a user-led organisation, and I have a few tips to share, and I hoped they would share their experiences with me too. The people in the room met me where I was, they shared with me, and with each other. Questioning, challenging and learning, we frequently laughed along the way, exploring some of the unique facets of leading organisations of people with disabilities.
Photo: A quick check in with some of my team mid-training
Alongside all the typical leadership skills that I could mention, here are four approaches that I try to be intentional about:
Participation: Recognising that I want to support people to have a chance to participate, to share control, and feel able to make a difference. Paying particular attention to enabling people to contribute in a way they feel comfortable.
Accessibility: Thinking about the steps I can take to support accessibility whether at the office, workshops, etc. Everything from room layout to specialist support. And above all, asking people with disabilities what they need.
Curiosity: Encouraging curiosity, questioning and learning in myself and others. Asking awkward questions, and accepting them too. Being prepared to work with uncertainty!
Empathy: This one is so important, building empathy for others, and also for myself. In particular, being aware that people who have been marginalised may have limited experience of being listened to, or traumatic experiences of being ignored.
Those are the ambition, they will likely flex over time as I learn more. In the meantime, I do my best!