In training mode

I was in the middle of a management conference when I received a phone call from my previous line manager who had subsequently joined Thera (www.thera.co.uk)  as a director, “Hi Steve are you ready to join our organisation?”  “Yes” was my immediate response. Although she did not have a formal job role for me, she did want me to introduce leadership, coaching and mentoring to my new organisation.  Then one thing led to another!

Within weeks I had written the content for a series of leadership workshops which would become accredited with a national leadership & management institute.  Then came a monthly leadership magazine I would curate for the next 18 years.  Ten years ago, Thera’s Communications Team approached me (Clare Malkin and Alison Freestone) asking me if I would start a blog, they even produced the name ‘Leadershipintheraw’ I just had to produce the content.   One thing led to another and there is now a website with over 330 articles, and it has had  40,000 + views from around the world. 

Writing about leadership is not my ‘day job’.  For the last 28 years I have been supporting people with a learning disability and I have had the honour of being the Managing Director for Dosh (Financial Advocacy) Ltd www.dosh.org for the last 15 years, but then that was also a case of one thing leading to another.

So why? 

My first career was in the Army and from the outset I had been fascinated by how leadership worked.  How were people inspired to do stuff they really did not want to do?  From the moment I joined my first unit, I considered myself to be a student of leadership and I always wanted to be a better leader.

In the 1980s our youngest daughter, Bettina, came into our lives.  Bettina copes with a learning disability and autism and to add to her challenges – epilepsy too.  Bettina is a constant source of inspiration (and love) and we quickly learned that we could all learn from ‘B’ and how she faces up to life with courage, perseverance, and a smile.   

This article sets out to explain what being a student of leadership means to me.  Why do I write about leadership? Why do I write about ‘Being Bettina’s Dad’? And what did I hope to achieve by sharing my monthly Leadership Magazine, blog, and articles (some of which friends and colleagues have specially written for the website).

“In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”

Former U.S. President Harry Truman

What being a student of leadership means to me?

  • Understanding that no matter how experienced and knowledgeable you think you are, there is a whole world of learning that you still need to acquire.
  • That rarely a day goes by that you cannot learn something new to add to your portfolio of experiences.
  • That you do not just learn from books.  You can learn from simply observing others in leadership roles no matter what their age or background. 
  • Learning what works and what does not. 
  • You can learn from your successes and failures in equal measure.

Related:  Fail and fail big! – Leadership in the Raw

“A person always doing his or her best becomes a natural leader, just by example.”

Joe DiMaggio

Why do I write about leadership?

This is something I have enjoyed doing over the years because:

  • It is has helped me reflect my own leadership style and how I can continually develop as a leader.
  • It is part of my continued professional development (CPD) when I choose a subject, I first must research it.
  • I am inspired to write more after receiving feedback from those who have read my articles and how my experiences have helped them on their journey.
  • To support colleagues who have asked me to write about a subject that fits with their goals and objectives e.g. ‘My Happiness Project’ – ‘A Family Members Perspective’ – Leadership in the Raw
  • To help future leaders on their leadership journey.  One of the joys of both my careers has been able to play a part in bringing forward new leaders and managers, this has often been through 1-1 coaching and mentoring,

Why the ‘Being Bettina’s Dad series.

Although I write the majority of Bettina’s stories, I could not do this without Bettina’s tiger mum, Joyce who screens the subject and content, edits, proofreads, and adds to my articles.   There is a ‘Being Bettina’s mum series too:

Related:           Being Bettina’s Mum: Care to Communicate? – Leadership in the Raw

When Bettina was first diagnosed with autism and a learning disability in the early 1990s, we found there was little education about her condition we could access.  Any stories or articles in newspapers & social media were always negative and pessimistic – which still happens.  We wanted to change this narrative for other family carers, deciding we were going to share stories that:

  • Would inspire parents.  To see light at the end of the tunnel, even though it may be hard to imagine at the moment.
  • Provide tips, techniques, and ideas.  What worked for Bettina might work for your daughter or son.
  • Since 1996 I have worked for organisations supporting people with a learning disability – the stories I write from a parent’s perspective hopefully adds an additional dimension to peoples’ support.   
  • Provide a positive image of someone with a learning disability and autism – and how they can influence your life and those they come into contact with. 

Related:   Being Bettina’s Dad. Leading when you are not holding a Leadership Position. – Leadership in the Raw

  • The lessons I constantly learn about life (and leadership) and how they have influenced my approach to work and my personal life.  Some of those lessons I share may help others. 

Bettina with her dad

What I hoped I have achieved by sharing my blog, leadership training, articles, and publications?

  • Making leadership more accessible.  I have often found books about leadership can border on the academic.  This can be a turn off for busy people, whether you are an experienced leader and manager or you are just starting out in life. 
  • For busy people my articles are filled with quick reads, bullet points that include ideas, tips, and recommendations. 
  • For busy people my leadership workshops & presentations involved 10-minute segments – with the aim of holding someone’s attention until the next subject or idea. 
  • To inspire and, on occasion, move people.  Everything I share is always intended to be positive and supportive.
  • Choosing subjects that I knew were challenging and important to colleagues.  They were and are important to me too. 
  • Sharing my experiences, the lessons I had learned and sometimes the mistakes I had made.  I am a strong believer in ‘It is better to learn from a warning than a mistake.’

“Leadership consists of nothing but taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong and giving your subordinates credit for everything that goes well.”

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower

One thing leads to another.

Next week I retire from Dosh after 15 wonderful years and draw the curtain on a 28-year career in Social Care, but this is not the end of my writing and sharing the lessons I have learned because one thing leads to another.  Joyce and I are looking forward to sharing our experiences, the lessons we learn, especially from Bettina, with a focus on wellbeing and wellness.  We hope we will inspire you and support you in your future endeavours. 

Bye for now.

Acknowledgements and thanks to:

My regular guest writers:  Damian Piper CBE, Rebecca Alexander, Meike Beckford, Justin Smith and Joyce Raw

My leadership role models (& Mentors):  Alan Bristow and Farren Drury MBE

My colleagues in Dosh (both current and former team members).  I found people who helped me develop.

The Communications Team, Thera Trust.