Question 1: Tell us about your current role (please provide your job title) and what you enjoy most about it?
Answer: I am currently a Non-Executive Director at 3 NHS Trusts – BHRUT, ELFT and NELFT. I chair the finance committee at one, the audit committee at the two others and am also Vice-Chair at one.
I enjoy working within the NHS, and feeling like I am giving something back, and hopefully making a difference. I enjoy working with the teams within all my Trusts, and developing trusted relationships. I particularly enjoy mentoring female colleagues to progress their careers.
Finally I get a real kick out of working across my health economy and triangulating what I see in each organisation, and helping to share best practice.
Question 2: Can you describe your career story?
Answer: I’m a Barking and Dagenham girl, and the first in my family to go to university. I did a Maths degree at Imperial and from there secured a training contract with Deloitte, Haskins and Sells (now part of PWC) to become an ACA.
Once qualified I moved into training within the profession, but when my mum fell ill I shrank my career back and found a local role in finance in our local community Trust. After that I got involved in capital delivery, undertook the NHS Project Directors qualification, closed a Victorian mental health hospital, ran a LIFTCo and built a few health centres, and then went into local government where I added IT, customer services, procurement and revs and bens to my portfolio. When that public-private partnership came to an end, I decided to begin to develop my non-exec career, which is where I am now.
Question 3: Were there any role models who gave you a sense of what it is to be a leader or helped you on your journey?
Answer: I think everyone you meet helps in some way, even if it is to demonstrate how not to do something. When I first started out accountancy was a very besuited and male dominated world, and I think women were expected to meet standards that had a male bias – but I no longer think that is the case.
My model of leadership is very much based in the servant leader space – its my role to create the right environment for people to flourish and succeed, to provide challenge and space. The leader should set direction and then help people to achieve the best they can.
The one person I give all credit to is my mum. My dad died when I was two months old so my mum brought me up single-handed. Whatever I have achieved is down to the start she gave me, and the person she made me into.
Question 4: What are the top 3 attributes you value most in a leader?
Answer:
- Clarity/focus
- Intelligence coupled with straightforward honesty
- Kindness/empathy
Question 5: What barriers have you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?
Answer: Without doubt in my early career being an Essex girl, and then simply being a woman. I was once in an interview when I was asked what would be the biggest challenge in the role. I answered, and then asked the same question of the interviewer (a very senior person in local government). His response – ‘oh the fact you are a woman!’ From that point on I determined that would be my advantage, not my disadvantage.
I’ve overcome barriers through hard work, and through a real focus on people, and relationships, and always trying to do for people what they want and need, unless it is not an option, and then I would explain why. Over time this develops a ‘favour bank’ and helps you when times get tough. Having allies wherever you can is a huge help to a career.
Question 6: How have you balanced the competing needs of a modern leadership role? How would you define a modern leadership role (e.g. what skills are required)?
Answer: Well, there’s my top 3 attributes above, plus I think you have to be your authentic self – people need to trust, and that only happens with authenticity. You have to have courage, because sometimes you will have to say and do difficult things. Finally you need to be a great communicator – much of business and work today relies on strong communication of clear and well articulated narratives.
To achieve balance you need to have a great support network away from work, and have things to do that you love and take you away from work, and that you can lose yourself in – be that family, friends or hobbies, or all the above!
Question 7. The theme for International Women’s Day this year is #IAccelerateAction – How are you accelerating action?
Answer: By doing things like this, by mentoring women who want my support and input, and by being visible and approachable. I always think if a little girl from a single parent family brought up on benefits can become an NHS Board Director, then people need to see that to believe it. So here I am!
Question 8. What advice would you give to finance staff in furthering their careers and becoming leaders?
Answer: Look beyond the numbers. Learn how to speak the story of the numbers in ways that people can understand and relate to. Focus on the people, on your relationships, and the strength of your communication and empathy.
Always walk in someone else’s shoes.
Question 9. What do you enjoy doing outside of the working week?
Answer: I am a bit of a renaissance woman. I sing, and I sew. I do dressmaking and embroidery. I’ve performed in amateur musical theatre (favourite role was Dolly in Hello Dolly!). I have written songs and I gigged with a guitarist for a few years.
I love cooking and spending time with friends and family, often going to the theatre.
I’ve just invested in a greenhouse so plan to be growing chillies and tomatoes this year.
All in all I have plenty to keep me occupied 😊