Leadership in the Voluntary & Not for Profit Sector sponsored by Leading Wales Awards Consortium
The shortlist – click on a name to read their personal “Leadership Story”
Dr Sabine Maguire – (Founder, former Chair and trustee), Sparkle – South Gwent Children’s Foundation
Andrew White – Director, Stonewall Cymru
Judith Wynne – (CEO), Age Connects North Wales Central
Dr Sabine Maguire
Role: Trustee/ Chair
Organisation: Sparkle Appeal
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I have been a member of many teams, professional and otherwise, over my life, and have had the opportunity to observe some superb and influential team leaders. Working with children for many years has taught me the importance of humility, resilience, being open to new ways of thinking, and never limiting your expectations by mundane concerns. Beyond that, life has taught me that if you are passionate, and give as much as you ask of others, your team will stay with you to achieve a shared goal.
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Sparkle Appeal?
The past 19 years has involved crushing lows (failure of agencies to share the vision or move away from traditional models, costly planning appeal, HR issues, fundraising challenges), and extraordinary high’s (opening of our award winning centre, parents describing our services as a lifeline, children enjoying their first swing aged 14 years, or now having friends to invite to a birthday party). An unexpected highlight has been the cultural change among statutory agencies, learning that allowing parents and young people to design and drive the service they receive, rather than being passive participants, does not threaten them, but enhances their service.
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
Never give up! Learn from each failure, improve what you do, use delays to enhance the vision, celebrate success, listen to everyone, get people around the table to understand what would make the proposal acceptable to them. Keep the whole team focussed on the vision, regardless of setbacks.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
Multiple economic pressures creating caution around new ideas/ visions, cynicism, a sense that we are not empowered to achieve major structural change, a culture aspiring to be ‘good enough’ rather than the best, fear of aiming too high and risking failure.
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
Father John Maguire, who is a broad-minded and caring man and has worked to create a positive culture of Child Protection within the Catholic Church, during very challenging times. His own absolute commitment to the wellbeing of children, open and honest approach to previous failures within the church, brought everyone together in a constructive way to rebuild confidence, and achieve genuine change.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
Inspire
Andrew White
Role: Director
Organisation: Stonewall Cymru
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
Whether it’s been growing up gay, in a working class family, living with depression or my pigeon toes, my life experience has involved a fair amount of feeling different or even excluded at times. I’ve learned to value my ‘difference’ and experience as something which has shaped me as a person and drives me to value the difference in others. My leadership is about allowing others to be themselves, to bring their authentic experiences to their roles, to be open about my own vulnerabilities and foster an environment where people can shine in who they are and what they do.
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Stonewall?
Early on I set out his vision that Stonewall Cymru would become financially self-sustaining in the Stonewall Family by 2016, and generate all income spent in Wales within Wales. We achieved this a year early, doubled the number of staff and expanded all our programmes across Wales.
Probably my main challenge has been opening up about my mental health problems. Whilst the day job encouraged role modelling and authenticity it was incredibly hard to ‘come out’ on mental health. The real challenge was to turn a negative experience into a positive and recognise that this ‘vulnerability’ as a strength.
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
Don’t be afraid to aim high when setting your goals but do take time to get the detail right and make it accessible. When you set out the vision demonstrate the steps needed to get there. Feedback is your greatest currency, spend it well!
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
We’re a small nation and the challenge will be to focus on the next generation of leaders and guard against the ‘outsider’ narrative which has gained traction recently. If we always hire the same people, and always do what we’ve always done we’ll end up with dull teams, inhibit authenticity and limit potential.
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
Laura McAllister is a huge role model of mine; she has the ability to juggle a number of roles expertly. Of course she brings authenticity, humour and grace to her leadership but most importantly she’s always so incredibly fair, and always ready to help despite her hectic schedule.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
Authenticity
Judith Wynne
Role: CEO
Organisation: Age Connects North Wales Central
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I was very lucky to have a Dad who believed in me at a time when there were few women leaders. He was absolutely sure that women could make an equal contribution, and he always encouraged me to ‘aim high’. I believe it was the confidence he instilled in me, that led me to become the youngest network radio producer in the BBC in the 1980s, and in the 1990s, to be one of the few women multi-camera live directors in BBC TV. I carried on the philosophy of equality and parity my whole working life!
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Age Connects North Wales Central?
I think the main challenge was changing an old embedded culture of dependence and non-ownership, to one of trust, and responsibility. When staff understood that they too had a stake in shaping organisational projects, and the organisation’s priorities, morale and productivity rocketed! I remember coming back from annual leave to find our office revitalised with new publicity materials, and details of some new fundraising events. After years of transferring ‘ownership’ – literally overnight it just happened! Since then we have never looked back, and I am so proud of what our staff have achieved in the last 4 years.
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
I think it is tempting to think that as a leader you can do it all yourself! You can’t! You have to ‘take people with you’ and get them to believe in the vision. When staff are invested emotionally, their motivation and job satisfaction is far greater, with great results!
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
Certainly in the ‘Third Sector’ it is remaining financially viable in a climate of continuing government cuts. There are over 30,000 third sector organisations in Wales, employing the equivalent to 2.5% of the workforce, but organisational sustainability is getting more and more challenging – there is just less money around!
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
I think leaders need to inspire! I certainly feel inspired by our Older People’s Commissioner Sarah Rochira. She is a brilliant no nonsense communicator, and so passionate about the rights of older people. I admire the way that she puts older people at the heart of everything she does.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
Resilience!
Disclaimer: All details included in these leadership stories have been provided by the finalists themselves. All information has been accepted in good faith. Any references to individuals or circumstances have been relayed in the finalist’s own words and have not been verified by the Leading Wales Awards Directors or its Consortium. Any views expressed are those of the individuals concerned and are not necessarily the views of the Leading Wales Awards Directors or Consortium members.