Gary Brown from the National Leadership Network talks about his thoughts on leadership
I have always thought that ‘leadership’ is quite an interesting and sometimes controversial concept. I think that is what drew me to apply for the job I am now doing with the National Leadership Network (NLN). Who are leaders? Is it politicians? Is it individuals on large salaries with fancy job titles telling other people what to do? Or is it something completely different? In this blog I talk about my thoughts on leadership and share my constantly evolving and developing leadership journey.
Early influences
I am from a working-class background and was brought up in 1970s/80s rural Perthshire. The local community often ran fetes, sports competitions, galas and so much more. People of all ages came together to talk, eat, learn from each other, and have fun. People of all ages also met in school holidays to work together picking raspberries and strawberries in summer and potatoes in October. Many people lived in similar looking council houses, many pals’ mums and dads were called aunty and uncle. It was a safe, easy going and collective environment to be brought up in.
I didn’t do as well as I had hoped in school and struggled with confidence and low self-esteem through my early and mid-teens. In my late teens something changed, and I started to read lots, learn new skills through informal learning and joined local and national groups who were trying to make change. It took a chance meeting with a Community Learning and Development (CLD) Worker doing youth work in my early 20s to realise there was a profession that wanted to support people like me. In time I volunteered and then worked in local youth work settings before deciding to study Community, Learning and Development at university. CLD is a profession with a focus on working alongside groups and individuals of all ages to encourage learning, and people making change in their lives and communities. It is about people having opportunities and experiences to grow and develop as they want in a way that meets their individual needs and aspirations.
My tribe
When I found CLD (or did it find me?) I indirectly realised I had found my tribe. A tribe that helped me celebrate so much that mattered to me including seeing people as individuals, celebrating community, and championing equality. My degree course gave me time to consider the concept of power and I was particularly interested in this in relation to voice, engagement, and participation. I was fascinated about where power lies, who has power and how it is shared. I had time to contemplate all forms of leadership during my degree; in myself, in peers and in communities and I was keen to learn more about communities of interest, action and geography. After graduating I was able to put my learning into action and worked in the fields of youth work and education, which included three wonderful years in a school for people with complex needs. In this school I had the opportunity to work with a brilliant senior leadership team who all worked in a very relational, person centred, asset-based and trauma informed way which inspired me greatly.
Young leaders
Before joining the National Leadership Network, I was involved in ‘leading’ the corporate parenting youth work agenda in Perth and Kinross. This role saw me support young people with care experience to have their voice heard and try to make positive change both locally and nationally. I saw young people be amazing leaders in their communities and I had the opportunity to work with strategic leads from many services including Education, Housing, Health, and the Police. The thing that interested me the most was the relationship between the young people and the strategic leads and what if any change was being made. This role really made me think about leadership in so many ways. I saw young people question power and equality and I worked with many people wanting to see positive change. I saw different kinds of people leading in different ways. It was fascinating.
Leadership styles Vs traditional roles of leaders
Leadership means different things to different people, and I think that is the way it should be. We all look at things from our own perspectives which are shaped by our own lives. I am and always will be a leadership student, I love to read, think, and talk about leadership. Maybe most importantly I want to listen. So many interesting people have great thoughts on leadership and on different types and styles of leadership. Nelson Mandela, in his memoir ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ says that a leader is like a shepherd who stays behind the flock gently directing from behind. This is often called ‘leading from the back’ which is a concept I like. I don’t really see myself as a leader, not a traditional leader anyway. I often call myself a facilitator. I see my role as encouraging people to see the leader in themselves. If I can create, signpost, share, or highlight leadership opportunities to others I feel I am doing something right. I would rather be in the background quietly watching people do what they can do or what they want to do rather than be in the spotlight wanting the attention for myself. I don’t understand professional egos, if people are too busy thinking about themselves and how good they look in the workplace how can they effectively support, encourage and work alongside others.
Through my role in the National Leadership Network, I have got to know many people in various kinds of leadership positions. I’ve met and worked with people with various job titles; CEOs, directors, project leads and co-ordinators to name but a few. A job title is one thing, and the person is another. How people are, how they communicate and how they work is what matters to me. The care experience community is full of great people doing great things, who challenge old fashioned ways of working, cede power, and believe in partnership working. I often say that through the partnership working I am involved in it feels like I am part of a big national team, with us all playing specific roles, all interconnected, all heading towards the same goals. Many of the people I admire in the care experience community such as Gordon Main, Rosie Moore, Jimmy Paul, and Paul Sullivan were kind enough to write blogs for the National Leadership Network on what they thought of leadership which can be found on the NLN website. Their blogs are fascinating; all looking at leadership in different ways, but which all feel very connected too. I admire the fact that these individuals are progressive, passionate, and hard working. They are also four really kind, thoughtful and lovely human beings I am lucky to know and learn from. A new selection of leadership blogs have just been written by Snowy, Lewis and Heather who are all part of the Champs Board network. It is great to see these three individuals consider the concept of leadership and share their insights.
What about now?
I have the pleasure of working with the National Leadership Network Steering Group on a weekly basis. A group of people of various ages who share their knowledge, thoughts and ideas and work together with great respect for each other. This is a group of people who collectively make all the major funding decisions in the NLN, steering, directing, and influencing everything that happens. I also work alongside four consultants who have been laying the foundations of this project for the last few years. They currently steer the NLN’s participation, engagement, communications, and policy work. I feel so grateful to work alongside all these individuals and watch them devise decision making processes, interview and appointment new members to the team, award thousands of pounds worth of funding and so much more. I love seeing the team move forward and evolve a project themselves with principles of fairness, inclusion, and equality central to all they do. My work is led by these 16 people on so many levels, as it should be.
Through the NLN I get the opportunity to work with the most incredible, diverse, talented, and passionate people who want to see positive changes in the care experience community. I witness people working in lots of different ways and am inspired by those who do what they do with compassion, kindness, empathy, and integrity. I watch, listen, and reflect.
The learning continues.
To read more insightful blogs from NLN, head over to their website.