Care Leaders Network – Celebrating Female Leaders

Event reflections from Laura Mullane

 

I attended a ‘Celebrating Female Leaders’ event in London last week and have been reflecting on why the event was such a success.

To come away buzzing from an event with 16 specially selected female leaders in social care must mean that there was something special in the room.

This opportunity was, not only a wonderful treat to dine and chat to a room full of incredible women, but it was also a time to sit back, reflect and consider our roles as leaders in our sector.

With a mix of female leaders in the room from entrepreneurial company owners to employed CEOs and Directors through to small start-ups where individuals with a passion for change are still early in their journey, this was an opportunity to connect, network, and build relationships with other like-minded women in leadership roles. Networking can lead to mentorship, collaboration, and support in all our professional journeys and Pioneer Talent encourages this with all our leadership candidates, facilitating this through our own networks where we can.

I had the pleasure of bringing along a recent successful candidate who will be starting a new Director role for a provider in coming weeks. Her resounding feedback was that she felt empowered for the first time in a long time. That she normally doesn’t get the opportunity to have the headspace to reflect in such a way. Everyone felt we were in a room of role models who can inspire and guide one another and help each other navigate the challenges of leadership positions.

A key discussion point was to consider who the most inspiring leaders have been in our own careers (both male and female) and how we have learnt from and harnessed that inspiration. It was resoundingly agreed that emotional intelligence is a critical attribute for effective leadership and a common theme when discussing the source of our inspiration. Leaders who possess a high level of EQ are better equipped to understand and navigate the complexities of human interactions, inspire their teams, and make well-informed decisions that contribute to the success of their organisations and the well-being of their team members. This was clear in the room.

Events like this certainly boost our self-confidence by validating our potential and capabilities. Feeling supported and valued can help us overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome, whatever our gender. Whilst this was a women’s focused event where we did discuss some challenges and observations specific to being a woman and the importance of gender equity, such supportive events, whatever the make-up are so beneficial as part of your career and personal development.

There were 3 main takeaways from this event.

  • How important Community and Support Systems are – These events foster a sense of community and a support system for women in leadership. We can share experiences, challenges, and solutions with one another. We all need to think about our up-and-coming talent and how such community can support their leadership development. Ultimately for the betterment of the sector.
  • Fundamentally, it’s about diversity – Diverse leadership teams lead to better decision-making and improved business and service user outcomes.
  • Keep networking – keep reaching out to colleagues who can help you on your career path; it’s amazing how we all want to support each other to succeed.

When young women see older women succeeding and supporting each other, it encourages them to aspire to leadership roles and pursue their ambitions with confidence. I hope we can inspire and support future generations of women to aspire to leadership roles in Health and Social Care.  Let’s dream big and support one another!