Cabinet responsibility

What can I say? By that I mean some combination of, what is meaningful for me to say? What is interesting to say? — And, importantly, what am I allowed to say?

NHS managers and clinical academics: a match made in…?

In the past 15 years, I’ve worked with a range of NHS managers at different levels across a number of organisations. I’ve also mentored a sizable pool of further clinician academics working with their managers. Reflecting back, what realisations would I like to share with both NHS managers and clinical academics?

Start that journey today

Nine years ago I attended a big professional conference at which I met a pair. That pair changed my life and career in profound ways, and today has in many ways been a culmination of that change.

I’ve told this story many times, but never this publicly. Now it feels apt to tell.

Are changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.

From as soon as one goes anywhere near the clinical academic step ladder one is told that funders look for leaders, and that one needs to start to become one. From there on it becomes a case of developing one’s leadership skills, competencies and roles. Yet, ironically, I never expected to arrive to the point of actually being one.

Resign on a stinky leadership?

I find following a good leader very exciting and highly empowering. In fact, given a choice, I much more enjoy following a good, inspirational leader than lead myself. But I also find good leadership scarce.