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Posted By Clore Social Leadership,
05 February 2020
Updated: 23 October 2020
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My name is Serena Cecchinato, currently Operations Director at Give Us Time, a small military charity supporting Armed Forces families in need of rest and rehabilitation after suffering stresses and strains as a family unit.
I applied for the Cobseo Emerging Leader Programme after my Managing Director heard about the opportunity. At the time, the charity was going through some changes and adjustments which resulted in me having to take up more responsibilities in my role as well as managing a full-time member of staff. Back then, I took the opportunity more to benefit my organisation and my team rather than myself. I didn’t know it would be an extraordinary and life changing personal journey, as well as a professional one.
I think what a lot of people get wrong about “leadership” is that they consider it to be a skill to acquire, some magic wand you can buy along the way. What I have found thanks to the Programme is that everyone is a leader and leadership belongs to everyone; you just need to discover your own leadership style and in which situations you can put it to good use.
"You just need to discover your own leadership style and in which situations you can put it to good use."
Even though all participants had different backgrounds, different years of experience and different paths ahead of us, the Programme created a safe environment where we could learn, grow and develop from each other. I found it enlightening to be able to share experiences, thoughts and ideas with peers from my sector. It was important to realise how people react differently to situations. With understanding comes the knowledge of behaving in a way that brings the best of everyone to the table.
"With understanding comes the knowledge of behaving in a way that brings the best of everyone to the table."
Some people need to be reassured, others need to shine, while others prefer structures and deadlines. It’s about understanding your team and how the different personalities can work together at their very best, improving the efficiency and productivity of your organisation, as well as making the work environment a much better place.
It is also important to understand yourself and how you react to situations and others’ behaviours. Thanks to the Programme, I have understood that you need to be aware of yourself (the good, the bad and the really bad!) in order to be a good leader and inspire others.
The enthusiasm and skills the Programme gifted me with proved to be extremely important for my team and my charity as well. I took what I learned back to the office, discussed it with the team and involved our Board of Trustees as well; overall creating a breath of fresh air we are all benefiting from!
Since I have spoken so highly about my experience with Clore Social, my colleague is now taking the Programme as well! I am looking forward to seeing his journey now.
I also think that the Programme benefits our sector as a whole. Not only because we have created long lasting relations with our peers on the Programme, but because we are influencing our teams, our organisations and by extent: our sector.
I am so grateful I had this opportunity as I have learned so much about myself and improved so many aspects of my professional life as a result. I honestly cannot recommend the Programme more highly!
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Posted By Clore Social Leadership,
27 November 2019
Updated: 23 October 2020
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Blog by Annie Edwards, Project Manager at Young Women's Worker
I’ve been asked to write a blog about my experience on the Clore Social Emerging Leader: Women and Girls Sector Programme – my limit is 700 words, but I’m not sure I can write the word “AMAZING!” 700 times over, so I’ll try and break down my experience a little more for you.
I originally applied for the programme because a colleague from a partner organisation to mine encouraged me to go for it, and I couldn’t think of a reason not to. I’ve always been passionate about women and girls’ rights and ensuring equal opportunities. This has been a common thread for me in my work and studies; at university I studied Theology and had a deep interest in feminist theology and the place women can and should have within faith communities and traditions. I’ve been working for my current organisation, Canaan Project, for three and a half years – we offer girls-only provision in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, collaborating with schools and community partners because we want to see young women flourish.
"I was sitting in a room with the upcoming female leaders of our sector – and I was considered to be one of them."
I looked at the application form and was pretty confident that I wouldn’t be accepted onto the programme. I was hopeful that I would be, as any opportunity to develop (and be pampered in the process!) is something I always enjoy. It remained a genuine surprise, however, when I was accepted onto the programme – mostly because of the calibre of the other women who had also been accepted. I’m a big believer in Imposter Syndrome, and on the first residential (we were spoilt with two residentials – the food and the venue were simply amazing. Nothing like a bit of TLC to make you feel like a leader!) we were introduced to each other and our work and I was just amazed. I was sitting in a room with the upcoming female leaders of our sector – and I was considered to be one of them.
The best thing about the programme was the consistent underlying determination of the Clore Social team to ensure that we left the residentials, the coaching sessions, the secondments and the online learning sessions believing that we were brilliant and we still are today.
Clore Social created a safe space for me to be honest and open about where I fell short in my leadership style, and celebrated with me when I felt I’d made a change or grown in those areas.
"My biggest challenge as a leader has always been my confidence, and Clore Social helped me to find bucket-loads – mostly within myself."
My biggest challenge as a leader has always been my confidence, and Clore Social helped me to find bucket-loads – mostly within myself. My ongoing relationship with Imposter Syndrome was challenged when other women in the group shared that they felt the same – I wasn’t the only one after all! – and that together we could support one another out of that head-space because it turns out it was never true really.
One of my favourite things about Clore was the coaching sessions. I’ve always been a much better talker than a listener, but I’ve not always been brilliant at listening to myself. Coaching helped me to do this so much better, and it’s enabled me to become a better leader because I can communicate my limits, my strengths and my still-celebrated areas of weakness much better. Honesty and integrity are so important to me as a leader, and Clore Social has taught me that a part of that process is to learn to be honest with yourself.
Life doesn’t stop when you become a leader – if anything, it can sometimes make life a bit trickier for a while. But thankfully, I’m still in touch with my wonderful co-Clorers and we continue to support and challenge each other to keep leading the way that only we can.
"Clore Social is more than just a course; it’s a community and safe space to get to know others, and yourself, and love both much better."
Clore Social is more than just a course; it’s a community and safe space to get to know others, and yourself, and love both much better. If you’re not sure whether to apply, or you don’t have a colleague pushing you to do so – then let me: GO FOR IT, GIRL!
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Posted By Clore Social Leadership,
23 July 2019
Updated: 23 October 2020
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The world is awash with leadership books, courses and advice. In 2015 around 1,200 books were published with the word ‘leadership’ in the title. Type ‘leadership’ into a search on Amazon and you will have over 50,000 titles to peruse. Hundreds of MBA courses are available every year. You can find out how , and ‘Unicorn Leadership: how integrated, next-level leaders are changing the world’. And politicians, top military brass, psychologists and business leaders all have platforms to share their secrets of leadership success.
So with all of these options on the market, why is the responsible finance sector in need of a leadership programme?
Over the last decade, we have seen an acceleration within mainstream and retail finance of roles becoming highly specialised. But responsible finance remains a sector that puts people first, is agile and innovative.
Yet there is limited availability of training and development programmes for those working in responsible and social finance, a growing sector that is critical to supporting local economic growth and financial resilience across the UK.
In 2017, the responsible finance industry lent £67 million to over 5,000 small businesses, creating over 4,000 jobs. Businesses funded included local nurseries, manufacturers, cafes and food producers. £22 million was lent in over 55,000 loans and customers were encouraged to deposit over £3 million into savings accounts and helped to improve their credit scores and financial capability. £142 million was lent to 363 social enterprises, including a charity training medical detection dogs and a community build scheme with integrated training and employment skills on construction sites.
Credit unions are financial cooperatives that provide savings accounts and loans to consumers. At the end of 2017, there were 450 credit unions in the UK with nearly 1.8 million members. In 2017 credit unions lent over £161 million to their members, and had total deposits of £2.6 billion at the end of the year.
Social investors invest with a social purpose alongside a financial return. In 2016 £630 million was invested to over 1,100 beneficiaries. The majority of this was lending by social investment intermediaries.
Despite this significant impact, the social and responsible finance sector is ambitious to do far more and knows that the need from customers is there. Building the next generation of leaders and developing the skills they need will ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector. It is important that responsible finance leaders of the future have the confidence and abilities to tackle some of the sector’s prominent opportunities and challenges.
With small teams and limited resources, senior management needs to have an overview of and provide leadership on issues ranging from risk management to lending policies, IT platforms to marketing, securing investment to demonstrating impact.
That’s why Responsible Finance has launched its first leadership programme for the Responsible Finance Sector. Funded by the Connect Fund and delivered in partnership with Clore Social Leadership, the programme will also be available to the wider social finance sector, such as credit unions and Social Investment Finance Intermediaries (SIFIs).
The target audience is aspiring leaders in the sector, middle managers and above. The purpose is to create the next generation of responsible finance leaders, addressing succession planning, staff development and retention challenges that the sector faces.
The Responsible Finance Leadership Programme will support aspiring leaders to develop their skills, knowledge and behaviours to become stronger ambassadors for their organisation and the sector as a whole. It will help them to become better strategic thinkers, confident to operate openly and transparently while empowering others and to effectively collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders.
You can find out more here.
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Posted By Clore Social Leadership,
24 May 2019
Updated: 23 October 2020
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Dionne Charlotte, 2018 Emerging Leader fellow relays her experience on the programme.
At the start of the programme, I was unsure how to take the next steps in my career. I wanted to explore where I could make a true impact in a sector that I am very passionate about. The content of the programme really helped me to discover my leadership strengths, preferences and identify where these would be best placed in the sector to create sustainable change.
Our Improvisation session was challenging, however it gave me permission to have those difficult conversations and take the risks that my “normal self” would probably hesitate to do. Having permission to be a different version of myself in moments of conflict and frustration has allowed me to reach positive decisions in the workplace with others. I now take a step back and ask myself “who do I need to be in this situation to get the outcome I am looking for?”
"I now take a step back and ask myself 'who do I need to be in this situation to get the outcome I am looking for?"
Learning more about other people’s preferences and ways of working has enabled me to become more effective in influencing people to create change and impact where they are. Being able to reflect on where and when I am best placed to lead has been valuable in reaching collaborative goals. I thought the Action Learning Set feature of the programme was beneficial as it allowed me to step into the shoes of another leaders world, hear their most challenging issues, explore their perspective with them and contribute with my group to how they may navigate these challenges. These were valuable lessons that may have taken me years to learn on my own.
The skills required of social leaders are continuously evolving, the world we live in is becoming rapidly complex and interdependent. Therefore, the complexity of social issues we see requires a collaborative approach from a range of disciplines to deliver sustainable solutions. We need to be leaders that are able to navigate and thrive in these environments.
"We need to be leaders that are able to navigate and thrive in these environments."
As a result of the Emerging Leader Programme, I have a greater awareness of self and more confidence to lead in my current context. I have learnt that leadership development is not just about having an idea or a fantasy about how you can change the world, but rather, our focus should be on having tangible evidence of our leadership strengths via the self-discovery process and truthfully asking yourself the question “why would I be the best person to serve in that role?”
For those just starting on their leadership journey, I would encourage them to be open, honest and at times vulnerable about where they are at. The most powerful tool you have is learning how to observe yourself and others. Understanding these insights will help your personal development and give you an ability to know what is required to succeed in your own context. Be confident about the direction you want to go, be inquisitive and keep the conversations going. There is always something to learn in every moment and the Clore Emerging Leaders Programme gives a brilliant template on how to develop yourself as a Social Leader.
Dionne Charlotte is a Project Manager at the Single Homeless Prevention Service. She is a 2018 Clore Social Emerging Leader fellow for the programme run in collaboration with the Centre for Homelessness Impact.
Recruitment is now open for the Emerging Leader Programme running from September 2019 to March 2020. The programme includes 24 places for leaders who are keen to become more effective in their roles. Find out more below.
Photo by Jen Holland Photography.
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Posted By Clore Social Leadership,
07 May 2019
Updated: 23 October 2020
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When I signed up for the Clore Social Experienced Leader Programme little did I know that within the year I would be given the opportunity not just to join their team, but to take forward a new Clore Social Leadership initiative as their National Engagement Manager.
As a Clore Social Leadership Fellow myself, I know that Fellows form strong bonds with each other during their programme; friendships that last for years after their programme has finished. And many will remember that niggle in their heads as they approached the transition, end of programme day, looming like a cliff edge, thinking...What happens now?
In the past, with Fellows scattered thinly across the country and into mainland Europe, the “what now” has been of their own making. But as Clore Social reaches its 10th Anniversary and the range of programmes offered each year increases, we have been exploring how we can support Fellows - past, present and future – to do more, connect more and learn more in their local areas and regions.
We are really excited to be announcing a new initiative - an opportunity for you to secure funding to galvanise social leaders in your local area. This is a chance for Clore Social Fellows to take the next step in building a national movement, a community of, for, and by social leaders. We are calling them Chapters – because we see them forming the first chapter in a story that encourages great and inspiring leadership throughout the social sector.
"Take the next step in building a national movement, a community of, for and by social leaders." Patricia Stead
Last September, the first Clore Social Chapter kicked off in the North East of England, where I am fortunate to be amongst a large group of Fellows dating back to the very first Clore Social Leadership Programme in 2010. Since then we have grown in number, meeting every two months, providing a space for Fellows to share not just their Clore Social experience, but ideas for how we might all work together to take that next step in leadership and a support structure for people coming into Clore Social programmes for the first time.
In London, Phil Kerry has kicked off Cock-up Cocktails, inviting Fellows and others to meet up to share experiences and network at an evening of hilarious and honest “things that went wrong” talks from high profile speakers.
In Hull, HEY 100, the year-long Clore Social place-based leadership programme introduced people working across sectors and across a range of roles to each other. Now they want to do more, together and they are kicking off their first Chapter meeting in July.
And in other parts of the country the message is clear – Fellows want to do more.
"The message is clear – Fellows want to do more." Patricia Stead
So here it is. Today we are announcing the Clore Social Leaders' Chapter start-up fund. This will help Fellows make connections with other Fellows in their areas and to explore what powerful stuff can happen when leaders collaborate, form local networks and help to build a movement.
In 2019 we will fund the start-up of 10 new Chapters across the country (Scotland, England, N. Ireland and Wales). Funding of up to £2,000 will be available for each Chapter. Further information is available here.
Chapter proposals can be based on location or a specific context. It is up to you. We want your proposals to reach out to Fellows across programme years and strands and we will help you to do that. In the first instance, we are looking for expressions of interest, and you can register your interest here. Please note that the deadline for registering interest has closed on 20 May 2019. The deadline for applications is Monday, 17 June, 2019.
We are tremendously excited about this opportunity to help you continue your leadership journey, and build a movement of generous, inspiring leaders across your local communities. We look forward to hearing from you!
If you'd like to stay in touch, join our growing community of social leaders on the Clore Social LinkedIn community group. And don’t forget to let us know if you move area or change your contact details – we’d love to keep in touch!
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