What makes an effective leader?

During my time on the Housing LIN Future Leaders Programme, I have had the privilege to listen and learn from several inspiring speakers and future leaders. These conversations have helped enlighten me on what it takes to be an effective leader, to accept challenges and embrace mistakes as these are all important parts of learning. 

Reflecting on my time being part of the Housing LIN’s Future Leaders programme, one of the speakers that resonated with me was Kay Allen. Her story about B&Q and the inclusion of a diverse group of people stood out to me and made me think about the opportunities I have been given early in my career working with several senior colleagues. It taught me the importance of morality as a leader, that everybody has something to offer. Her honesty and openness speaking about her past experiences confirmed to me that when we experience setbacks, although it may feel bad, it is always a chance to learn from mistakes and grow. 

Inspired Villages and their vision of the future of retirement homes and how they are perceived was also very relatable to me personally. The emphasis on independence of the user and ultimately the user comes first attitude from their belief that ‘later living should be the best years of your life’ is something I have to keep in mind in my role as an architectural technologist. It was nice to hear the ambitious views for the future, it gave me a good sense of guidance in my designs.

The main takeaway for me personally is that I should embrace my ambitions and be brave enough to make mistakes. When I started the programme, I mentioned a sense of imposter syndrome I was feeling. Fast forward to now and I am more confident in my ability and appreciate my progression. I understand that being uncomfortable is normal and an essential part of a successful career.

I would like to thank Housing LIN and all of the future leaders for an amazing experience.

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Callum's blog is one of 9 from the 3rd cohort of the Housing LIN’s Future Leaders Programme that we are publishing in the lead up to our virtual Summit – A Festival of Ideas and the virtual session on Tuesday, 29 February 2024 (10:30am - 12:00 pm). Register now for Cultivating Leadership: Inspiring the Next Wave of Talent and Future Leaders.

Find out more about Housing LIN’s Future Leaders Programme and read the other blogs once published.