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The topic of leadership fascinates me. But I believe many of us have a closed opinion of who our leaders are.
In my latest blog series, I speak to people who I consider to be ‘everyday leaders’.
These people may not have ‘leadership’ in their role or title, but they demonstrate leadership in their everyday life. The point is that we all lead in our own way. I want to uncover people who do this particularly well and tell their stories in the hope of inspiring others to engage with and harness their inner leader.
 |
So to start, I’m introducing Jennie Godfrey. Jennie has transformed her life from being a corporate HR leader for 25 years, to being a writer. In the two years since she gave up everything she knew, she has found an agent for her first book, which she has been editing and readying for publication. At the same time, she’s gone back to university and is studying for a PhD at Bristol University in Creative Writing. |
Everyday leadership is far more subtle than corporate leadership. Is it a conscious or subconscious thing?
Well, I’m still not sure I really believe this is happening here and now. It’s always been an aspiration and so I sometimes have to pinch myself. Am I just playing at it? It’s been a complete transformation for me and sometimes I think there’s a kind of nervous, giggly girl who is trying to reconcile this leap into the complete unknown at the age of 51.
My watershed moment, and perhaps this was me moving from subconscious to conscious, was to question whether my anxiety and stress were directly related to my work. I’d battled for about four years, gradually paring back my life to ease the pressure but it didn’t help.
The tipping point was a conversation with a fellow coach about needing to be less anxious. He’d heard this from me for a long time and so he asked “Jennie do you want to be doing this anymore?” Barely a moment ticked by before I just said “No, I don’t”
I just knew. It was straightforward, obvious, strong. It was September 2019 and I can then chart everything else that happened. I didn’t have a strong feeling for what I wanted to do, I had no plans other than not to continue to do what I was doing.
Now, everything is new to me in this world and yet I’m having the time of my life.
So, I think in many ways, this leadership is conscious.
I have no deadlines or commitments to produce anything and yet I still show up for work every single day. Strictly speaking, I don’t get paid because that comes when I get my book deal. But I show up to do my work as a writer. I make lots of decisions in terms of what I need to do. That might be writing, but more often it’s learning. Podcasts, films, reading. And even dog -walking. It’s during these outdoor spells that everything percolates, and I have my ideas and inspiration.
I’m making near-constant decisions, and, for me, this is a clear example of everyday leadership. Nothing has been prescribed to me in terms of how to do what I’m doing; I just have to make my way.
That’s interesting as it is easy to become unconscious to the need for learning. How do you keep yourself honest to that activity?
In corporate life, you can maybe get away with carrying on as you are. As a writer, that’s not possible. If you ever want to show anyone your work, you get to know and understand how much or little you know very quickly.
Feedback on writing can be brutal. It’s a visceral, emotional thing. People will say anything from “it was amazing and raw and made me cry” to “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
So, there’s no opportunity to rest on my laurels. The feedback shows me that I still need to learn and improve.
Do you think leadership is an innate quality?
Interestingly, I’ve always said I’d be an author, since childhood. I feel as though I had an inner knowing about where I was meant to be and what I was meant to be doing. My biggest lesson has been to really strip away all the ‘shoulds’ and the things that society expects of you, for example “you should focus on your career”; “you need to make money”.
I think the answers are always inside – so maybe leadership is about following these and ignoring the ‘shoulds’.
Do you consider yourself a leader?
Yes, I do actually. I know it takes a certain amount of self-leadership to follow such an uncertain path. I have no idea whether I’ll ever succeed but I show up every day. I feel as though it’s instinctive. It can be really challenging. I like to take control of whatever I can, and I want to shine.
What guidance would you give others who want to follow this path of letting go?
After making the decision to ‘press pause’ I gave myself space to decide what I wanted to do. ‘I’m going to write a book’ floated into my consciousness and I decided to give it a go.
My first attempt was terrible. I knew it was, but I didn’t know why I couldn’t make the words and characters live on the page.
I decided to seek out learning – where could I go? Who was the best? I read and studied and let everything sit. Then, one day I was walking Rocco in the Somerset countryside when an idea came to me. By the end of the walk, I had a title and plot outline. It was the most creative 20 minutes of my life.
So, I guess there’s a life lesson for me about really trusting your instincts. It’s about giving yourself space and time to work out what’s truly right for you. It’s so important to uncover your direction; uncover where you need to lead yourself. I’ve learned to go where the universe takes me even if I feel unsure or scared of what that might involve. This has led to me undertaking a PhD at Bristol University at the same time as learning to write and working to get published.
This whole experience came about because I knew instinctively that I needed to do something different. I needed courage, dramatic change and a sprinkling of foolishness to make this happen but I listened to my instincts and the rest is history.
If you could hold someone up as an everyday leader, who would it be and why?
Without meaning to sound sycophantic, I have always been inspired by you for deciding to go it alone and set up your own business. You were completely in the unknown, and although things didn’t happen in an instant, you held your nerve.
You’re now hugely successful and I learned a lot from that. I remember our conversation about the importance of holding your nerve and I use this mantra even now. ‘Hold your nerve’, or ‘show up’ are probably my favourite mantras in life.
Inspiration is so important when we decide to change direction. Do you have a resource that you’d recommend to others?
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron changed my life. It’s a book with a course within it. I spent the first couple of months of lockdown immersing myself in it.
It gave me the courage to follow my true North. And it’s not just for artists or writers. When we get to a certain age or stage in life, it can feel as though our path is set. This can be a real impediment to doing/being somebody different. Humans are elastic so whatever age/stage you have the capacity to be something completely different. Never write off the ability to follow your dreams.
Also, I will be forever grateful for Elizabeth Day’s work on failing. Her book, ‘How To Fail’ has been my constant companion in this and is a great inspiration.
I believe our failures are signposts pointing us towards what will be better or what can be more rewarding.
Jennie’s book, The List of Suspicious Things is about two 12-year-old girls, living in 1970’s West Yorkshire, who decide to look for the Yorkshire Ripper. They make a list of the things that are suspicious. Watch this space for publications dates. You can follow Jennie by clicking on the twitter logo below or via Twitter; @princessjen70
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The topic of leadership fascinates me. But I believe many of us have a closed opinion of who our leaders are.
In my latest blog series, I speak to people who I consider to be ‘everyday leaders’.
These people may not have ‘leadership’ in their role or title, but they demonstrate leadership in their everyday life. The point is that we all lead in our own way. I want to uncover people who do this particularly well and tell their stories in the hope of inspiring others to engage with and harness their inner leader.
|
So to start, I’m introducing Jennie Godfrey. Jennie has transformed her life from being a corporate HR leader for 25 years, to being a writer. In the two years since she gave up everything she knew, she has found an agent for her first book, which she has been editing and readying for publication. At the same time, she’s gone back to university and is studying for a PhD at Bristol University in Creative Writing.
Everyday leadership is far more subtle than corporate leadership. Is it a conscious or subconscious thing?
Well, I’m still not sure I really believe this is happening here and now. It’s always been an aspiration and so I sometimes have to pinch myself. Am I just playing at it? It’s been a complete transformation for me and sometimes I think there’s a kind of nervous, giggly girl who is trying to reconcile this leap into the complete unknown at the age of 51.
My watershed moment, and perhaps this was me moving from subconscious to conscious, was to question whether my anxiety and stress were directly related to my work. I’d battled for about four years, gradually paring back my life to ease the pressure but it didn’t help.
The tipping point was a conversation with a fellow coach about needing to be less anxious. He’d heard this from me for a long time and so he asked “Jennie do you want to be doing this anymore?” Barely a moment ticked by before I just said “No, I don’t”
I just knew. It was straightforward, obvious, strong. It was September 2019 and I can then chart everything else that happened. I didn’t have a strong feeling for what I wanted to do, I had no plans other than not to continue to do what I was doing.
Now, everything is new to me in this world and yet I’m having the time of my life.
So, I think in many ways, this leadership is conscious.
I have no deadlines or commitments to produce anything and yet I still show up for work every single day. Strictly speaking, I don’t get paid because that comes when I get my book deal. But I show up to do my work as a writer. I make lots of decisions in terms of what I need to do. That might be writing, but more often it’s learning. Podcasts, films, reading. And even dog -walking. It’s during these outdoor spells that everything percolates, and I have my ideas and inspiration.
I’m making near-constant decisions, and, for me, this is a clear example of everyday leadership. Nothing has been prescribed to me in terms of how to do what I’m doing; I just have to make my way.
That’s interesting as it is easy to become unconscious to the need for learning. How do you keep yourself honest to that activity?
In corporate life, you can maybe get away with carrying on as you are. As a writer, that’s not possible. If you ever want to show anyone your work, you get to know and understand how much or little you know very quickly.
Feedback on writing can be brutal. It’s a visceral, emotional thing. People will say anything from “it was amazing and raw and made me cry” to “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
So, there’s no opportunity to rest on my laurels. The feedback shows me that I still need to learn and improve.
Do you think leadership is an innate quality?
Interestingly, I’ve always said I’d be an author, since childhood. I feel as though I had an inner knowing about where I was meant to be and what I was meant to be doing. My biggest lesson has been to really strip away all the ‘shoulds’ and the things that society expects of you, for example “you should focus on your career”; “you need to make money”.
I think the answers are always inside – so maybe leadership is about following these and ignoring the ‘shoulds’.
Do you consider yourself a leader?
Yes, I do actually. I know it takes a certain amount of self-leadership to follow such an uncertain path. I have no idea whether I’ll ever succeed but I show up every day. I feel as though it’s instinctive. It can be really challenging. I like to take control of whatever I can, and I want to shine.
What guidance would you give others who want to follow this path of letting go?
After making the decision to ‘press pause’ I gave myself space to decide what I wanted to do. ‘I’m going to write a book’ floated into my consciousness and I decided to give it a go.
My first attempt was terrible. I knew it was, but I didn’t know why I couldn’t make the words and characters live on the page.
I decided to seek out learning – where could I go? Who was the best? I read and studied and let everything sit. Then, one day I was walking Rocco in the Somerset countryside when an idea came to me. By the end of the walk, I had a title and plot outline. It was the most creative 20 minutes of my life.
So, I guess there’s a life lesson for me about really trusting your instincts. It’s about giving yourself space and time to work out what’s truly right for you. It’s so important to uncover your direction; uncover where you need to lead yourself. I’ve learned to go where the universe takes me even if I feel unsure or scared of what that might involve. This has led to me undertaking a PhD at Bristol University at the same time as learning to write and working to get published.
This whole experience came about because I knew instinctively that I needed to do something different. I needed courage, dramatic change and a sprinkling of foolishness to make this happen but I listened to my instincts and the rest is history.
If you could hold someone up as an everyday leader, who would it be and why?
Without meaning to sound sycophantic, I have always been inspired by you for deciding to go it alone and set up your own business. You were completely in the unknown, and although things didn’t happen in an instant, you held your nerve.
You’re now hugely successful and I learned a lot from that. I remember our conversation about the importance of holding your nerve and I use this mantra even now. ‘Hold your nerve’, or ‘show up’ are probably my favourite mantras in life.
Inspiration is so important when we decide to change direction. Do you have a resource that you’d recommend to others?
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron changed my life. It’s a book with a course within it. I spent the first couple of months of lockdown immersing myself in it.
It gave me the courage to follow my true North. And it’s not just for artists or writers. When we get to a certain age or stage in life, it can feel as though our path is set. This can be a real impediment to doing/being somebody different. Humans are elastic so whatever age/stage you have the capacity to be something completely different. Never write off the ability to follow your dreams.
Also, I will be forever grateful for Elizabeth Day’s work on failing. Her book, ‘How To Fail’ has been my constant companion in this and is a great inspiration.
I believe our failures are signposts pointing us towards what will be better or what can be more rewarding.
Jennie’s book, The List of Suspicious Things is about two 12-year-old girls, living in 1970’s West Yorkshire, who decide to look for the Yorkshire Ripper. They make a list of the things that are suspicious. Watch this space for publications dates. You can follow Jennie by clicking on the twitter logo below or via Twitter; @princessjen70
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The topic of leadership fascinates me. But I believe many of us have a closed opinion of who our leaders are.
In my latest blog series, I speak to people who I consider to be ‘everyday leaders’.
These people may not have ‘leadership’ in their role or title, but they demonstrate leadership in their everyday life. The point is that we all lead in our own way. I want to uncover people who do this particularly well and tell their stories in the hope of inspiring others to engage with and harness their inner leader.
 |
So to start, I’m introducing Jennie Godfrey. Jennie has transformed her life from being a corporate HR leader for 25 years, to being a writer. In the two years since she gave up everything she knew, she has found an agent for her first book, which she has been editing and readying for publication. At the same time, she’s gone back to university and is studying for a PhD at Bristol University in Creative Writing. |
Everyday leadership is far more subtle than corporate leadership. Is it a conscious or subconscious thing?
Well, I’m still not sure I really believe this is happening here and now. It’s always been an aspiration and so I sometimes have to pinch myself. Am I just playing at it? It’s been a complete transformation for me and sometimes I think there’s a kind of nervous, giggly girl who is trying to reconcile this leap into the complete unknown at the age of 51.
My watershed moment, and perhaps this was me moving from subconscious to conscious, was to question whether my anxiety and stress were directly related to my work. I’d battled for about four years, gradually paring back my life to ease the pressure but it didn’t help.
The tipping point was a conversation with a fellow coach about needing to be less anxious. He’d heard this from me for a long time and so he asked “Jennie do you want to be doing this anymore?” Barely a moment ticked by before I just said “No, I don’t”
I just knew. It was straightforward, obvious, strong. It was September 2019 and I can then chart everything else that happened. I didn’t have a strong feeling for what I wanted to do, I had no plans other than not to continue to do what I was doing.
Now, everything is new to me in this world and yet I’m having the time of my life.
So, I think in many ways, this leadership is conscious.
I have no deadlines or commitments to produce anything and yet I still show up for work every single day. Strictly speaking, I don’t get paid because that comes when I get my book deal. But I show up to do my work as a writer. I make lots of decisions in terms of what I need to do. That might be writing, but more often it’s learning. Podcasts, films, reading. And even dog -walking. It’s during these outdoor spells that everything percolates, and I have my ideas and inspiration.
I’m making near-constant decisions, and, for me, this is a clear example of everyday leadership. Nothing has been prescribed to me in terms of how to do what I’m doing; I just have to make my way.
That’s interesting as it is easy to become unconscious to the need for learning. How do you keep yourself honest to that activity?
In corporate life, you can maybe get away with carrying on as you are. As a writer, that’s not possible. If you ever want to show anyone your work, you get to know and understand how much or little you know very quickly.
Feedback on writing can be brutal. It’s a visceral, emotional thing. People will say anything from “it was amazing and raw and made me cry” to “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
So, there’s no opportunity to rest on my laurels. The feedback shows me that I still need to learn and improve.
Do you think leadership is an innate quality?
Interestingly, I’ve always said I’d be an author, since childhood. I feel as though I had an inner knowing about where I was meant to be and what I was meant to be doing. My biggest lesson has been to really strip away all the ‘shoulds’ and the things that society expects of you, for example “you should focus on your career”; “you need to make money”.
I think the answers are always inside – so maybe leadership is about following these and ignoring the ‘shoulds’.
Do you consider yourself a leader?
Yes, I do actually. I know it takes a certain amount of self-leadership to follow such an uncertain path. I have no idea whether I’ll ever succeed but I show up every day. I feel as though it’s instinctive. It can be really challenging. I like to take control of whatever I can, and I want to shine.
What guidance would you give others who want to follow this path of letting go?
After making the decision to ‘press pause’ I gave myself space to decide what I wanted to do. ‘I’m going to write a book’ floated into my consciousness and I decided to give it a go.
My first attempt was terrible. I knew it was, but I didn’t know why I couldn’t make the words and characters live on the page.
I decided to seek out learning – where could I go? Who was the best? I read and studied and let everything sit. Then, one day I was walking Rocco in the Somerset countryside when an idea came to me. By the end of the walk, I had a title and plot outline. It was the most creative 20 minutes of my life.
So, I guess there’s a life lesson for me about really trusting your instincts. It’s about giving yourself space and time to work out what’s truly right for you. It’s so important to uncover your direction; uncover where you need to lead yourself. I’ve learned to go where the universe takes me even if I feel unsure or scared of what that might involve. This has led to me undertaking a PhD at Bristol University at the same time as learning to write and working to get published.
This whole experience came about because I knew instinctively that I needed to do something different. I needed courage, dramatic change and a sprinkling of foolishness to make this happen but I listened to my instincts and the rest is history.
If you could hold someone up as an everyday leader, who would it be and why?
Without meaning to sound sycophantic, I have always been inspired by you for deciding to go it alone and set up your own business. You were completely in the unknown, and although things didn’t happen in an instant, you held your nerve.
You’re now hugely successful and I learned a lot from that. I remember our conversation about the importance of holding your nerve and I use this mantra even now. ‘Hold your nerve’, or ‘show up’ are probably my favourite mantras in life.
Inspiration is so important when we decide to change direction. Do you have a resource that you’d recommend to others?
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron changed my life. It’s a book with a course within it. I spent the first couple of months of lockdown immersing myself in it.
It gave me the courage to follow my true North. And it’s not just for artists or writers. When we get to a certain age or stage in life, it can feel as though our path is set. This can be a real impediment to doing/being somebody different. Humans are elastic so whatever age/stage you have the capacity to be something completely different. Never write off the ability to follow your dreams.
Also, I will be forever grateful for Elizabeth Day’s work on failing. Her book, ‘How To Fail’ has been my constant companion in this and is a great inspiration.
I believe our failures are signposts pointing us towards what will be better or what can be more rewarding.
Jennie’s book, The List of Suspicious Things is about two 12-year-old girls, living in 1970’s West Yorkshire, who decide to look for the Yorkshire Ripper. They make a list of the things that are suspicious. Watch this space for publications dates. You can follow Jennie by clicking on the twitter logo below or via Twitter; @princessjen70
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