Certainly for the last decade I have taken this incredibly seriously and, frankly, it pays dividends. At the point I started investing in myself I started to see huge differences. Now I understand myself better which, by definition, makes me a better manager and leader. It’s my responsibility to do this, not my manager’s.
Over a period of 1,000 days I built and sold a digital transformation consultancy called Difrent who designed and built services across the public sector and the NHS. I then sold the business for an eight-figure sum.
I led the patient-facing transformation of the NHS and introduced things like the NHS App to the healthcare system in the UK. We went from a repository of content (NHS Choices) and built live transaction services that 50 million users a month access.
Leadership is multi-layered with many moving parts. I’ve had to be comfortable being on such a public platform and comfortable in my own skin. With all eyes on you, tough days in the office can be spectacular!
As a gay woman who came out aged 17, I’ve been open and out in the workplace since day one. During this time I’ve dealt with homophobic behaviour, but I’ve never let it hold me back.