Sheffield Leader 1 experiences

I have worked for the University of Sheffield for 14 years. During that time I have worked in three different Departments on three different University sites and far too many office locations to mention. I was appointed/promoted to my current position as Lead Secretary in the newly formed Department of Cardiovascular Science in January 2010. I have never received (or even been offered) any formal leadership training until I was nominated by my Line Manager(s) to do Sheffield Leader 1. I have to say I was initially sceptical about whether this would be of benefit to support staff as historically we aren’t considered for training like this. I had only heard of Sheffield Leader in the context of training for Heads of Department and Senior Academics. Thankfully I was wrong and I found the modules to be extremely helpful and interacting with other people in similar roles across the University was a huge benefit to me as an individual. It is nice to know that others face similar challenges in their roles and that University has conviction in us as individuals. There were two things that I took away from Sheffield Leader 1, I think the most important thing to me was time to reflect – yes I know it’s one of those trendy terms that HR people use but it really is of value. And the second thing is a greater self-awareness.

I have worked at the University for 10 years and in my current role for 5 years. A number of years ago did the universities L.E.A.D (Leadership, Effectiveness and Development Programme) however, it wasn't as formalised nor structured as Sheffield Leader.

I knew a little about Sheffield Leader from looking at the web pages but wasn't entirely sure what the exact purpose of it would be. However, my manager spoke with me about it and we agreed it would be a good development opportunity. It sounds a little obvious, but it's a good idea to find out why your manager has nominated you for a place and what they hope you will gain from it (yes, some people attending didn't know this!)

After finding out about the different levels and structure of Sheffield Leader, it is very clear and you can see how you can move up the different levels as you develop.

It's been fantastic to work with both academic and admin staff from an array of departments. For me, it was great to interact with people and departments who I never normally come into contact with in my day to day work.

Sheffield Leader is run very well and participants can gain a lot out of it, if they want it. The days are well structured with ample break out time, time for personal reflection and opportunities to chat with colleagues about real day to day issues and examples.

I am taking away some new found knowledge, helpful skills and I'm looking forward to putting them into practice.

I have taught in the School of Architecture since 2001 when I started part time studio teaching. Since then I have co-founded a small research unit, helped to develop a dual undergraduate programme in architecture and landscape as well as implementing changes to technology teaching in first year. My role has increased over the years and, although still part time, I am now co-director of first year and director of the dual architecture and landscape course. I have recently been asked to co-ordinate first year technology teaching and this has prompted my department to nominate me forward for Sheffield Leader.

I had not had any leadership training since school so did not know what to expect from Sheffield Leader 1. I had heard of Sheffield Leader from both senior staff and colleagues at my level although did not think it appropriate to me and my role. What I found was something that helped me put into perspective recent changes within my role and department. The modules helped me to identify areas for improvement in how I approach the management of my workload and how I work with others.

Of particular interest has been the chance to mix with administrative, technical and teaching staff from other departments; the ability to share experiences with others and hear common strands across the broad spectrum of University life. Sheffield Leader has given me a greater confidence in my various roles, endorsing some of the decisions that I have made whilst encouraging me to listen to others.