Girl out of Yorkshire

Dear Yorkshire,

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

It’s been two years,

And I have a new job, see you later babes 😀

…as I keep being reminded, you can take the girl out of Yorkshire but something of Yorkshire has now become a part of me.

Yorkshire folk are well known for their tea, fish and chips, flat caps, small dogs and perhaps best for their friendliness and warmth. I can absolutely vouch for all of the above! When I moved here two years ago I felt totally foreign. Although I had always had an affinity for the North I never imagined I would have loved it as much as I have. When I think about how I used to approach situations, this is the thing which has changed the most for me in the last two years. I am still very logical and I still engage mouth before brain, but somewhere in there the compassion I think I always had has become more visible.

This year has been my second on the NHS management training scheme and has been somewhat of a reality check. I hadn’t realised how good I’d had it whilst I was based in the beautiful Dales in a very stable and innovative trust. I spent the first two months working in social enterprise and was surprised when it didn’t tick the boxes I had thought it would. I had imagined that as a third sector organisation it would have similar values as the NHS of authenticity, transparency and purpose I could relate to. It was disappointing when I challenged a project and the response I was met with was ‘yes Alex, but I need the money’. I learnt from this that I love the NHS. Also that the quality I most admire in a leader and aspire to embody is authenticity. As a leader, you can make a bad call but as long as you can be honest about your decision and your response, you’re human. And that’s a quality I look for in a leader; we don’t really need superheroes to achieve amazing things.

I then joined a community trust in the height of massive change.  Before I joined the NHS someone told me ‘the only thing that’s constant in the NHS is change’. This is true, and the way this is managed is everything. I suppose that’s what the grad scheme has all been about. How do you deal with change? It’s coming, it’s needed, it’s inevitable, rock the boat without falling out. And most importantly, look after everyone else sailing with you. Because that’s what leadership is. It’s about collaborating to deliver change together. If you feel like you’re running through treacle, the change won’t stick. As soon as you jump ship old habits will return and what’s the point?

My friends know that I am the overprotective one who is always ready to ‘get all London’ on their loser ex-boyfriends. What I had never realised though, is that as leader and a team manager I am really protective of my colleagues. This is good and bad and the more I understand it the more I am seeing myself let got when I need to. I am also seeing myself as a bit of a cheerleader for the people I work with. I hope this is a good thing, I am slightly wary of becoming a pushy Jewish mother in training! That’s for another blog though…

This afternoon I am venturing back dahn saahf. It’s bittersweet as I leave the beauty of Yorkshire for the smog of London. My identity crisis will no doubt continue, however I am looking forward to understanding what people are talking about when they refer to times and meals of the day – these have seriously thrown me! – Eee Bai Gum!

Yorkshire, it’s been a pleasure. With love always,

Alex