Leading to Change Digital Community Event: The impact of providing space to learn
“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.”
— Harvey S. Firestone
Join us for the second event of our series as we explore the impact of providing space to learn for self and others in your team. This is part of our leadership theme of Motivating and Inspiring.
As time and resources are scarce, prioritising space to learn is often difficult and at times unpopular. Often the focus of learning is mandatory and regulatory ‘training’ so finding time to focus on personal development can seem impossible.
Learning takes us out of our comfort zone, providing us challenge and offering self-growth which can increase our confidence, creativity, and independence. It can aid our focus, open our minds to other perspectives and build our resilience. Learning, both formal and informal, is important to individuals and communities because it helps different groups of people to share knowledge, agree on mutual values, and understand one another better.
In this event we will explore how creating space for learning has impact, from those with personal experience of providing and receiving the benefits of that space.
Join us as we make space for curiosity and learning and consider practical ways to do more of this for self and others.
We welcome to the conversation:
Alan Wilson, Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning, NHS Highland
I was appointed in the role of Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning in November 2020. I have worked within NHS Estates operations and projects at various roles for over 27 years. I am a Chartered Manager (MCMI) and a Chartered Engineer (MIET). I have been successful in the development of both myself and colleagues to allow for progression through the organisations that I have worked for and want to share my learning.
Anna Alexander, Manager – General Manager – Professional Development, Medicine Directorate, NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
I am Anna Alexander, and I recently took up the post of General Manager – Professional Development, Medicine Directorate, NHS Education for Scotland (NES). My previous role of 8 years was CPD Manager for a service called CPD Connect at NES, providing continuing professional development for practitioners in General Practice. Prior to this I worked within the Dental Service in NHS Ayrshire in Arran for 13 years in various administrative/managerial roles. As a service lead and line manager, I have been asked to contribute my own reflections about supporting and creating space for learning, for myself and others.
Gary Paul, Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellow
I studied in Edinburgh and worked for NHS as a student. I then did foundation programme in Lanarkshire, started anaesthetics training in Tayside and am now continuing training in the West of Scotland.
I have taken time out of training previously to work as a teaching fellow and now this year as clinical leadership fellow.
With a focus on storytelling and reflections, our contributors will share their experience and insight of providing the space to learn and what the impact of having that space has meant to them. Then collectively, we’ll explore what this means for us, and what practical learning we can take away. This session will use breakout groups to enable real conversations and connections.
Questions for us to consider:
- In your experience, what has enabled or challenged your opportunity to learn?
- What have you accomplished when you have had space to learn? What difference did it make and how did it feel?
- What does the word ‘learning’ bring up for you?
- How do you create space for your learning or the learning of others?
Resources to consider:
If you would like to consider this topic in advance of the event, we recommend any one of these four resources to read, watch, listen to or engage with. They are quite different and are offered as optional thought-provokers for those who like to get into the topic in advance. Click the titles below to find out more.
- 8 mins read – The most important skill to thrive in the future of work by Fearless Culture
- 2 mins watch – How to motivate the unmotivated by Simon Sinek
- 22 mins listen – The role of the leader and continuous learning in the reskilling era by McKinsey
- 30 mins engage – We offer the Leading to Change app and Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) if you want to explore your career and development aspirations – your report is available immediately on completion, is only available to you to share as you want and the final pages offer some questions to help you identify what development you may want to take next. The link above tells you everything you need to know.
