Over three years of engaging with Leading to Change, Amina Slimani-Fersia describes a deeply transformative leadership journey shaped by reflection, connection, and practice. From practical tools to mindset shifts, each session—from Leadership Links to Diversity Coffee Connect—has helped her grow into a more confident, inclusive, and compassionate leader.
When I look back over the past three years of attending Leading to Change events, I genuinely believe they have been transformative in my leadership journey. Each session, whether Leadership Links, Diversity Coffee Connect, Spotlight Series, or the Book Club has left me with something meaningful. Each session has reinforced the importance of inclusive, compassionate and values-driven leadership, while also challenging me to reflect on my own practice. I have particularly valued the balance between theory, reflection, and lived experiences of other leaders across health and social care, which has broadened my outlook beyond pharmacy and encouraged me to think system wide.
The events have changed over time and so has my experience of them. The early webinars felt structured and content-focused, whereas more recent sessions have been more interactive and reflective. I noticed the community aspect grow stronger, with attendees sharing more openly, creating a real sense of mutual learning. Diversity Coffee Connect has also deepened. It has moved from awareness-raising into tackling more challenging topics, such as being an ally to neurodiverse colleagues and working collectively on health inequalities. That shift has made the sessions feel alive and relevant, and I always come away with something that changes how I see myself as a leader.
These experiences changed how I lead. I now put more energy into creating safe, inclusive spaces for colleagues, influenced by both Diversity Coffee Connect and my involvement in ED&I reverse mentoring through Fife HSCP. When I compare my leadership self-assessments from 2022 and 2025, I can see the shift clearly.
In 2022, my strengths were there, but there were gaps in feedback, collaboration under pressure, and how much I stretched myself. By 2025, I developed strengths across all nine dimensions of the Leadership Success Profile, particularly in inclusion, collaboration and self-leadership. This reflects the impact of engaging fully with Leading to Change, not just attending sessions but contributing, applying the learning, and reflecting on it. Because of this growth, I had the confidence to take on new opportunities: applying for my current role, standing for election to the RPS Scottish Board and chairing local and national groups. I feel braver about putting myself forward, but also more grounded in what matters: compassion, inclusion, and helping others flourish.
This story is a condensed version of a full testimonial by Amina, sharing her experiences of Leading to Change since its launch. We want to thank Amina for sharing how Leading to Change has impacted her experience of inclusive, compassionate and values-driven leadership.
You can read Amina’s full testimonial within our Leading to Change report: From Insight to Impact – Our Journey Towards Inclusive and Connected Cultures.
