Know your worth: Supporting Leadership revisited

Some weeks are busier than others. On Monday I returned from maternity leave. On Tuesday I was informed my role was being made redundant. On Wednesday I received a new job offer.

It wasn't the return to work I had planned and it's definitely not an experience I would ever want to repeat. I'm not sure I have ever felt so destabilised. It’s still a bit too painfully recent to get into the details of the emotional rollercoaster but, setting this aspect aside, how was a week like this even possible? Did I have special powers of divination that enabled me to foresee the end of my role? No. Did I have special connections that enabled me to bypass the rigors of the job hunting process. Also, no.

It was possible, I realise now, because of the Supporting Leadership Project.

This project taught me exactly how undervalued administrative roles can be. Organisational restructures are painfully predictable and a few weeks earlier when I found out - by accident - that one was underway, I felt I knew the outcome of the process before it had even begun.

This project also taught me exactly what kind of skills I have and how to make best use of them. Through the project we identified that support staff have strengths in foresight (identifying a potential crisis), action (researching my options), organisation (drawing resources together to respond to opportunities), and consistency (performing at my best despite the difficult circumstances).

Within 48 hours of receiving the surprising and disorientating news about the restructuring, I’d been up and down the Kubler-Ross curve, submitted several job applications, and was working on opening my mind to a range of possible alternative futures.

Or to put it another way, quoting one of our brilliant Supporting Leadership participants:

“By the time my manager had a chance to talk to me about an issue, I’d have already either done it or have a plan for how to do it” Supporting Leadership participant, 2019

I have never felt so close to all the findings from our project. And so it was that by the time I knew I was definitely fired, I was also definitely hired. All achieved on about three hours of sleep a night and whilst tending to the boundlessly energetic proto-toddler now permanently clasped to my side, of course.

The Supporting Leadership Project was completed in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic and the report was finalised in June 2020. We never really had the chance to explore or share the findings as we would have wished and I have always wanted to revisit it - to do this justice would require time and resources that I probably will never have but even without the benefit of running a follow up consultation I feel quite certain that, five years on, many of the findings have stood the test of time. 

From my experience of the four institutions I have worked in since the publication of the report - yes four (!) despite my best efforts and the illusion of a permanent contract - I have seen that the financial environment for non-profits is still incredibly tough and so the endless pressure to do more with less, that was already identified in the project, is unlikely to have gone away. Five years on and five years more experienced, sadly I am also able to confirm the ongoing validity of the finding that with increasing age and experience does not necessarily come progression and better remuneration.

Whilst much of the Supporting Leadership Report feels all too familiar, there is still something that surprised me and that I want to share. When we were working on the project I always assumed that the report would be of greatest value to organisations who wish to better understand and better utilise the skills of their administrative staff. What I realise now is that its greatest value may not be for organisations but for individuals instead.

Through the project we confirmed that it can be hard for people in administrative support roles to understand their value. In my own case, with such a rocky career path over recent years I am finding it harder and harder to pick myself up again and again, so to anyone who might similarly be struggling to see their worth - for whatever reason - I would like to offer you a reminder of your truly remarkable skills and strengths.

Adapted from the Supporting Leadership Report:

• Time - you are a creator of time.
  You are generous and hard working, you enable others by assuming extensive responsibilities.

• Action - you make things happen.
  You do whatever is needed to find a solution and often go above and beyond.

• Organisation - you bring a sense of order.
  Everything is in it's place, you know exactly where to find things and what to do with them.

• Foresight - you are always one step ahead.
  You plan and you prioritise, you head off problems before they happen.

• Memory - you manage the details.
  You take notes and you keep track, you are relied upon by everyone.

• Consistency - you maintain standards.
  Your reputation precedes you and you are always trusted to deliver.

• Mediation - you build relationships.
  Connecting across boundaries, you discuss, you persuade, and you influence.

• Honesty - you are a sounding board.
  You are genuine and authentic, you lift up others with constructive feedback.

• Insight - you are an agent on the ground.
  You are present and perceptive and can process multiple points of view.

I have repeatedly been assured it's not at all unusual to be facing redundancy. If you do find yourself in a similar situation, I hope you can stay strong. I hope you are able to see yourself in the list above and I hope you feel proud.

“Support staff are the unsung heroes of our institutions.” Supporting Leadership participant, 2019