Highlights
This week, I have spent most of my time pulling together everything I have been working on over the course of my LiA. The caseworker survey I have been project managing officially closed on Sunday 2nd August, giving me a week to turn a very large Excel spreadsheet into lots of smaller Excel spreadsheets that came together into a final report! The process of doing this made this week my favourite week so far – it was so rewarding to see everything I had been working on come together into something that I hope will be genuinely meaningful for the organisation going forward. It also involved an amazing opportunity to tangibly implement leadership skills through presenting findings and recommendations in an hour-long meeting on Thursday morning, talking through my work with four members of senior leadership at BGH. Being given this opportunity to lead a meeting with people already with a wealth of leadership experience was truly valuable, and was both helpful in building my confidence and highlighting learning points for the next time I do something similar.
Another highlight (although bittersweet) for this week was the morning tea organised by Bernadene, my supervisor, to thank me for my work and allow me to say goodbye and thank you to the staff and volunteers I have been working alongside at BGH. I was genuinely touched by this, again highlighting the importance of recognising the value of all team members, no matter how temporary their time in the team.
Additionally, this week came with the good news that BGH had its biggest month to date in July with request processing, something that I have been assisting with over the last few weeks. The news that 999 children received aid packages in July is testament to the amazing operation and everyone involved at BGH, and the knowledge that I played even a very small part in helping is deeply rewarding.
Finally, before flying home I have thoroughly enjoyed a brief trip to Sydney, including climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and seeing a musical at the Sydney Opera House! I am so glad I managed to see another city in Australia before the long journey home, and the memories I made will stay with me for a long time.
Challenges
The primary challenge this week was the process of pulling together everything required for the report, analysing and condensing large amounts of data with less than a week between the survey closing and the meeting where I would report the findings. To tackle this challenge, I found time management skills to be really important, whilst also delegating other tasks that I had initially considered doing (eg further follow up communications) to other staff members to ensure I could focus on delivering the best possible outcome on the primary task in the time I had.
A further technical challenge was the steep learning curve involved in managing Excel spreadsheets – something that I have had some but not extensive experience in doing! This has tested my ability to learn quickly and adapt under pressure, for example in making critical decisions on how best and most efficiently analyse and visualise different data points. I am proud of the end result, and I hope the skills that I have gained in data processing will be useful in my future career path and life.
Using the 3Cs: Applying character, values and leadership capacities
This week, I felt that ‘Fast’ was a key Laidlaw value necessary for me to finish my project in the remaining time. I used bravery to lead a meeting with senior people, something I have thus far not done frequently, and also judgement in critically considering what to include, how to present the findings, and what recommendations to make in my final report.
Accountability also felt like a key theme this week, particularly with an impending deadline and my personal commitment to trying to make the report the best it could be. In saying goodbye to everyone, I also felt humility was key to acknowledging my gratitude towards others and how they have helped me. I conveyed this through thank you cards which seemed appreciated and left me feeling satisfied that I had appropriately conveyed how much my experience at BGH has meant to me.
Looking forward
As I leave Australia (I am writing this at Sydney airport ahead of a 30-hour journey home!), I hope my process of reflection and the lessons I have learnt will continue to influence my life and leadership after touchdown in the UK. As a result of this experience, I feel more confident in myself, both personally and professionally, and I hope this will translate into my improved capacity as a leader. I look forward to pulling all these reflections together into a final report on my LiA experience, and enjoying some summer warmth - finally shedding the big winter coat and scarf I have lived in for the last six weeks!