WECAN’s top tips for successful leadership

#WECAN is a three year £1.7 million project part funded by the European Social Fund. Led by Leeds Beckett University and working with a network of partners including Edge Hill University and Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber, the project aims to support the next generation of women leaders in the Leeds City Region by building their leadership skills, capabilities, and opportunities.

Earlier this year, #WECAN hosted their first ever conference with 90 delegates from different organisations and sectors across the Leeds City Region coming together to say “yes #WECAN” with talks, presentations and group discussions all focused on the day’s theme of ‘empowerment’.

If you weren’t able to join us on the day, we have rounded up our top tips kindly shared by our key note speakers Zandra Moore, Co-Founder and CEO of Leeds based company Panintelligence, and Sophie Cliff, aka The Joyful Coach, a qualified coach and positive psychology practitioner and founder of Joy Futures - a workplace wellbeing consultancy.

Zandra's top tips

1. Find your people - “When you come together, it’s extremely powerful”.

Surround yourself with positive people, people that build you up, inspire you, stretch and challenge you, make you smile. When you are positive everything seems possible - positivity attracts positivity. People will be attracted to you and want to work with you.

2. Edge of comfort - “I think you are your best self when you push yourself.”

Do things which make you feel uncomfortable and you will grow – this is where your potential exists.

3. Find a role model, be a role model

Role models matter. If you don’t have a role model, find one - it could be someone running a successful business, politics, arts, author, friend or local.

Zandra shared with us how her own mother was her role model. After growing up seeing her mum working in tech, this helped Zandra believe she could achieve anything she set her mind to.

4. Givers gain – what can I do for you?

How can you give back? Remember, the mindset in networking is “what can I do for you?” not what you can do for me.

Reap what you sow, be patient and don’t expect a return for your efforts and investment in people and relationships straight away. It’s a long game, but it’s worth it. People will remember you and those relationships can benefit you long into the future.

Sophie's top tips

1. Celebrate your wins

It’s easy to focus our time on what we haven’t managed to get done each day and think about what often feels like the ‘never ending list’. However, have you ever thought about flipping it?

On a Friday afternoon instead of focusing on what you didn’t get done that week, pause, reflect and write a done list. Focus on your achievements and celebrate your wins! End your working week feeling proud of what you have accomplished.

2. Focus on what you can control

When things are uncertain, we often focus on what isn’t in our control, but you’ll feel calmer if you turn your attention to what you can control.

3. Practice gratitude

Research shows that gratitude improves mental and physical health, contributes to better sleep and improves relationships. It is also one of the biggest predictors of joy and contentment.

Before you finish work each day, can you write down three things you are grateful for?

4. Find your “feel good” activities

Think about the simple everyday things which make you happy and give you a mood boost. It may be getting outside, reading a book or cooking up a storm in the kitchen! Make a list and ensure you prioritise these activities in your routine and allow yourself the time to enjoy.

#WECAN programme eligibility is limited to small and medium-sized businesses in the wider Leeds City Region.To find out more about #WECAN you can email us, visit the #WECAN website and stay up to date with the latest news and events by following us on LinkedIn, Twitter and EventBrite.