Robina's leadership journey
Prof Robina Coker is Professor of Practice (Respiratory Medicine) based in London and BTS President-Elect.
Becoming a leader
In my final year as senior registrar, I undertook a three-day in-person NHS management course. Shortly after being appointed as Senior Lecturer and consultant at Hammersmith Hospital, I undertook a three-day in-person management course at Imperial College Business School. Over the years, I have intermittently taken up what I felt were relevant in-house short courses on leadership and development.
The two most significant external courses, which I undertook as part of my NIHR leadership role, were the NIHR Leadership Programme at Ashridge Business School in 2013, and the King’s Fund Top Manager Programme in London in 2017. These were both residential and expensive, but they provided excellent opportunities for networking and mentoring, as well as unique insights into different leadership styles, innovative ways of working, and approaches to the tensions that inevitably sometimes arise in teams.
Leadership experience
As a registrar, I was fortunate to be invited to establish and chair the BTS Air Travel Working Party, which brought together clinical and academic colleagues with aviation experts. Forming the group, reconciling different views and producing clear recommendations was excellent experience. My experience with the BTS as Honorary Treasurer from 2010-2014 was extremely valuable and enjoyable. I met many wonderful colleagues while learning about respiratory medicine.
Four years as Secretary for the British Association for Lung Research enabled networking and career development. As founding member of the BTS ILD Registry Steering Committee, I appreciated the value of teamwork in formulating new approaches to clinical challenges.
Alongside my Senior Lecturer and Consultant post at Hammersmith Hospital, I was appointed Assistant Director of R&D, helping lead a small team and raising the profile of clinical research regionally and nationally.
My leadership experience with North West London NIHR Clinical Research Networks, as Clinical Director for over 15 years, taught me the value of consistent, transparent and honest engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
Latterly, I have helped lead a London-based specialist society involved in medical education. This has renewed my vision for encouraging and developing the next generation of clinicians and academics.
What has helped you develop as a leader?
Mentoring, from people I trusted and who believed in me, whether clinicians, academics or lay people, has been vital. This has included being encouraged to take opportunities that I might otherwise not have felt confident about.
Reflecting on my own strengths, skills and limitations, as well as leadership style, has helped me appreciate the contribution of others and how different team members bring unique and often complementary skillsets to specific projects or tasks.
What makes a good leadership training experience?
Firstly, set out what specifics you want to achieve from attending a course. Secondly, think about the format you would prefer, whether online or face to face. Thirdly, think about what is realistic in terms of time, travel and costs. Finally, ask around for personal recommendations.
Then do your research. Don’t rush into the first course available. If funding is a barrier, there may be grants available. If time is a barrier, speak to a senior colleague about taking some time out. You will need to explain what added value you may be able to contribute to the team or department as a result. If you can do this, you are likely to get a more sympathetic hearing.
In terms of practical experience, I would encourage anyone who can join or chair a professional specialist group to do so: you will gain valuable insights into your own leadership style and develop skills along the way. A distinctive feature of working with the BTS is the excellent support from BTS Head Office, sadly often lacking in the NHS.
Also valuable are experiences of working with patient charities and/or small specialist societies. Think about what skills and attributes you bring before you approach them. You may find your offer is very welcome.
What qualities do you feel are important in leadership roles?
It is vital to know your own strengths and limitations, and to be prepared to appoint a team around you with complementary skillsets.
It is vital to make time to be available to listen and to be regularly visible with the immediate team. Team members and stakeholders alike will usually accept decisions they perceive as unfavourable, provided the reasons are clearly explained and they trust your integrity as a leader. Honesty is crucial: it is better to admit you don’t know all the answers than to pretend you do. You need to be able to find good advice and take it. Choosing wise mentors along the way.
Self-doubt and even failures along the way may arise, but they are not reasons to give up. It’s much more important to be true to yourself and to be recognised as a leader who acts with integrity, honesty, and fairness than it is to try to be a hero figure for your team.
What are the barriers, and what helps?
Time is a significant limitation. Pressures in the NHS, academic institutions and the private sector can be intense and unrelenting. Find a mentor, discuss realistic goals and set realistic time frames. Diarise protected time for training, reading and/or reflection away from the ‘day job’. If this affects family life, you may need to agree on timescales with the family first, so they know that there are boundaries: Mummy is going to be studying on Thursday evenings for the next 3 months, and Daddy/Granny will look after us then instead.
Lack of confidence is another limitation. Here again, a mentor can help, as can realising that lack of confidence and self-doubt are part of normal life.
Even your apparently super-confident colleagues are probably nothing like as confident as they seem. Joining a professional women’s group may also help. But lack of confidence is not a reason to be deterred.