THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP NETWORK

NLN: Hi Sean, so can you tell us what does leadership means to you?

S: Leadership. It’s like teamwork. I mean, like to even to be a leader, you need to be part of a team. You can’t just do it on your own, everyone needs a bit of help in life. You can’t do it solo. So, I feel like everyone is a leader in their life, even if you’re part of a team.

NLN: That was interesting. So, the main point you’re making there is that leadership is bigger than one person?

S: Yeah, you’re part of a team. You’re doing it all together. Because you know, some people don’t respect just that one person, some value the team. Like a team leader. Team leaders like to value other people’s opinions. Like you’re working in a bar and your manager is awful to you, and they tell you to do something you’re gonna do it, but you’re not going to want to do it. Where like if the boss is chipping in and he’s helping you and he’s having a laugh and he’s been really friendly with you and you’re like “can you quickly help me while I pour these pints”, it’s like teamwork and communication. It’s good like that.

NLN: Do you see yourself as a leader?

S: I feel like I have been in maybe some situations. But I’d rather be a team player, you know.

NLN: In what ways have you been a leader?

S: Though like when I was working in a bar, my role was literally team leader. There was two people on shifts, so there was me, who is experienced and someone that was slightly unexperienced. So obviously I had had to tell him what to do, which felt like leadership. But I wasn’t like bossy about it. I was like, it was like…” We will do this, I’ll do that. We’ll meet halfway in the middle”.

NLN: So it’s again it’s a teamwork and it’s like you’ve been respectful to them and not being  like “I’ll tell you what to do!” It’s like the relationship that’s important to you in that then.

S: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

NLN: So you do stuff for National House Project, right? Have you had leadership opportunities through that?

S: Yeah, I was the Vice Chair of Care Leavers National Movement, so the sister company charity to National House Project. And my role was basically just reporting back things that were said, you know, attend meetings, annual meetings, residentials, conferences and that kind of thing. You know, just going up there to speak to, speaking to thousands of people. Feels like leadership in myself to take it upon myself to speak to all these people or to hear, to get people’s voices out for everyone.

NLN: Again, that’s you linking in at all to things you have said. You’re talking about communication; you’re talking about the team element of that. You’re talking about what you’re doing is trying to help others, pass information on to others, etc.

S: Yeah.

NLN: Is there any leadership you admire?

S: Do you know who was the one that was in prison for quite some time? Nelson Mandela. That’s the one. Him and Barack Obama. They are quite inspirational. And Martin Luther King!