Secret Musings of a Change agent 12 - Claudette Elliott
What makes ordinary people great at making change happen? What characteristics do they share? What path have they followed? What’s their attitude to failure? And what advice would they give to others? I’m continuing my mission to understand more to help us understand how we build change capacity in our organisations for the future. I was truly inspired by my conversation with Claudette Elliot, an awesome woman that we can learn so much from.
“Never write anybody off” is one of Claudette’s mantras and she’s a living embodiment of that. Claudette was a mum at 15. Just stop and reflect on that for a moment. Think about how society judges young mums. Think about the stereotypes around teenage parents and the challenges they face. By her mid 30s, Claudette was an Assistant Director in Adult Social Care and by her mid 40s a Deputy Chief Officer of a Clinical Commissioning Group She now successfully works freelance alongside Integrated Health and Care Systems making change happen. I’ve worked with Claudette in the Manchester health and social care system and still, I was blown away by our conversation. She’s achieved so much in her life and yet is humble, kind and compassionate. Another great change agent who shows the world that authentic, compassionate leadership is what delivers great results.
When Claudette was at school, she wanted to be a nurse. The arrival of Sheryl, her daughter, when she was 15 meant her career aspirations had to take a break. But she was determined, and when she could, she went to night school where she got her O levels and A levels. Once Sheryl was at nursery, Claudette began volunteering on the geriatric unit at Wythenshawe hospital. She loved the interaction with people and it reaffirmed her desire to become a nurse. Her volunteering led her into a paid role as an auxiliary nurse where she stayed for the next 6 years. She loved it and it’s an experience she’s carried through her career as a constant reminder of how important it is to be kind and caring, especially when people are at their most vulnerable. Claudette talks about the importance of thinking about the little things that we often take for granted, “we are often busy with our clinical interventions important though they are, and we sometimes miss the little things, like helping someone to brush their hair. It matters to some people what they look like and so a small act like that helps them to maintain their dignity”.
Small things matter
A small gesture like brushing someone’s hair who can’t brush their own helps to maintain dignity
In the 1980s, a decision to set up a hospital to home service (sound familiar anyone??!!) meant Claudette got to work alongside social care and home help colleagues. It was this experience that gave her “the community bug”. Claudette moved across to social care and worked as a domiciliary carer in Wythenshawe.
Claudette has never had a plan to progress. Her career evolved with a few nudges from great managers who saw the potential in Claudette and encouraged her to progress. First to a domiciliary care organiser and then on to spend 4 years of her life doing a social work degree. She practiced for a short time as a social worker before her talents were spotted again and she progressed to a team manager role. Over the next few years, she progressed up the line and by 1999 Claudette was an Assistant Director for Older Adults. She was in her mid 30s. What a phenomenal achievement. Following a positive inspection of the services she was responsible for, she took a conscious decision to step back from senior management. An opportunity came up to lead Race Equality work in the NHS in Manchester. She moved across on a secondment and has stayed working in the NHS ever since. Importantly however, Claudette talks of how her relationships back into the Council have always been important and enabled her to make change happen.
I was interested to hear Claudette’s reflections from participating in an Aspiring Directors programme. It was here, that with support from her mentor, Mike Farrar, Chief Executive of the Strategic Health Authority at the time, she came to recognise the importance of bringing her values, integrity and strengths into how she leads. “I learnt so much about myself”, says Claudette “and realised I didn’t want to morph into someone who’s not me”. It was this newly self-aware and determined to stay authentic version of herself that Claudette took into her next role as Deputy Chief Officer for South Manchester CCG.
“I learned so much about myself and realised I didn’t want to morph into someone’s not me”
Claudette talks with real joy and pride of the work she did with colleagues Caroline Kurzeja Diane Eaton and Joanne Royle. “Working alongside strong female leaders who had a real focus on people and communities, never losing sight of what we were there to do. We focused on people in the place they live and what’s important to them, constantly asking ourselves “are we listening to them?”, says Claudette.
It was after this that Claudette hit a roadblock. I think many of us who “bring different” have times in our careers when things don’t go to plan, when we feel blocked from being able to bring our knowledge and experience to affect change and where power dynamics get in the way of being able to do what will make the biggest difference. It’s a common theme in this blog series. Bringing different perspectives and ideas can be a difficult and lonely place. Sadly, Claudette paid the price with her mental health and wellbeing.
I really respect Claudette’s courage in talking publicly about her challenges. At first, she didn’t want people to know her mental health and wellbeing had been affected but “I learned I needed to reach out”. Ultimately, Claudette took the decision to work freelance where she feels she has the freedom and ability to connect and work with people who share her values and value the perspectives and experience that she brings. In fact, this lived experience has enabled Claudette to secure a Non-Executive Director position at Pennine Care Foundation Trust.
During the pandemic, Claudette worked at Kings College Hospital NHS Trust leading their equality agenda. In collaboration with colleagues in the People function, she was able to draw on her lived experience to ensure that they developed a wellbeing offer for staff that was inclusive, and culturally appropriate, that recognised the need to be flexible and ready for when staff feel able to come forward and accept help and support. She is now using her skills, knowledge and expertise working with dedicated and committed colleagues in the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System implementing their local care programme.
Claudette talks of two people who have had a big influence on her. The first, her previous mentor, Mike Farrar who helped her to find her authentic leadership self. The second is Evelyn Asante-Mensah. Evelyn is a stalwart in the Manchester health and social care system and recognised with an OBE and honorary Doctorate from MMU for her work in health and equalities. Claudette talks about how she’s watched Evelyn over the years and learned a lot from how she interacts with people. She also talks of how good it’s been to be able to talk to another black female leader for guidance and support, especially when times have been tough.
Claudette describes her superpower as her ability to bring people together, by listening and by being empathetic. The skills she learned from her “boots on the ground” early career experience have clearly stayed with her as she’s progressed.
We end with me asking Claudette what her advice would be for other aspiring agents of change. Her response chimes with the story she’s told me so far “be true to your values and do what’s right for the person you’re trying to help or lead”.
I came away from my conversation with Claudette feeling truly inspired by this amazing woman. She’s achieved so much and there’s a thread that runs through every part of what Claudette talks about, and that’s her values. She lives and breathes them. And that’s what makes her so great at making change happen. She knows where she’s heading and what’s important and she’s careful to listen to others and walk in others’ shoes in order to understand how best to get there. If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog and are inspired to read more stories of ordinary people who are great at making change happen, check out my Secret Musings of a Change Agent blog.
