May 8, 2025

Our Operations Manager, Bridget Johns, gives us her reflections from the Leader to Leader programme:

At Cumbria CVS, we’re guided by five core values: leadership, excellence, equity, integrity, and voluntarism. These aren’t just words on a page—they’re principles we try to live by every day. In this blog, I want to share a few thoughts on leadership, inspired by my experience on the Leader to Leader course, delivered by the Centre for Leadership Performance.

The Right Opportunity at the Right Time

I began the course in November 2024, after being approached directly to see if I’d be interested. The timing was perfect. Partly because I didn’t have time to talk myself out of it (cue the usual “I’m too busy” excuse!), but mostly because I’m deeply committed to the development of Cumbria CVS—and I knew that building my confidence and skills as a leader could only help us grow as an organisation.

Learning Across Sectors (and treats!)

What I’ve loved most is the diversity of people on the course—leaders from sectors like manufacturing, education, engineering, baking (thanks to Gina bakes for providing us with treats😋), and of course, the voluntary sector. It’s been refreshing to learn alongside people with such different perspectives and experiences. We each bring something unique to the table, and that mix has created a really rich learning environment.

One of the best parts has been working through real-life challenges together. There’s something powerful about stepping outside of your own organisation to help others problem-solve—you start to see your own issues more clearly too.

 

Takeaways That Stuck With Me

Here are a couple of key takeaways I’m working on bringing back into Cumbria CVS:

1. Psychological Safety and Performance Standards
We’ve been exploring how psychological safety—the freedom to speak up, take risks, and make mistakes without fear—directly contributes to high performance. It’s something I talk about often at work, and I recently shared this approach during a staff meeting I chaired. Creating an environment where people feel safe, valued, and heard isn’t just good for individuals—it’s essential for strong, effective teams.

2. Building High-Performing Teams
We’ve also looked at Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which really got me thinking. Understanding how to move beyond these dysfunctions—towards trust, commitment, accountability, and results—is something I’m excited to explore more with our team.

A New Chapter

This course has come at just the right time personally, too. In January, an internal opportunity came up for the role of Operations Manager. I applied—and was thrilled to be offered the position, starting 1st April. I know that being part of the leadership course gave me the confidence to go for it, and in my interview, I was able to draw on what I’d learned.

More importantly, I want to share this learning with my colleagues. Leadership is never about one person—it’s about lifting others too. If we can create a culture where we’re all empowered, reflective, and brave enough to grow, then we’re already winning.

Thanks for reading! I’ll keep you posted in future blogs on how the new role is going and how the leadership journey continues 😊