Personal vs. Positional Power: Lessons in Compassionate Leadership

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In this episode, Mariam is joined by Dr Emma Jane Hosking, a consultant anaesthetist and senior healthcare leader with over 30 years of NHS experience. They delve into Dr Hosking’s transition from clinical work in the operating theatre to executive leadership, exploring the vital importance of psychological safety, flat hierarchies, and compassionate leadership. Dr Hosking shares practical strategies for fostering a supportive environment, such as the Three Good Things exercise, and discusses the challenges of navigating complex crises and board-level pressures.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A leadership job title may give you a seat at the table, but true change is driven by personal power, building genuine relationships and utilising your ability to influence rather than relying on control and command.

True psychological safety exists when staff feel empowered to speak up, challenge the status quo, and raise concerns without fear of retribution or being ignored.

A clear warning sign of a psychologically unsafe environment is when difficult face-to-face conversations are avoided in meetings, only to be followed up by aggressive or combative emails afterwards.

Simple practices, like starting meetings by asking team members to share "Three Good Things," can break down hierarchical barriers, build human connections, and lift the mood, especially in remote or hybrid working environments.

Leaders and clinicians often wear different "masks" depending on the situation. Deliberately taking off that mask to show vulnerability and share personal joys or sorrows helps build the deepest, most resilient teams.

BEST MOMENTS

"I quickly learned that it's much more important to have that personal power. To build the relationships and perhaps what comes with the job titles and the opportunity that they give you is the opportunity to influence, rather than control."