TY - JOUR T1 - 10 minutes with Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard JF - BMJ Leader JO - BMJ Leader SP - 73 LP - 75 DO - 10.1136/leader-2020-000429 VL - 6 IS - 1 AU - Cian Wade Y1 - 2022/03/01 UR - http://bmjleader.bmj.com/content/6/1/73.abstract N2 - BiographyDr Cian Wade, National Medical Director’s Clinical FellowClinical Fellow at the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and NHS England/NHS ImprovementCian is a junior doctor working as a National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow. The scheme is organised by the Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management. He is hosted by both the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and NHS England/NHS Improvement’s National Patient Safety Team. Prior to this, he recently completed his Academic Foundation Programme in the Oxford Deanery, having graduated from the University of Oxford medical school in 2018. Cian is using his fellowship year to explore the leadership capabilities required in order to deliver meaningful improvements in complex healthcare systems. He feels particularly privileged to be working so closely alongside prominent medical leaders in such an extraordinarily challenging year for our healthcare systems.Interview and write-up by Dr Cian Wade, National Medical Director’s Clinical FellowI very much see leadership as a journey, not a destination. There will be numerous opportunities along the road to both develop and express different leadership qualities. As you progress, it is important that you continually reflect on what your intrinsic leadership strengths are, and which ones you may need to work on slightly more. I’ve personally found that leadership journeys are often shaped more by serendipity than extensive planning. It’s therefore important to be comfortable with embracing opportunities as they arise and then learning from the different challenges that they pose. Maintaining a clinical practice alongside your leadership roles can also be a challenge. There are the different workloads that need juggling, the added time pressures, and the need to constantly check that you’re viewing your leadership and clinical problems through the correct lenses for the situation. However, I personally find them both hugely complementary. Clinical work keeps you grounded as to … ER -