Saying sorry
  If we're not apologising (saying sorry) at every turn, we're being bolchy and aggressive. (Performing Artist, Bobby Baker)
This month, we've been thinking about how we behave as leaders.
We've been talking about how we seem to spend a lot of time saying sorry, sometimes without thinking.
Why do we say sorry for being who we are and making other people feel better about us being in the room?
It's a nasty habit that we, as disabled people, need to break, and if we don't, how will people see us as someone to listen to and follow?
This month's easy read article is called From Apology to Subversion and it looks at how different leaders use their disability to help them in their leadership. Rather than saying sorry for looking a certain way or being difference, they play with it and put it 'out there' in a different way. This might take some practice.
We've had interesting conversations with James Partridge, the CEO of Changing Faces, with lovely Bobby Baker and our Case Study this month is on Anya Ustasewski who literally emptied the contents of her bag on our Sync table, over a cup of tea, so we could see how she uses her disability when she leads.
Go straight to our article
What have we got on the web this month
We've been busy this month and have had great meetings with James Partridge, the CEO of Changing Faces, with lovely Bobby Baker and our Case Study this month is on Anya Ustasewski who literally emptied the contents of her bag on our Sync table, over a cup of tea, so we could see how she uses her disability when she leads.
Giving people something different
'...the key to success...is in the first few milliseconds of meeting someone and the impression you make...' (James Partridge, CEO, Changing Faces)
We were able to meet James Partridge, CEO of Changing Faces, as part of our regional programme. James is a disabled person with facial disfigurement.
James has learned over time to stop saying sorry for the way he looks . He replaced this with a firm handshake, and a powerful set of things to say. It works!
In doing this, people don't see his disability, they listen to him in a different way and don't feel sorry for him. He has used these skills in developing his organisation too.
Have a look at his website and see.
go to the Changing Faces website
Anya Ustazewski
Listen to us. Get to know us. Respect us. Include us. Don't put all the onus on us to fit into your world – meet us half way. (Anya in the Guardian, January 2009)
Our tea with Anya was such an eye opener this month.
Anya was only recently told that she had autism and now she can stop saying sorry for being who she is.
Anya puts her autism right at the heart of her leadership style and uses it to develop and sell her music and make her campaigning work very strong.
She now speaks at conferences, talks to newspapers and shares her music at big events. She has become very good at being who she is and making people see her and follow her every move.
To go straight to the Anya case study
Announcing Sync Meetings and Sync Placements
What's in the Sync bag?
Sync's next event will be at the DADA Fest in Liverpool this Autumn and we will bring you more details as soon as it is confirmed.
It will be open to old and new Sync members, and anyone who is interested but not yet taken the plunge.
It will give us a chance to check in with people and get different perspectives on what exactly we mean by disability and leadership and where the differences are for us.
There is still a chance to get us to come to you if you want - we would like to run two more introduction sessions in the autumn/spring - let us know if you are interested.
And next month we hope to bring you news of a brand new development for Sync - Sync placement/s. This will be a practical opportunity to put developing leadership skills into practice within London. At the moment we are talking to Sadlers Wells, Whitechapel Art Gallery, Camden Arts Centre and Arts Admin to find out which two would work best.. Watch this space!
Want to go to the Sync Leadership site?
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