Sas
My own experiences of exclusion and involvement throughout childhood made me aware of these issues in the team I led and meant that I worked hard to ensure everyone was listened to equally.
Shane-Paul Williams
I visualise, I communicate ideas well. My disability has aided me to do this in the way I think about problems and develop lateral solutions to those problems. I am sometimes saddened how others percieve my disability...
Shanta Everington
If you are disabled, you can be seen as 'other', relevant only to people 'of your own kind'. Disability is still seen as a weakness by society, an 'incapacity'. You're not supposed to be able to work, let alone lead!
Simon McKeown
I’m daunted, mainly because of the idea of ‘leadership’ and what it means to different people. My work is unusual – can I lead through my work?
Simon Startin
Disability promotes the idea of being an antagonist rather than the protagonist. It makes me snipe from the outside rather than getting involved. It makes me a good critic and can see problems very clearly. It also makes me a good satirist.
Sophie Woolley
There are societal barriers but the PM is disabled, and there have been other disabled leaders, so it is not impossible.
Stephanie Fuller
Both disabled people themselves and other people seem to find it difficult to believe that they could be a successful part of the mainstream. Having an impairment seems to locate you within a particular part of the cultural sector (access, diversity, disability arts), which it is hard to move beyond.
Steve Wilkinson
The business world is still not 100% ready to accept that disabled people can lead. It's important, therefore, that those of us who are or aspire to be leaders are willing to put our heads above the parapet and be seen.
Sue Williams
Having an impairment from birth you are led to believe that your participation in life and the world is secondary to non-disabled people. You are expected only aspire to other peoples expectations of you or to overachieve performing ‘super crip’ feats…
Susan Austin
One thing that struck me about that previous training [with Sync] was the sensitivity to access needs that underpinned everything that happened, forming a supportive bedrock rather than feeling like a compromise or add on (as is so often the case)...
Susan Quick
We exist within a social framework that sees us as lesser. Thus self-acceptance, belief in ourselves is very difficult. If we feel excluded, we may “lead” by shouting from behind the barricades; no-one will follow. If we recognise our own weakness and vulnerability others will feel included.
Suzanne Bull
I’ve often struggled with this assumption that to be a CEO / Leader you have to work 120 hours / week, and others expect you to do this, in order to fulfill everything that is expected of a CEO in a small organisation! I’ve often wondered, can I really be a Leader if I haven’t got that physical energy and sometimes I’m doing less hours than other senior staff.
Tanvir Bush
Without accessible, practical and integrated working practices people with health issues or impairments can become exhausted, disorientated, depressed. It is hard to continue to be inspired and be innovative when constantly faced with the general daily battles of exclusion and ignorance in every day life.
Tanya Raabe
Is leadership different for disabled people? It is within a disabling world. Experiences make us passionate about making changes and choices in a society that still revels in seeing and treating disabled people and disabled artists on a lesser plane than non disabled people.
Theresa de Swiet
I like things to be chilled so the word 'intensive' is a bit scary
Tony Heaton
I think the barriers within ourselves and the barriers we face outside ourselves get incredibly mixed up and I think… you try and interact with the external world and you come across many barriers, and in the end you end up feeling a great sense of defeat...
Troi Lee
I enjoy motivating deaf and disabled people. I want to encourage them to develop their skills in music, art, films, culture and many more. I like to see the deaf community get access to better and more opportunities.
Vicki Kaye
A good leader may need to inspire and lead by exampleWilliam Jeremy
A good leader is a servant of those they lead, and should above all be a good listener and a facilitator of other people's talents and abilities.
William Wardlaw Rogers
Barriers to leadership are the very hurdles that flex the muscles towards becoming a leader. I have found greater potency in the stride of challenged leaders than that of those who are delivered the role through privilege or the effort of others.
Zoe Stead
As someone excluded from meetings because of my deafness, it is hard to take a lead, to listen to everyone, sum up comments and make strategic initiatives happen when you are desperately trying to follow a conversation!
