E149 - Deborah Cadman: Why walking in the shoes of others can make you a better leader
The High Performance
Episode Details
Published Date
Fri, 07 Oct 2022 00:00:58 GMT
Duration
42:25
Explicit
False
Guests
No guests specified
Please note that the summary is generated based on the transcript and
may not capture all the nuances or details discussed in the podcast
episode.
Notes
This is the third episode in our CEO Series, in which we will be deep diving into what it takes to be a CEO.
Deborah Cadman OBE is the current CEO of Birmingham City Council, Deborah has worked in public services for over 30 years and was appointed OBE for her services to local government. In this episode they discuss how crucial mentorship and building a supportive community is. Deborah shares the importance of walking in the shoes of others to understand how you can be a better leader. Leadership is a theme covered throughout the episode as Deborah discusses her key principles and how she utilises them in her personal and professional life: bravery, curiosity and truth.
She reflects on her moral purpose, why issues need to be dealt with from a long term outlook and how crucial perspective is…
Thank you to PwC for sponsoring this special CEO Series. PwC’s purpose is to build trust and solve important problems, and their global strategy - The New Equation - is bringing this to life for their clients, people and society. By combining technology with human ingenuity, passion and experience, PwC works with organisations to deliver more intelligent, sustained outcomes.
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Summary
Sure, here is a summary of the podcast episode transcript:
**Introduction**
* The episode is the third in a series of CEO interviews, focusing on the qualities and skills needed to be an effective CEO.
* The guest is Deborah Cadman OBE, the current CEO of Birmingham City Council.
**Key Themes**
* **The importance of mentorship and building a supportive community:** Deborah emphasizes the crucial role of mentors and a supportive network in her career journey. She highlights the value of walking in others' shoes to understand how to be a better leader.
* **Leadership principles:** Deborah discusses her key leadership principles: bravery, curiosity, and truth. She emphasizes the need to be brave in decision-making, curious about the status quo, and committed to doing the right thing for the right reasons.
* **Long-term perspective and moral purpose:** Deborah stresses the importance of taking a long-term perspective in addressing issues and having a clear moral purpose. She believes that investing in prevention and early intervention can break negative cycles and improve the lives of future generations.
* **Collaboration and systems leadership:** Deborah advocates for a collaborative approach to leadership, working across organizations and sectors to address complex societal challenges. She emphasizes the need for leaders to understand and influence systems, rather than focusing solely on their own organizations.
* **The challenges of being a female leader:** Deborah acknowledges the challenges faced by women in leadership positions, including public scrutiny, media treatment, and the lack of a level playing field. She calls for organizations to create inclusive cultures that value and support women's leadership.
**Key Quotes**
* "You can be a leader and be happy. You can be a CEO and still be mindful. You can be successful and still put your mental health, your wellbeing, and yourself first."
* "I think that's really important. You know, I talk to them about the things they need to do to find their way in the world. But the most important thing is you've got to work hard."
* "I'm led to believe that the most powerful person in the room is the person that's got nothing to lose and that's you."
* "I think it's about keeping it in perspective. And you know, when something happens, you know, everybody kind of goes up, they all flap about. And about and I kind of say look let's just chill your beans a bit let's not have a knee-jerk reaction let's just understand what this is really about let's be thoughtful let's be tactical let's do the right thing at the right time for the right reason rather than just it's knee-jerk reaction."
* "And then the third one really is about being true. And what I mean by that is about, you know, doing the right thing for the right reason and, and certainly working in the kind of environment that's, that's political, both with a big and a small p, it's complicated, it's difficult, it's, you know, you're having to work with different levels of governance. You can be buffeted a bit, you know, in my world, and in the way in which I work, I'm really thoughtful about doing the right thing."
**Conclusion**
The episode provides valuable insights into the leadership journey of Deborah Cadman OBE, highlighting the importance of mentorship, collaboration, long-term thinking, and moral purpose. Deborah's experiences and perspectives offer valuable lessons for aspiring leaders in both the public and private sectors.
# CEO Series: Deborah Cadman OBE, CEO of Birmingham City Council
In this episode of the CEO Series, Damien Lewis and Jake Humphrey engage in a captivating conversation with Deborah Cadman OBE, the current CEO of Birmingham City Council, who has dedicated over 30 years of her life to public service. Deborah shares her insights on the significance of mentorship, building supportive communities, and the key principles that guide her leadership style: bravery, curiosity, and truth.
Deborah emphasizes the importance of walking in others' shoes to understand how to be a better leader. She discusses how crucial it is to create an organizational culture that has high expectations, places people at the heart of its operations, and values community involvement.
Reflecting on her moral purpose, Deborah stresses the need to address issues with a long-term perspective and highlights the importance of perspective in decision-making. She believes that legacy is a vital aspect of leadership, and she aims to leave a lasting impact on Birmingham through the 2022 Commonwealth Games by investing in community-based sports, culture, and business opportunities.
Deborah candidly shares her personal approach to work-life balance, acknowledging that she is not the best example in this regard. She emphasizes the importance of taking breaks and maintaining physical and mental well-being through activities like boxing. Drawing parallels between boxing and leadership, she highlights the significance of anticipating moves, understanding motivations, and staying one step ahead.
Deborah provides valuable advice to those starting their careers, emphasizing the need to understand the culture of their organization and to set boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She also discusses the supportive role of her husband, Geoff, in her professional journey, highlighting the importance of having someone who appreciates the intricacies of her work.
Deborah credits her coach for challenging her perceptions and helping her make better decisions. She shares an insightful moment where her coach helped her realize the power she holds as the person with nothing to lose, leading to a shift in her mindset and approach to decision-making.
In the quickfire questions segment, Deborah emphasizes the importance of kindness, thoughtfulness, listening, and putting things into perspective. She advises her teenage self to appreciate opportunities and avoid making regrettable mistakes. She identifies honesty and empathy as her strengths and impatience as her weakness. Reflecting on her journey, Deborah expresses gratitude for the support she has received and acknowledges the exciting and challenging phase Birmingham is currently in. Her final message to listeners is to never settle for less than the best.
The podcast concludes with Damien, Jake, Steve, and Karl discussing their key takeaways from the conversation. They highlight Deborah's ability to change and grow over time, her focus on creating an environment where magic can happen, and the significance of perspective and adaptability in leadership.
Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the world of leadership, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, community, and personal growth. Deborah Cadman's experiences and perspectives offer practical lessons and inspiration for aspiring and seasoned leaders alike.
**Introduction**
* The episode is the third in a series of CEO interviews, focusing on the qualities and skills needed to be an effective CEO.
* The guest is Deborah Cadman OBE, the current CEO of Birmingham City Council.
**Key Themes**
* **The importance of mentorship and building a supportive community:** Deborah emphasizes the crucial role of mentors and a supportive network in her career journey. She highlights the value of walking in others' shoes to understand how to be a better leader.
* **Leadership principles:** Deborah discusses her key leadership principles: bravery, curiosity, and truth. She emphasizes the need to be brave in decision-making, curious about the status quo, and committed to doing the right thing for the right reasons.
* **Long-term perspective and moral purpose:** Deborah stresses the importance of taking a long-term perspective in addressing issues and having a clear moral purpose. She believes that investing in prevention and early intervention can break negative cycles and improve the lives of future generations.
* **Collaboration and systems leadership:** Deborah advocates for a collaborative approach to leadership, working across organizations and sectors to address complex societal challenges. She emphasizes the need for leaders to understand and influence systems, rather than focusing solely on their own organizations.
* **The challenges of being a female leader:** Deborah acknowledges the challenges faced by women in leadership positions, including public scrutiny, media treatment, and the lack of a level playing field. She calls for organizations to create inclusive cultures that value and support women's leadership.
**Key Quotes**
* "You can be a leader and be happy. You can be a CEO and still be mindful. You can be successful and still put your mental health, your wellbeing, and yourself first."
* "I think that's really important. You know, I talk to them about the things they need to do to find their way in the world. But the most important thing is you've got to work hard."
* "I'm led to believe that the most powerful person in the room is the person that's got nothing to lose and that's you."
* "I think it's about keeping it in perspective. And you know, when something happens, you know, everybody kind of goes up, they all flap about. And about and I kind of say look let's just chill your beans a bit let's not have a knee-jerk reaction let's just understand what this is really about let's be thoughtful let's be tactical let's do the right thing at the right time for the right reason rather than just it's knee-jerk reaction."
* "And then the third one really is about being true. And what I mean by that is about, you know, doing the right thing for the right reason and, and certainly working in the kind of environment that's, that's political, both with a big and a small p, it's complicated, it's difficult, it's, you know, you're having to work with different levels of governance. You can be buffeted a bit, you know, in my world, and in the way in which I work, I'm really thoughtful about doing the right thing."
**Conclusion**
The episode provides valuable insights into the leadership journey of Deborah Cadman OBE, highlighting the importance of mentorship, collaboration, long-term thinking, and moral purpose. Deborah's experiences and perspectives offer valuable lessons for aspiring leaders in both the public and private sectors.
# CEO Series: Deborah Cadman OBE, CEO of Birmingham City Council
In this episode of the CEO Series, Damien Lewis and Jake Humphrey engage in a captivating conversation with Deborah Cadman OBE, the current CEO of Birmingham City Council, who has dedicated over 30 years of her life to public service. Deborah shares her insights on the significance of mentorship, building supportive communities, and the key principles that guide her leadership style: bravery, curiosity, and truth.
Deborah emphasizes the importance of walking in others' shoes to understand how to be a better leader. She discusses how crucial it is to create an organizational culture that has high expectations, places people at the heart of its operations, and values community involvement.
Reflecting on her moral purpose, Deborah stresses the need to address issues with a long-term perspective and highlights the importance of perspective in decision-making. She believes that legacy is a vital aspect of leadership, and she aims to leave a lasting impact on Birmingham through the 2022 Commonwealth Games by investing in community-based sports, culture, and business opportunities.
Deborah candidly shares her personal approach to work-life balance, acknowledging that she is not the best example in this regard. She emphasizes the importance of taking breaks and maintaining physical and mental well-being through activities like boxing. Drawing parallels between boxing and leadership, she highlights the significance of anticipating moves, understanding motivations, and staying one step ahead.
Deborah provides valuable advice to those starting their careers, emphasizing the need to understand the culture of their organization and to set boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She also discusses the supportive role of her husband, Geoff, in her professional journey, highlighting the importance of having someone who appreciates the intricacies of her work.
Deborah credits her coach for challenging her perceptions and helping her make better decisions. She shares an insightful moment where her coach helped her realize the power she holds as the person with nothing to lose, leading to a shift in her mindset and approach to decision-making.
In the quickfire questions segment, Deborah emphasizes the importance of kindness, thoughtfulness, listening, and putting things into perspective. She advises her teenage self to appreciate opportunities and avoid making regrettable mistakes. She identifies honesty and empathy as her strengths and impatience as her weakness. Reflecting on her journey, Deborah expresses gratitude for the support she has received and acknowledges the exciting and challenging phase Birmingham is currently in. Her final message to listeners is to never settle for less than the best.
The podcast concludes with Damien, Jake, Steve, and Karl discussing their key takeaways from the conversation. They highlight Deborah's ability to change and grow over time, her focus on creating an environment where magic can happen, and the significance of perspective and adaptability in leadership.
Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the world of leadership, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, community, and personal growth. Deborah Cadman's experiences and perspectives offer practical lessons and inspiration for aspiring and seasoned leaders alike.