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Sync anna wallbank

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Jo Verrent
Jo Verrent

Anna Wallbank reflects on leadership and creativity. She leads Zinc, an arts organization that built its own cultural center after being unable to find suitable existing spaces. Her leadership grew out of her work directing creative projects and employing others. Recently she has had to put her own creativity aside, but knows it is important to reconnect with it. Through a leadership program, she has gained confidence to speak about her experiences and interests in her own leadership and relationship to creativity. She encourages others to nourish their creativity.

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Leadership & Creativity Anna Wallbank
The Sync leadership programme found me - or I found it - at an incredibly intense and busy time. Zinc, the organisation I work for, was almost at the end of an incredible journey. Wed been building a new cultural centre, were about to complete, officially open and start proving ourselves. Dorothy had Oz in her sight; the yellow brick road had ended - we were just about open the door...
Jo and Sarah thenasked when would you like to write your piece for the Sync website? Given my dyslexia, my first response was an incredibly enthusiastic Illgo last if you dont mind, and can I draw my one?
So now here I am - internally Im thinking who on earth is interested in what Ive got to say? Well, Ive worked out the answer to that question - Ill tell you at the end. Leadership can be a lonely road and there is often no map. I do lead. I am part of a team and if leadership is about pushing, pulling, carrying, slogging, pointing, waving, shouting... (and other words that end in ing) then that is what I do.
So I am going to reflect on leadership, but before I do I want to pondera little on creativity. Why? Because this is where my leadership was born. I use creativity within my practical working life to install drive, passion, energy, self and societal interest and identity in others (or something like that). Catch that word there? Others. For me, the focus has nearly always been on others.
I did not set out to be a leader. I led workshops, I acted, I directed, I made art. I worked with a friend. As we got more work we employed people to work with us... then a few more. The we grew. We wanted to do it properly, get it right. We were doing good work. But we didnt like the buildings we were working in, they werent accessible, they didnt instill equality or if they had good access they werent very creative spaces.
We looked and looked. Couldnt find one. So decided to build one ourselves. Our Oz. (Youll have spotted Ive paraphrasedthis story).
Lately my own relationship with creativity has beenthe focus of coaching sessions with Sarah. Creativity can give pleasure and pain in equal parts,and for me its also part ofmy politics. It has been neglected as the Yellow Brick Road steepened near Oz.
I work with those whose chances to be creative- to unfurl, imagine, explore, give voice and realise that most beautiful part of what it is to be human (you know the list) - have been denied, ignored, deprioritised. I am part of an organisation whose core principles embrace this. This is why I cant look at my leadershipwithout looking at my relationship to creativity. It is painfully ironic that I have recently had to put my creativity to one side.
So here I am, trying toreconnect with my creativity. And focus on leadership. Leadership puts you in some vulnerable places. You could: drown in the sea fall offthe mountain orthe truck you are pushing could roll back down over you
Anyway as I write this, its Friday afternoon I have the positivity of a clear weekend seeping through my bones. A weekend free of work and full of time for me and whatever I wish to create.
And here comes answer to the question, about who may be interested in what I have to say. The answer is me. I am interested in what I have to say and I guess this understanding is what Sync has given me. The chance to listen to myself and find it rather interesting. The chance to build my confidence to say yes, I am a Leader - so what? - and get on with it.
Oh, and one more thing before I go. Take it from me, if you dont feed your creativity it might get starved and start to gobble you up instead. Feed it. Its important.
Anna Wallbank works at Zinc add contact info www.zincarts.org.uk She made this as part of Sync Intensives www.syncleadership.co.uk

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Sync anna wallbank

  • 1. Leadership & Creativity Anna Wallbank
  • 2. The Sync leadership programme found me - or I found it - at an incredibly intense and busy time. Zinc, the organisation I work for, was almost at the end of an incredible journey. Wed been building a new cultural centre, were about to complete, officially open and start proving ourselves. Dorothy had Oz in her sight; the yellow brick road had ended - we were just about open the door...
  • 3. Jo and Sarah thenasked when would you like to write your piece for the Sync website? Given my dyslexia, my first response was an incredibly enthusiastic Illgo last if you dont mind, and can I draw my one?
  • 4. So now here I am - internally Im thinking who on earth is interested in what Ive got to say? Well, Ive worked out the answer to that question - Ill tell you at the end. Leadership can be a lonely road and there is often no map. I do lead. I am part of a team and if leadership is about pushing, pulling, carrying, slogging, pointing, waving, shouting... (and other words that end in ing) then that is what I do.
  • 5. So I am going to reflect on leadership, but before I do I want to pondera little on creativity. Why? Because this is where my leadership was born. I use creativity within my practical working life to install drive, passion, energy, self and societal interest and identity in others (or something like that). Catch that word there? Others. For me, the focus has nearly always been on others.
  • 6. I did not set out to be a leader. I led workshops, I acted, I directed, I made art. I worked with a friend. As we got more work we employed people to work with us... then a few more. The we grew. We wanted to do it properly, get it right. We were doing good work. But we didnt like the buildings we were working in, they werent accessible, they didnt instill equality or if they had good access they werent very creative spaces.
  • 7. We looked and looked. Couldnt find one. So decided to build one ourselves. Our Oz. (Youll have spotted Ive paraphrasedthis story).
  • 8. Lately my own relationship with creativity has beenthe focus of coaching sessions with Sarah. Creativity can give pleasure and pain in equal parts,and for me its also part ofmy politics. It has been neglected as the Yellow Brick Road steepened near Oz.
  • 9. I work with those whose chances to be creative- to unfurl, imagine, explore, give voice and realise that most beautiful part of what it is to be human (you know the list) - have been denied, ignored, deprioritised. I am part of an organisation whose core principles embrace this. This is why I cant look at my leadershipwithout looking at my relationship to creativity. It is painfully ironic that I have recently had to put my creativity to one side.
  • 10. So here I am, trying toreconnect with my creativity. And focus on leadership. Leadership puts you in some vulnerable places. You could: drown in the sea fall offthe mountain orthe truck you are pushing could roll back down over you
  • 11. Anyway as I write this, its Friday afternoon I have the positivity of a clear weekend seeping through my bones. A weekend free of work and full of time for me and whatever I wish to create.
  • 12. And here comes answer to the question, about who may be interested in what I have to say. The answer is me. I am interested in what I have to say and I guess this understanding is what Sync has given me. The chance to listen to myself and find it rather interesting. The chance to build my confidence to say yes, I am a Leader - so what? - and get on with it.
  • 13. Oh, and one more thing before I go. Take it from me, if you dont feed your creativity it might get starved and start to gobble you up instead. Feed it. Its important.
  • 14. Anna Wallbank works at Zinc add contact info www.zincarts.org.uk She made this as part of Sync Intensives www.syncleadership.co.uk

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