Spotlight: The Courage to Lead Differently: From NHS Leadership to Redefining What Leadership means

After nearly three decades leading people and services within the NHS, Farida Umer is challenging conventional thinking about leadership. As Founder of Farida Umer Consultancy, she combines operational experience with a conviction that sustainable performance begins with how we think, communicate and lead.

SPOTLIGHTS & INTERVIEWS

Farida Umer

11/11/20263 min read

Nearly three decades in the NHS shaped your understanding of leadership. What inspired you to establish Farida Umer Consultancy?

Throughout my NHS career, I worked with people across many disciplines, leading teams and navigating the pressures of delivering services in a complex organisation. I knew my approach differed from that of some fellow service leads. Systems, processes and performance measures mattered, but I placed people first. For me, it wasn’t just patient care; it was people care, whether supporting patients, developing colleagues or ensuring staff felt valued and heard.

I saw how leadership behaviour affected morale, motivation, retention and wellbeing. Establishing my consultancy allowed me to share those lessons beyond the NHS, helping organisations understand that caring for people and achieving strong performance are not competing priorities.

You challenge the idea that leadership must be loud or highly visible. What does effective leadership look like to you?

Performative leadership can conceal unhelpful behaviours. Someone may appear confident and influential while creating an environment where others hesitate to speak, question decisions or grow. That is not sustainable leadership.Effective leaders read the room, notice what isn’t being said and know when to listen, challenge, guide or step aside. They encourage peer-to-peer support and don’t allow hierarchy to become a

barrier to good ideas. The strongest leaders aren’t necessarily the loudest. They create the conditions for others to find their voice, develop their abilities and pursue their ambitions. Calm is powerful. But it must be accompanied by courage, accountability and action.

Why do organisations continue to struggle with sickness absence, management

capability and workplace culture?

Too often, workforce challenges are treated as isolated problems rather than signs of something deeper. With sickness absence, individual circumstances deserve careful, compassionate consideration. Organisations must also ask whether people are well matched to their roles, managers can address concerns confidently and teams understand their goals and responsibilities. Weak reporting procedures, inconsistent policies and inadequate support for managers can make difficult situations worse. People need to feel appreciated and appropriately stretched, with opportunities to realise their potential.Culture doesn’t change because new values appear on a poster. It changes when leaders communicate and behave differently. When teams help shape goals and working values aligned with the wider organisation, they can take genuine ownership of their contribution.

As AI transforms work, what must leaders protect about human thinking and

decision-making?

Our greatest asset is the human capacity to think, question, imagine and exercise judgement.

I call this developing our thinking muscle: expanding our perspective, challenging assumptions

and adapting when circumstances require it. That takes time and space to exchange ideas,

reflect and explore possibilities together.

AI can be an additional critical thinker, helping us examine options and test reasoning. But it can sound remarkably confident even when it is wrong. We must not mistake a convincing answer for the depth of experience, expertise and contextual understanding people develop.

My concern isn’t simply that AI might replace tasks. It’s that we might surrender too much of our independent thinking. Leaders must use technology intelligently without losing their ability to question it.

What needs to change in leadership development, and how does your consultancy contribute?

We need to rethink how people are appointed to leadership roles. Being excellent at a technical or operational job doesn’t automatically equip someone to lead others. We should recognise leadership potential, not just current performance. And promotion should come with meaningful support, not merely a new title and greater responsibility.

I believe in bespoke, in-house development combining individual coaching, group learning, reflection and real workplace scenarios. Language and communication are particularly important: how a leader speaks, listens and responds shapes relationships and results. Farida Umer Consultancy can co-design and facilitate this development with organisations, reflecting their people, culture and operational priorities.

The aim isn’t to create a team of coaches. It’s to help individuals see themselves as leaders and build the confidence, influence and practical skills to step into that responsibility. Success should show up in everyday behaviour, not just training attendance.

Beyond your consultancy, what drives you personally, and what might people be surprised to learn?

Curiosity is a huge driver for me. I love exploring different perspectives, understanding what shapes people’s thinking and challenging myself to see possibilities beyond the familiar. I’m equally committed to having fun. We can be ambitious, purposeful and deeply invested in our work without losing our humour or enjoyment of life.

I want to lead with compassion, challenge convention when it matters and enjoy the journey along

the way.

Leadership & People Operations Consultant

NLP Master Coach

Farida Consulting

Better Led People Better Run care

Farida’s profile

linkedin.com/in/farida-umer-8a8506191