What makes a good leader?

That is a question I have thought about a lot since attending the four-day Football Association (FA) Leadership Academy residential in Warwick.

I arrived with 59 other young people, all aged 16-24, from different backgrounds and with different experiences of football and leadership. We did not know exactly what to expect. Four days later, everyone left feeling empowered, heard and inspired. To see that change in such a short space of time was incredible.

For me, one of the biggest differences from previous leadership experiences was the range of people I was able to learn from. It reinforced one of the most important leadership skills: listening.

You don’t have to be the loudest or most confident person in the room to be the best leader.

Within my own mentor group, I witnessed huge growth in confidence and mindset. People became more comfortable sharing their experiences, challenging ideas and supporting one another. It showed me the power of creating an environment where people feel comfortable, heard and empowered.

Why wouldn’t you want to surround yourself with people who make you feel that way?

Finding my ‘Why’

One of the most powerful things I took from the residential was understanding my ‘why’.

Through conversations, workshops and reflection, I have cemented that I want to help people find their strengths and become the best version of themselves. Whether that is through leadership, playing sport or creating opportunities for others, that is what motivates me.

This will be particularly important over the next 12 months, as I work on my FALA project to increase football opportunities for women and girls.

I have also learnt that creating change is ultimately about people. As Jordan Liburd reminded us, sometimes you can’t change the organisation; you need to change the people within it.

That is what makes the FA Leadership Academy so special. It is one of the most positive and inspiring rooms full of people I have ever been in.

I am incredibly grateful for the experiences, conversations and people that have shaped my first four days of this journey. A special thank you to my mentors, Danny Thompson and Ella Cowell, whose wisdom and advice have been invaluable. Most importantly, they listened and took the time to understand us.

I was proud to receive the ‘Best Networker’ award, which has encouraged me to keep asking questions, starting conversations and learning from the people around me.

If I have learnt one thing, it is this: leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about listening, understanding your ‘why’ and helping the people around you become the best they can be.