Woman of the Month: Leesa Harwood

I am thrilled to share with you my third Awen Woman of the Month, CEO, trustee, charity consultancy business owner and serial adventurer, Leesa Harwood!

Having started her career in the charity sector in 1991, Leesa has gone on to work for charities such as Save the Children, RNLI and Jeans for Genes. Since 2018 Leesa has also run her own charity consultancy specialising in innovation, agile and transparent business and funding models and changing the world for the better!

Now, hear from Leesa, in her own words, as she shares with us her 30-year career in the charity sector, how she channels her adventurous spirit into her work and inspires the next generation of women, all while focusing on her wellbeing!

1. Who is Leesa?

Young Leesa was a serial adventurer. I went out of my way to fill my life with an eclectic combination of experiences and people. I was the first person in my family to go to university, where I studied at the University of Ulster in the middle of the Troubles in the 1980s. After I graduated, I travelled around the USA for 6 months, working at summer camps and recording a radio programme for BBC Belfast. I travelled to 27 states then moved to Florida, where I lived for 4 years. 

As I got older, I settled down a bit, but I still tend to jump into the unknown and unexpected to keep life interesting. I was attracted to a career in the charity sector because, by their very nature, charities exist on the frontline of discovery and emergency.   

My first charity job in 1991 was with The March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation as an entry-level fundraiser in South Florida. I raised money for an experimental treatment called gene therapy, a technique that repairs or modifies a person’s genes to cure or treat disease. I remember learning about a four-year-old girl called Ashanthi DeSilva who had gene-based immune deficiency (like in the John Travolta film 'Boy in the Bubble'). She had stopped responding to treatment and was sentenced to a short life of isolation and suffering. Ashanthi became the first person to have her genes repaired and go on to live a successful, normal life. I remember celebrating the historical moment that Ashanthi left her ‘bubble’ and had her first-ever birthday party. That was the moment I decided that working in this lifesaving, world-changing sector was for me. I wanted to live and work on the frontier of discovery and transformation, and for me, the not-for-profit sector is still where this magic happens.

2. What are your personal values, and how do they shine in your work?

I tend to think in terms of life currencies rather than values, and I like to proactively trade in three currencies:

Money – don’t judge me. We all need money to live and pay the mortgage. And without money, I wouldn’t be able to make a difference by donating and investing in good causes. I tend to work on the principle that I aim to earn the money I need rather than earn what I could. The trick is to find a healthy balance. Too much money can do bad things to people’s moral compass. Too little, and you lose security and peace of mind. Money helps me buy what I need, but I’ll never be able to afford everything I want, and I like that discipline and balance.

Faith – Whilst I don’t have a religion that requires faith in a deity, I’m a humanist and have a fundamental faith in people. When I was a child, a headteacher of an extraordinary school in the north of England invited a working-class, scrawny, bewildered teenage girl into her high-ceilinged, stained-glass-windowed, Victorian office and explained that because she saw potential, she would give her a scholarship to come to the school. It was the biggest deposit of faith anyone had ever made into my personal bank account. 30 years later, the (now retired) headteacher sent me a note to say that she had been following my career and was very proud of me for proving that her faith had not been misplaced. So now, I spend much of my time looking for people I can invest my faith in, paying forward the deposit my teacher made all those years ago.

Hope - One of the reasons I love the not-for-profit sector is that it is a practical manifestation of enduring hope. I hope that problems can be solved, hope that the world can be a fairer place, hope that every individual can make a difference. When times are tough, I borrow hope from some amazing friends and family. And I try to distribute hope, too, to people struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel or trying to find a solution to a difficult problem. The first step is always hope. Without hope, people like Eglantine Jebb, William Hillary and other founders would not have set up extraordinary charities, alleviated so much suffering or saved so many precious lives. Hope is a powerful force for good and the first step towards changing the world. Hope is why we never stop trying.

 3. How do you make a positive impact on the lives of women?

The 3 Cs are really important to me when I’m with women.

Confidence – women are great at identifying areas for improvement – finding things we’re not so good at. So, I always try to help the women in my life shift their focus onto their strengths and achievements. Imposter syndrome will fill the vacuum created by an absence of confidence and stop women from being the influencers that the world needs them to be. Confidence is the foundation of a thriving, happy woman. And I love to see the transformation that occurs when a woman realises how capable she is and the extent of her potential.

Camaraderie – Madeleine Albright said that there is a special place in Hell for women who don’t support other women. I hope she’s right. I still meet an astonishing number of women who developed their leadership style based on the 1980’s ball-breaking stereotype. They say things like “I had to work harder than the men to get promoted, so do you", "It’s just how it is”, “Women have to be more resilient if they want to be successful – rise above the discrimination", or "I had to, so does the next generation”. That’s not empowering, it’s selling out, and it’s a perpetuation of an outdated, misogynist culture. I am conscious that I grew up with 1980s ball-breaking stereotypes of female leaders. So, the best thing I can do for women now is to let go of the stereotypes I grew up with, unlearn the rules I learnt and re-write the playbook, creating a new culture, not teaching women how to overcome the old one. Creating camaraderie and a cohort of women committed to moving the needle and ensuring that the next generation of women are free to be authentic leaders in a diverse and empowering culture is really important.

Care – We all know those people in our lives who genuinely care. They’re not afraid to ask how you are or take you aside if you’re feeling particularly vulnerable or stressed. One of the things I love most about my female colleagues and friends is that they genuinely care about me and are not afraid to begin a conversation about my wellbeing. So, I try to do the same. I’m empathetic by nature. I absorb people’s feelings which can be a challenge. But the benefit is that I can sense when something’s not right and find a way to check it out. For years I tried to ‘toughen up’ (see the bit above about ball-breaking female leaders) because I thought sensitivity was a disadvantage. But in recent years, I’ve decided to cultivate my caring side, bring it out of the shadows and use it well. We can all show that we care. It’s not a liability. It’s a human strength.

 4. Why do you think it is important to create equal opportunities?

There is a moral and ethical imperative to make the world a fairer place and strive for equity. But even at a most basic and pragmatic level, we can’t afford not to provide the opportunity for everyone to reach their potential.

There are people out there who will cure dementia and cancer. The world’s diplomats are waiting in the wings for the moment when they will prevent a war. Tomorrow’s surgeons and philanthropists might be one opportunity away from fulfilling their potential and saving lives. By depriving people of opportunity and a chance to fulfil their potential, we deprive the world of the talent and skill we need to survive and thrive in a sustainable and peaceful environment. Tomorrow’s saviours aren’t all born into lives of wealth and opportunity. It is our duty to make sure that if they happen to be born into poverty or on the fringes of society, we get them to where they need to be to reach their potential and make their contribution when their moment comes. Our lives and our planet depend on it.

5. What have you chosen to challenge?  

I constantly challenge the status quo. I believe that we should never stop moving forward and that when our career or life feels comfortable and familiar, it’s time to stand up and move along. People, communities and civilisations that constantly propel themselves into new experiences, new paradigms and discoveries never stagnate. They learn and grow. I don’t challenge the status quo for the sake of it or to make people feel uncomfortable. But I genuinely believe that we all have a duty to challenge ourselves constantly, our assumptions, and our perspectives. The world is in a perpetual state of change, and we must change with it. By challenging the status quo, I hope to encourage people to progress, overcome their fears and embrace opportunities they might otherwise have avoided.

 6. How do you look after yourself while busy with your business and career?

I pace myself. Being an adventurer and challenger of the status quo makes for an exciting life, but it can also be a fast-track to burnout. There have been times when I have done too much, too quickly and paid the price in terms of work-life balance and wellbeing.

Now I know better and have learned the art of pace. It doesn’t mean I have to compromise on excitement and challenge, just that I pay attention to how much energy I spend on what and when. I am very strict about the number of hours I work. I guard my non-work time ferociously.  

Perspective is another lesson I have learned. For years I have kept a professional journal, and I love to look back on previous entries. I’ll often read about pieces of work or professional problems that took me to the brink of a nervous breakdown but not be able to remember them at all 1 or 2 years later. Now, when I start to feel the stress rising, I’ll reflect on how much of this problem I will recall in another 12 months. Usually, that’s enough to help me put it in perspective and silence my internal stress chatter.

Finally, getting out and about has been a life-saver during lockdown. I started running late in life and did my first half-marathon at the age of 48! Whilst I no longer worry about my times and distances, I still like to get out for a jog now and then. I’m lucky to live in Dorset, where the coast and country paths provide amazing backdrops for walks and runs. Whether I’m walking the dog or running up a hill, it’s an effective way to de-stress and stay (relatively) fit.

 7. Where can people find out more about you and your work?

I run a charity consultancy, By the Waves, where I work with charity leaders to modernise their charity business, finance and operating models, transform outdated funding strategies, and advise on effective boards. 

I am part-time interim CEO at Jeans for Genes, where we raise awareness and funds to support people living with genetic conditions. 

I am a Trustee at The Big Issue Foundation and an Associate Trainer for the Directory of Social Change.

You can follow me on Twitter @bythewaves and LinkedIn.

I’d love to connect if you are a charity leader looking to transform your charity or if you would like to get involved in this year’s Jeans for Genes Campaign from 13th to 19th September 2021.

- Leesa Harwood

I want to take this opportunity to thank Leesa for taking the time to share her incredible story. Last summer, when I set out to discover the possibility of going freelance or running my own business, I reached out to Leesa, who kindly spent time with me, building my confidence, exploring my opportunities, showing me that it's possible and sharing resources I still use today.

Leesa, I am incredibly grateful for your guidance and support. You have inspired and helped shaped the direction of Awen Coaching and, therefore, the women I support every day. Alongside my friends and family, you and the other women I reached out to at that time are the reason I can sign off this article as 'founder'.

Thank you.

Bethany, Founder | Awen Coaching