Simon Collins

What does leadership mean to you?

Leadership is about taking other people’s problems/challenges away and empowering them to perform. It is about making decisions and not avoiding them, listening to those around you and explaining the rationale of your decisions. Leadership is also about challenge - yourself, common thinking, and previous decisions. It also means getting involved, not just watching from afar.

What do you see as the key attributes of great leadership?

Authenticity is the core attribute - you must be yourself in leadership. If you try to be something you are not, when it gets difficult and the pressures increase, your true self will come out regardless. Servant leadership is extremely powerful - this is not widely understood, but is more prevalent than people realise. Setting an example in your behaviour, giving clear direction, and being honest (good and bad) are also key attributes.

What do you find most rewarding about leading?

Seeing people I have empowered, coached, and mentored make well-informed and good decisions to the benefit of the organisation and themselves. Giving clear direction and seeing it develop without further input and subsequent decisions being made without me - that is very rewarding. I really enjoy the collaboration element - leadership is not just telling people what to do; it can be doing it with them as well.

What have been your greatest leadership challenges and how have you overcome them?

Leading a team to do something they did not want to do and did not believe in was hard. To overcome this I had to understand deeply the root of their concerns/reluctance and work out how to alleviate these and bring then along with me. It could not be forced - it had to be collaborative. Being the sole voice of disquiet is a leadership attribute, but can be lonely and challenging - being able to articulate your controversial point of view is key.

How have you enriched your own leadership experience?

I have been fortunate to have been given leadership training and development throughout my working life. Alongside that I have read a lot - not leadership books, but books that highlight or demonstrate leadership, including fiction, both good and bad! Spending time thinking and reflecting on my own actions and those of others. I have undertaken courses through the Windsor Leadership Trust and the Institute of Directors which have really added to my leadership skills, knowledge and understanding.

How has your view of leadership changed over time?

As an emerging leader, I always felt that I could do a better job than those leading me/others, but as I rose to those positions I realised that there was so much I did not have visibility of before and that I did not see what was adding complications/confusion. Leadership is not hard, but neither is it easy - leadership is something that needs to be continuously worked at.

What advice would you give to emerging leaders?

Learn from as many people as possible, but ultimately, be your own leader, be you, be authentic. Get a mentor - someone that is not in your organisation that can give you objective, often challenging, advice and guidance to allow you to develop. Read a lot and give yourself time to think.

Simon Collins - Commercial & Technical Director, Chemring

Simon is an experienced executive and non-executive leader across both the public and private sectors. He is a passionate believer in people and the power of effective relationships. He is a keen runner, skier, board gamer, train spotter, and cook. Family first.

Chemring