Guest blog by Susan Gee
My story begins at 15 in a woollen mill, long before any qualification, where I first understood what it meant to work, to be part of a working community, and to see how people’s health and livelihoods are tightly bound together. In 1980 I began my nurse training as a State Enrolled Nurse, a profession that I am proud I am still part of today. From NHS and private sector roles, I learned the fundamentals of compassionate care, professionalism, and the realities of frontline practice. Each step gave me a richer understanding of environments in which people work and the pressures they carry, laying the foundations for a career dedicated to protecting and enhancing the health of others at work. I completed a registered nurse conversion course in 1992, with my first experience of research and how I could influence the workplace.
Becoming the first occupational health (OH) nurse for a major supermarket chain in 1997 showed me what leadership looks like in practice. The role had no blueprint and no predecessor, and I had to define both the value and the voice of OH. It sharpened my ability to build trust with senior leaders, translate clinical expertise into business language, and advocate for worker health as a driver of performance rather than a cost. I moved to Bradford Council in 1997 as an OH adviser for 16 years, becoming Head of Occupational Health and Safety. I shaped services in a complex political public sector setting while studying for my OH degree, an MA in healthcare law, and an MSc in leadership, management and change in health and social care. This practice and academic study deepened my conviction that effective leaders never stop learning and that credibility in leadership is earned through both expertise and example. One of the great privileges of my career was being invited to be a guest lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, supporting nurses on the OH degree course to understand complexities and challenges of managing health in the workplace.
My philosophy emerged - that leadership begins with knowing yourself. It means being honest about my strengths and areas I do not enjoy or where my skills are not fully developed. Rather than clinging to the idea that I must be the most knowledgeable person, real strength lies in having the courage to hire people who are smarter than me in their specialist areas, then giving them the autonomy to use their skills for the benefit of the organisation. My role is to set direction, create psychological safety, and remove obstacles so that the team can flourish.
Courage and accountability sit at the heart of leadership. Having the courage to make decisions, to speak up when something is not right, or to advocate for an unpopular but necessary course of action is fundamental. Equally important is the willingness to own decisions when they do not show me at my finest. Every leader makes mistakes; the difference is whether we deflect or take responsibility, learn, and repair. Leadership is not about perfection but about integrity, doing my best with the information and authority I have, being transparent about my reasoning, and being ready to say, “I was wrong” and put things right when needed. That authenticity builds trust far more than a carefully maintained façade of infallibility.
True leadership is measured not by titles or personal achievements but how others grow because of my presence. I want to leave teams more capable, more confident, and more connected than they were before. My own career has been shaped by mentors, women and men who have lifted me, shared their knowledge, and invested time in my development. I see it as a responsibility to open doors, make introductions, share opportunities, and sometimes simply offer a listening ear that helps someone see their own potential more clearly. In a profession like OH, where roles can be misunderstood or undervalued, this sponsorship can change the course of a colleague’s career.
Another strand of my philosophy is knowing when it is time to step aside. Leaders have a duty not only to deliver in the present but to ensure that teams and organisations are ready for the future. That sometimes means recognising that my part of the story is complete and that new talent, with different perspectives and energy, needs space to flourish. Hanging on too long can stifle growth and innovation; choosing to move aside, even when it is uncomfortable, is an act of service to the organisation and the profession. For nurse leaders, this involves succession planning, deliberate mentoring, and supporting emerging leaders to take on visible, stretching roles rather than keeping tight hold of the reins.
My approach is to “proceed until apprehended,” with a bias toward action and willingness to push boundaries in pursuit of better outcomes. I pair this with a clear awareness of professional limits, staying within the bounds of my expertise, understanding my authority, and respecting governance and ethics. This balance is vital in OH nursing, where leaders often operate at the intersection of clinical practice, employment law, and organisational politics. Being bold does not mean being reckless; it means being prepared to move first, test ideas, and gently challenge the status quo while remaining grounded in evidence, regulation, and patient centred values.
Leadership is not a straight, upward line but a long, uneven journey. There are days when initiatives land well and teams thrive, and days when the road ahead looks overwhelming and every decision feels heavy. I remind myself that leadership is forged in small, often unseen acts, the difficult conversation I do not avoid, the junior colleague I encourage, the policy I improve, the reflective pause after a misstep.
Becoming a great leader in nursing is about acts of courage, learning, and humility over many years. When those acts are guided by purpose, curiosity, and care for others, they shape not only services and organisations but the future of our profession itself.
Susan Gee MSc, MA, BSc (Hons), SCPHN (OH), RN is Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing at Yorkshire Water.