#069: Taking Up Your Own Space with Honor Wilson-Fletcher MBE
Getting comfortable with discomfort.
Imagine being the Chief Executive of an organisation that exists to take young explorers to extraordinary destinations - in the world AND in their own lives. Where the very raison d’être is to explore possibility, take young people out of their comfort zone and change their lives for the better. What an opportunity to make a difference!
An opportunity made all the more exceptional when you’re a woman, leading in a highly male-dominated sector, and the first female CEO in the 90 year history of the organisation.
Honor Wilson-Fletcher is a servant leader, driven by her mission. A mission of fairness. Fairness in the workplace. Fairness for girls and women. And fairness of opportunity to know who you really are.
Her story begins on a farm in Dorset, trying to make sense of life as an unhappy child grappling with mixed expectations. In this deeply personal conversation, Honor shares how her exploration to find who she really is began with a move to London, becoming self-sufficient, and learning to see the world through the eyes of those who saw possibility very differently to her own experience.
Her raging determination to find places that were fair drove her ambition to take up her space in the world and become the boss, so that she could shape the future and create fairness of opportunity for herself and others.
This episode is for anyone who would like to find their voice, get more comfortable with discomfort, and own their own space in the world.
MORE ABOUT MY GUEST: HONOR WILSON-FLETCHER MBE
Honor Wilson-Fletcher MBE is the Chief Executive of the British Exploring Society. Her previous leadership roles, working with young people, included six years as CEO of schools’ charity the Aldridge Foundation and two years at the National Literacy Trust, where she worked on behalf of the Department for Education as Director of the 2008 National Year of Reading. She has also held transformational roles as a Director at Southbank Centre and the British Museum, and has a background in PR & publishing - working for Waterstones, Transworld, Hodder Children’s Books, Penguin and BOL.com. She has served on charitable boards and as a school governor since her twenties, including the National Literacy Trust, Edinburgh International Literature Festival, Arts Council England, Catch-22 and Enabling Enterprise. She is currently an Advisor to SkillsBuilder.
Honor’s full bio and contact details can be found on her personal guest page.
ABOUT YOUR HOST: SUE REVELL
Sue is on a mission to STOP women playing small so that they can create the legacy they want to leave in the world. With over 30 years coaching and leadership experience, Sue loves nothing more than disrupting the unhelpful thinking that often holds women back, so that they can think, dream and BE bigger in leading the change they want to see. Coaching internationally, Sue’s clients are primarily world-changing women who want to lead with confidence, increase their impact and live a life that matters.
TO CONNECT WITH / HEAR MORE FROM SUE:
Sign up for news & updates: Mission Mojo Sign-Up
Join the Women on a Mission Community: Facebook Group
Connect with Sue at: Her website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram
RESOURCES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Book a “Mission Possible” exploration call with Personal Leadership Coach, Sue Revell
Find Your Fire - an introduction to the British Exploring Society
Honor Wilson-Fletcher MBE
CEO - British Exploring Society
Honor-Wilson-Fletcher MBE joined British Exploring Society as CEO in February 2016. Previous roles working with young people include 6 years as CEO of schools’ charity the Aldridge Foundation and two years at the National Literacy Trust, where she worked on behalf of the Department for Education as Director of the 2008 National Year of Reading.
Prior to working in ‘relaunch’ or transformational roles as a Director at Southbank Centre and the British Museum, she worked as Head of PR at Waterstone’s, as Associate publisher at Transworld, Sales and Marketing Director at Hodder Children’s Books and in various roles at Penguin and in online editorial with BOL.com. She started two businesses of her own in her twenties.
She has worked as a trustee or adviser for charitable boards and as a school governor since her twenties, including for the National Literacy Trust, Edinburgh International Literature Festival, Arts Council England, Catch-22 and Enabling Enterprise.
She is currently an Advisor to SkillsBuilder.
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