Leadership lessons from the cot

We are delighted to be supporting a new blog series by tenacious housing leader and new mum, Melissa Woodhall! Look out for the first episode, published in the new year - for now, here's a treat preview for what's to come...

Hi everyone,

Life looks a little different these days, I’m writing this with a 7-week-old baby girl named Brooke, who is currently snoozing (and snoring!) beside me. As I navigate the early days of motherhood, I’ve been struck by just how much leadership and parenting overlap. (Spoiler: both involve negotiation, unexpected messes, and learning on the fly!)

That’s why I’m excited to launch a new LinkedIn blog series, sharing leadership lessons from some of my leadership books, reimagined through the lens of sleepless nights, nappy changes, and the wild ride of raising a newborn.

Expect plenty of humour, honesty, and a few “I can’t believe that just happened” moments.

Why am I doing this?

Honestly? Because its harder than I thought and the culture shock was real. Going from focusing most of my energy on work to suddenly shifting into pregnancy and now motherhood has been a huge adjustment. And I know I’m not the only one with a story to tell.

I want to create a safe space for people to share experiences and strategies for navigating these two worlds. I now have a whole new level of respect for parents in our sector, it’s a massive challenge, and it deserves conversation.

Social housing will always be my “first baby,” and staying connected with the sector while I’m on maternity leave matters to me. My hope is that these posts will spark discussion, offer a fresh perspective, and give us all a reason to smile.

Get involved!

I’d love for you to read along, share your own stories, and join the conversation. Have you ever applied a leadership lesson to parenting (or vice versa)? What’s the funniest thing you’ve learned from your own “black box moments”?

Drop your thoughts in the comments or message me directly, I can’t wait to hear from you!

First post coming soon..... between feeds and naps!

Melissa

This blog is part of a series originally posted on LinkedIn