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Improving the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people from
all over Wales is a major motivator for Jim Edwards. “Knowing
that the work that my team and I are doing helps others to
be treated with equality in their everyday lives is really
what motivates me. I feel privileged to be in a position that
enables me to play such an active role in helping to achieve
a world where deafness and hearing loss are not barriers to
opportunity or fulfilment.”
Jim began his career as a social worker for deaf people and
later moved into the voluntary sector. He has worked in a
variety of roles for the RNID and then single-handedly set
up RNID Cymru seven years ago. “Childhood friendships
with deaf people inspired me to follow a career working with
and for deaf and hard of hearing people. I quickly learnt
my second language, British Sign Language, when I was 10 years
old. I then worked really hard to develop my receptive ‘understanding’
skills and the expressive skills followed”.
Jim also believes in championing his 50 staff. “I have
a ‘controlled open door’ policy at work. Even
though we must work within an array of policies and guidelines,
it’s important to remember that our staff are the most
fundamental part of our organisation. It is therefore important
to me that people are always treated as valued individuals.”
The best leaders aren’t always the most obvious, either.
Jim said: “I admire people who take the quiet approach
to success and are totally focused on the delivery of what
they set out to achieve. Horatio Nelson and Queen Elizabeth
I were some of the greatest leaders of all time: they believed
in what they were doing and worked throughout their lives
to achieve it.”
“I started to recognise leadership qualities in myself
and in many of the other people I was working with. Leadership
isn’t something reserved for top-level management and
that became clear during the project. I think if you can engage
and inspire others, their leadership qualities will soon surface.”
Neither is leadership confined to those in senior management
positions. “I believe leadership exists in all walks
of life and is within people of all ages. The soft and gentle
way my daughter handles her friendships at school is inspiring.
She has a very subtle approach to getting her own way!”
Being committed to a cause and having passion and determination
to reach your goal are pre-requisites for good leadership,
according to Jim. “Anyone who has a sense of direction
and an ability to express it can become a good leader. If
you are enthused by a vision and can inspire and champion
your team, you can achieve your common goal.
Jim has plenty of clear advice for aspiring leaders. “Firstly,
listen to the people who work with and for you and value their
ideas, criticisms and suggestions. Secondly, keep a strong
clear focus. And last but certainly not least, keep your antennae
up! Make sure you know what’s going on around you at
all times. Don’t get caught napping!"
Colin Jones, Chair of RNID Cymru, nominated Jim for the Leading
Wales Awards due to his innovative achievements since joining
the organisation. “Jim is an excellent and highly committed
ambassador for the deaf and hard of hearing community in Wales.
As a well-respected and inspired leader of a dedicated team
he has consistently achieved significant quality-of-life enhancing
benefits for his clients throughout Wales.”
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