Freedom to Speak Up Bolton

08/10/2025

Love this poem 💚

Today I said “I’m fine”, not once
But five times altogether
When people asked “how are you?”
Then made small talk of the weather

And so I hid behind my mask
The one I’d worn a while
I set in place my bravest face
And dressed it with a smile

And that was how the day went
All “I’m fine” and talk of rain
Until somebody asked me how I was
Then asked again

They asked if I was truly fine
And I said I was not
And they said they were sorry
That they couldn’t do a lot

But then they sat beside me
Whilst I spoke the truth at last
They listened and they held me
As the tears slipped through my mask

And where before, I’d felt I should
Maintain this brave façade,
I realised there was much to gain
By letting down my guard

See, though my load was still the same
It now was not as heavy
‘Cause sitting and offloading it
Had helped a bit already

Today they asked “how are you?”
And I told them I was fine
‘Til someone saw behind the mask
And asked me one more time

And though they may have felt
That there was little they could do
They’ll never know how much it meant
To tell someone the truth

Becky Hemsley 2022

03/10/2025

Kindness - it is very powerful yet so simple 💚

02/10/2025

We had a fabulous day today celebrating and thanking our FTSU Champions.

Great talks including-Coaching Conversations, Sexual Safety, Active Listening, Human Factors

Thanks to all those who attended 💚

28/09/2025

Values and culture are not the same!

25/09/2025

10/09/2025

4 more FTSU Champions trained
Hayley Fletcher, Michael Riordan , Jennifer Semenuik and Jennifer Harrison
Welcome and thank you for joining our amazing Network of FTSU Champions 💚

28/08/2025

They don’t always yell.

Sometimes they bully with a smile. 👇

Thanks to Rob Dance for this thought-provoking post!

❌ “I’m just direct.”
↳ No — you’re dismissive and demeaning.

❌ “That’s just how leadership works.”
↳ No — that’s how control works.

❌ “This is business, not personal.”
↳ No — it’s personal when you belittle people.

❌ “Toughen up.”
↳ No — empathy isn’t weakness.

✅ True leadership uplifts.
↳ You can challenge without crushing.

✅ Respect should be felt — not just spoken.
↳ Words matter. So does tone.

✅ Titles don’t give you a pass.
↳ Emotional harm is still harm.

✅ Safe cultures drive real results.
↳ Fear kills creativity. Period.

Some bullies don’t grow up
they just get promotions.

26/08/2025

Great to see this in Pathology Labs during our FTSU Walkabout today

Well done Champions KatyEdwards and Louise Smith

26/08/2025

Read this today and thought I would share ….

A lot of leaders want a better culture.
But they don’t see how they’re making it worse.

They commission surveys, new values and send people on training.

But they keep doing the same things.

· Tolerating bad behaviour from high performers

· Protecting cliques

· Avoiding conflict

· Asking for feedback but punishing people for being honest

The intention might be good. But without self-awareness, it doesn’t matter.

This isn’t about bashing leaders. Most do genuinely care. But caring isn't the same as taking responsibility.

Culture change doesn’t start with new policies. It starts with behaviour, especially at the top.

If you’re in a leadership role, ask yourself:

· How am I contributing to this problem?

· What am I not seeing?

· What would people say about me when I’m not in the room?

You can’t change a culture you're still reinforcing.
And you can’t fix trust without owning your impact.

14/08/2025

As FTSU Guardians we often hear how poor leadership behaviours can negatively impact on staff. It can cause increased sickness/ absence , issues with health and wellbeing, loss of psychological safety and the loss of some great people.

I am pleased to see the Bolton has invested in a fabulous development programme called Our Leaders which will equip leaders and managers with the skills and knowledge to be the best leaders they can be to inspire and lead their teams.

20/07/2025

Most teams aren’t unsafe

they’re just afraid of what honesty might cost them.

A confident team isn’t automatically a safe one.
Real safety feels like trust without fear of consequences.

Psychological safety isn’t about being nice.
It’s about creating an environment where truth can exist without punishment.

Where people speak up because they trust they’ll be heard,
Not just because they’re the loudest.

Here’s how to build a space where honesty isn’t risky:

1/ Own your mistakes openly
↳ Normalize imperfection so it’s safe for everyone to do the same.

2/ Seek feedback on your leadership
↳ Leaders set the tone—go first.

3/ Celebrate curiosity, not just answers
↳ Questions reflect trust and openness.

4/ Make space for quieter voices
↳ “We haven’t heard from X yet, what’s your perspective?”

5/ Replace blame with curiosity
↳ Move from finger-pointing to finding solutions.

6/ Speak last
↳ Let your team share first, you’ll hear more honest input.

7/ Guarantee confidentiality
↳ Ensure ideas can be shared without fear they’ll be spread beyond the room.

8/ Welcome respectful disagreement
↳ Differing views often unlock better outcomes.

9/ Admit when you don’t know
↳ Vulnerability builds collective strength.

10/ Thank people for their honesty
↳ Appreciate candor—even when it’s uncomfortable.

11/ Set clear standards for respectful dialogue
↳ Consistency in expectations builds comfort.

12/ Include personal check-ins, not just status updates
↳ Connection on a human level deepens trust.

13/ Rotate who leads meetings
↳ Empowerment signals trust and builds confidence.

14/ Support thoughtful risk-takers
↳ Reward effort and bravery, even if the results aren’t perfect.

15/ Recognize progress, not just wins
↳ Growth deserves celebration, not just outcomes.

Psychological safety doesn’t come from good intentions
it comes from consistent proof that honesty matters more than perfection.