By the time Petra started the ILM Level 5 in Leadership and Management, she was already leading a team in a demanding care environment where quick decisions, clear communication, and strong leadership mattered every day.
Supporting staff, handling challenges, and keeping things running smoothly all came with the role.
The qualification wasn’t about learning leadership from scratch, it was about building confidence in the leadership skills she was already using day-to-day.
“I wanted to strengthen my leadership skills and feel more confident taking on more responsibility. I knew it would help me make more of an impact.”
The ILM gave her a chance to pause and think about how she works, not just what she does.
“It made me stop and think about how I lead. I could reflect on what I was doing, but also try new approaches straight away.”
That showed up pretty quickly in her day-to-day role. She found herself having clearer conversations with her team, being more direct about expectations, and taking a bit more time to think things through instead of reacting in the moment.
“The modules on leadership and team motivation really stood out. I started using those approaches straight away with my team.”
In a care setting, where staff rely on each other and residents rely on you every day, those small changes made a real difference. Petra noticed her team responding differently, being more open, more engaged, and clearer on what was expected of them.
A big part of that progress was the support Petra had throughout the programme from her assessor Deborah Davison. Balancing leadership responsibilities with studying isn’t always easy in a busy environment, but having someone there to guide and encourage her helped keep things manageable.
“Deb was always there when I needed support. She made things clear and helped build my confidence and having regular support and honest feedback made a real difference.”
Since finishing the qualification, Petra feels more confident in her role where people rely on her every day - whether that’s supporting staff, making a difficult decision, or dealing with challenges as they arise.
“I feel more confident in how I lead now. I’m better at communicating, I deal with challenges differently, and I feel more able to support my team.”
She’s also brought in a few small changes of her own, including introducing some Welsh language into the team, helping create a more inclusive feel day-to-day.
Looking back, Petra doesn’t talk about the ILM as something she’s finished, but something she still uses every day in a job where people depend on you to lead well.
“It’s been really worthwhile. You can actually use what you learn straight away in your job.”
