Thursday, 4 July 2013

Unintentional leadership

It’s happening again…

When I was 16, I joined a Parish group. Although having been in the Parish for years, I was a newcomer as I had never attended any group there, or taken any active role. The following year, I was asked to take charge of the children’s group, and I accepted.

Fast forward a decade and, after taking part in a Bible Study Group in my Cambridge Parish for a year, I was asked to be the group leader as the leader was quitting due to family reasons.

In 2011, I had barely joined CILIP, and in the bat of an eyelid I found myself in the role of Vice-Chair of the East of England branch. I thought I was going to skip the subsequent chairing task the following year, due to my maternity leave, but somehow I became, nevertheless, chair (not on my own. But still).

And some days ago, I was with my 15-months-old daugher at a playgroup for Italian children in Cambridge, when suddenly the lady running it turns to me and says: “Maria Giovanna, why don’t you take the group on next year?”.