Canerow: Threads of Intergenerational Leadership is a storytelling series capturing the wisdom, resilience, and vision of Black women leaders across generations. Rooted in the Canerow project, these reflections explore leadership, legacy, and community through the voices of those shaping the future. The full interviews will be included in a print publication and released for Black History Month 2025.
On Becoming a Leader
From my younger years, my perception of leaders was of confident, out-front individuals. However, I prefer leading from behind. I think I recognised my leadership at around age seven, as I became a leader for my younger siblings when we lived in the Caribbean. I took on responsibilities that felt maternal due to the absence of a female figure.
When I returned to the UK at 18, I engaged with my community, recognising needs, and leading within a Saturday supplementary school that's been active for over 20 years. I have developed programmes for women and led English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.
I’m an introvert so I’ve never been comfortable being hyper visible. I ran a Christian women’s group about a decade or so ago in Birmingham which was very successful and attracted women of all backgrounds and cultures. I enjoyed the challenges of organising from the back—ensuring plans were laid and everything was on track.
In my 20 years within the NHS, I taught leadership and management and learnt to live with the paradox of being prominent during facilitation and going home to plug in and recharge in isolation so I could return the following day and do it all again.
I started owning my leadership impact during my last four years at the NHS. I completed a self-funded PhD on black women’s lived experiences of work-based learning and Higher Education. I did this whilst I was working full time, but I did not speak to any of my senior leaders about it until I completed.
One of my standout experiences as a female leader was delivering a programme called ‘Elevate’ for women of colour in five universities. The first cohort consisted of predominantly South Asian women, we all came with preconceived notions about the culture and experiences of ‘the other’. We were intentional in building rapport and understanding. By the end of the programme, these women began greeting each other as "sisters," signifying a bond that grew over shared experiences.
Expanding Circles of Support
My initial support network consisted of people who depended on me—academically or financially. While it felt good initially, I reached a point of mild resentment. I recognised that I needed tighter boundaries, instead of being the perpetual giver.
I make it a point to visit octogenarians weekly; they uplift me and provide valuable insights. Cooking for them and simply being in their presence brings me joy, often leaving me moved.
Personal Development as a Lifelong Process
The PhD was an unexpected journey which started when I saw that my students who had transitioned on to a 2- yr undergraduate, H.E. course were exiting at year 1. I knew they were capable, and didn’t think of questioning the systems they were working and studying in. I looked inwards, asking if I had set them up to fail. That was the question that took me on the PhD journey and the data from that has been published in a book about our lived experiences. I say ours, because my methodology was autoethnography, I included my own experience working and studying in the same institutions as the women at the time.
My faith is an important aspect of my life, yet the faith institutions are like any other, they have their systemic issues. I’m learning to be more open and understanding of others, though it continues to challenge my expectations regarding authenticity in relationships.
What truly inspires me is witnessing people believe in themselves and see their potential. I refer to this as “realignment”—getting back to what’s true.
Much of my work revolves around women, and I find that being authentic is vital. I’m just me.
Gender and racial discrimination in career
Working predominantly in the NHS, which is female-dominant, has somewhat shielded me from gender discrimination. My interactions with white women have been intriguing.
This led to a very honest and vulnerable conversation with the female colleague I was originally speaking to, who we had the breakthrough together. She confessed that when I started my role she expected to ‘dislike me’. She had heard about my credentials and simply made up her mind that she and I were not going to get on. She said all this as an introduction to telling me how much she admired and valued the way I worked; she specifically liked my strategy to question and probe. From her prospective, what she expected to be negative resulted in a positive relationship, showing how perceptions can shift dramatically.
Messages to Younger Black Women
I would tell my younger self to let go of perfectionism. I vividly remember at 27, rushing to meetings and stressing about being on time. One day, while stuck in traffic for three hours, I cried and realised how detrimental my perfectionist mindset was. I took the rest of the week off to reflect. When I returned, I apologised to my team for my expectations, realising they needed different support. I told my manager I didn’t want to manage anymore, just to do my job. Her response was, “Now that you’ve reflected, I want you to lead.” That experience taught me the importance of being human and flexible, and I continuously share this lesson with others including my niece, reminding them that perfection is not necessary.
Success and Legacy
My definition of success is possessing peace. I feel successful now, not because I have a PhD, not because of my possessions or where I live. True success, for me, is the deep peace I experience at night when I put my head on the pillow, I know that I have been honest, fair, and helped as much as I could where I saw needs; then I can sleep soundly. Raised in the Caribbean, I learned to thrive with very little and be creative. Ultimately, success is about achieving inner peace and doing as much as I can to help others find their own peace.
Since COVID -19 I’ve attended many funerals and realised that many people do not truly know their loved ones. This has motivated me to spend more time with the younger members of my family, giving them glimpses into my world. I want to be remembered as someone who saw and touched people, I hope some can say I made a difference in their lives. I focus on making genuine connections rather than leaving behind a grand legacy.
This image of Dr Peggy Warren was illustrated by Tinuke Fagborun and commissioned by The Ubele Initiave.
