Name: Avril Coelho

Title: Assistant Manager and Menopause Ambassador

Organisation: Holland and Barrett International

Avril is a disabled artist and photographer who seeks out from the natural world what people pass by and dismiss as insignificant, unsightly, or grotesque with a connection to life, death, and the transition between, and portrays these finds aesthetically pleasing. Avril’s interest in the natural world, life, and death stem from passion and activism on our environment and Avril’s disabilities and rare condition Parry-Romberg’s Syndrome and Epilepsy, and also creates work to tackle gender-based violence for White Ribbon. Avril Coelho Creations is an Accredited White Ribbon UK Supporter Organisation.

Avril would like to open a gallery catering to disabled artists who face barriers to exhibiting their physical work without reasonable adjustments and support. Whilst Avril knows that virtual and hybrid galleries are increasing, she knows that the experience of having work on physical display is important for artists and is acutely aware of the various barriers artists with physical and invisible disabilities face.

Avril would like disabled artists to contribute towards fundraising via sales of their work to raise money for White Ribbon UK and other important charities which periodically or annually auction work to raise funds whilst allowing the disabled Artist’s community to shine that many find doesn’t exist with most galleries. Avril calls this ADAPT. Artists with Disabilities And Photographers Tackling (VAWG etc.).

Avril has worked across three very different retail industries with in-depth knowledge from each and in different leadership roles. She is a problem solver who leads by a balance of example, organization, prioritization, and delegation. Avril was appointed a Menopause Champion for her workplace a year and a half ago.

Avril has governance experience as a School Community Governor and London Borough Councillor. She has been a Vice-Chair Chair of Trustees and Chair of a disability-focused political party official body at the National level. She is currently a Trustee of another National charity and has organized time carefully to get everything in.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Avril's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Staying ahead of the times relevant to the industry is the way populist leaders succeed in gathering huge followers.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Through various careers and professional training as a student teacher teaching Key Stages 3, 4, and 5. I had sixteen classes and a form group at the age of twenty-one and molded them from the age of eleven. We learned from professional and method tutors and I wrote and shared a piece on the psychology of learning during the PGCE year.

Three different retail industries and employers sent me on R3:R48wide ranging training courses and I observed how different levels of management interacted with one another, me, and how their styles and levels of respect varied. I found the best traits of the best in each workplace and used these as benchmarks and templates to become a great leader. I always remember a joke from primary school about room for improvement though, so I keep myself willing to adapt and change as necessary.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Planning is crucial. I take my medications at my necessary pace and correct time. I put my head down again until they've kicked in. I get breakfast in me and get ready for work. My long hot pain-relieving shower is my thinking time as I've already checked my diary over breakfast and am ensuring I'm aware of the day's, week's, monthly, and quarterly tasks to manage time and resources for anything extra that may unexpectedly arise. I check my social media on my bus journey, during any breaks, and return journey.

I sometimes have meetings to attend in the afternoon which fit in my lunchtime or the evening before dinner but after my evening medications. Some are in person with a meal afterward and others online. I sometimes write about where I've been and anything that is publicly permitted, useful to others and pertinent gets shared.

This helps my political career. My various careers and personal life have become intertwined and now I get important notifications at all hours but thankfully I can't sleep early so there's enough time for personal time around these as I'm up until about 2 am most days. Then the cycle repeats.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Happy Atom for marketing - the McKinsey 7 S strategy.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Richard D Gross, the science of mind and behavior. It was from my A Level psychology reading and helped me understand the different types of leaders and where I fit in on the diagram. I added to this further reading during my degree course and read a French translation about society.

This helped me understand people and societal groups and divisions. I studied people whilst interacting and engaging when I entered the workplace. My first proper jobs were wide-ranging and I knew different people from different walks of life and taught myself to tailor myself to the individuals I engaged with in each job role.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Decide what kind of leader you want to be and then formulate and perfect your leadership style but keep it genuine and flexible to adapt to changing business needs. Remember that pride comes before the fall.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

Do your share of the 'heavy lifting' and negotiations and try to lead by example as it gains respect from the best in your team. I've trained those above my pay grade in different industries and those who are new to reasonable adjustments when necessary and educated those above me on the importance and necessity of reasonable adjustments for disabled employees.

I did this whilst a secondary student teacher, in two retail industries as a Chair of Trustees and as a new Councillor. Disabled people are the best experts on their condition/s and so need to educate others for work-related or voluntary purposes. One line manager told me that I couldn't do all the tasks I had been doing for years and was expected to do because of a medical condition.

The condition wasn't a barrier to those tasks. I contacted HR for a risk assessment and got the record straight on what I can and can't do. He and those who managed me afterward within the same business aren't all in the business anymore. They had their agendas and weren't good managers.