This Trustees Week, we are delighted to share with you some insight and advice from one of our much-valued trustees, Sally Harris.
Sally developed severe hearing loss during her twenties following an infection. Having experienced first-hand the challenges that hearing loss brings within the workplace and socially, Sally is passionate about removing the stigma and raising awareness of deafness, particularly in the workplace.
Sally has spent 20 years in fashion retail as a Finance Director, latterly at Marks and Spencer. She is also a trustee for two other charities.
What inspired you to become a trustee, and what drew you to RNID?
I have held several trustee roles over the last ten years or so, and the inspiration behind all of these is that I am passionate about making a meaningful difference for individuals who need support.
I developed severe hearing loss in my twenties after having measles, and I have found both working and socialising a challenge at times.
I was drawn to RNID as I share the vision of an inclusive society, and in particular I want to remove the stigma still attached to hearing loss, change perceptions and improve accessibility, particularly in the workplace.
How do you ensure the charity remains true to its mission and values while evolving to meet new demands?
I spent 20 years in retail, and we were taught, ‘customer, customer, customer’. And I think the same is true for any organisation. Keeping our eyes focused on the people we support, at all times, is crucial.
It can be easy to get distracted by theoretical papers or performance packs (all of which are also important), but ultimately if you ask yourself these questions you can’t go wrong: 1) What are deaf people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus saying and feeling? 2) What do they need? And then it’s our job, to work out how to meet those needs and ruthlessly prioritise to meet them most impact fully.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your role as a trustee, and why?
For me personally, I find working with the rest of the Board and the Senior Leadership Team the most rewarding part.
I truly value the connection, the opportunity to learn from each of them, and the intellectual challenge of navigating some difficult conversations together.
It has been particularly rewarding to see how much the charity has changed over the four years I have been a trustee.
When I started, we were in the middle of transferring our services to a new provider. Then there was a period of defining our strategy and restructuring, and now we are well positioned as a charity driving social change and it’s exciting to witness the first signs of significant progress this year.
Can you share a success story from your time on the board that illustrates the impact of the RNID’s work?
The Hearing Check is a massive success story. It’s innovative and impactful. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to organisations about it and also to share with friends, and I personally know several people who through that have identified hearing loss that they wouldn’t otherwise have known about and were able to do something about it.
On a more personal note, the research that RNID funded that led to a new NHS test to identify premature babies at risk of hearing loss if they take a particular antibiotic was particularly meaningful to me, as my daughter was two months premature.
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a trustee for a charity?
Go for it! Don’t worry about not knowing everything, you’re not supposed to.
I’ve loved learning about different sectors and from people I would never have met otherwise. It’s not an insignificant time commitment, so make sure you do have the time to fully embrace the responsibility and impact of the role.
Be curious, ask lots of questions, focus on the beneficiary, collaborate with the leadership team and be, to them, a safe space where they can be honest and open. Ultimately it will be immensely rewarding.
Find out more about the RNID Board of Trustees.
