Changing Face of Leadership

Steph Oerton has been involved with TLC for years but I noticed recently on LinkedIn that she now has a very BIG role within Network Rail – so I got in touch. She kindly agreed and I asked her for a title and topic and she elaborated with how the role of leadership is evolving due to PESTLE. That was a new acronym for me – but I bet means more to you as it refers to Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental. Well thats one for me to drop into conversation next time I am with friends.

But these our important considerations in our changing environment. So – this is a must.

Biography

“My personal mission is to bring out the best in leaders so they bring out the best in others.

I have over 25 years’ experience in transformational Leadership Development, Change Management and People Engagement, in the UK, Europe, Australia and India. I started my Management career at The Canberra Times in 1992, cutting my teeth on a lack lustre customer service team, who, by the end of the year were an award winning team, empowered to provide the level of service they would expect themselves.

Moving back to the UK in 1998 I continued to build my career, combining my two passions – Customer Service and Learning and Development, which was fully tried and tested in my role at Freeserve, the UK’s first free internet provider, which was breaking new ground in the provision of internet access and wireless technology. In 2000 I made the move to set up my own business, which flourished over 7 years, providing me with opportunities to work across many industries and countries.

In 2006 I decided to jump back on the corporate wheel and launched myself into the world of public transport, with One railway, under the umbrella of National Express and after 12 months moving into a national role, as Head of Leadership Development.

I have dipped in and out of Telecoms and the public sector but found myself missing rail, so in 2011 was delighted to take up a role with East Coast Trains. After 5 amazing years I decided that I’d never find a role as great as that one so set up on my own again. Fast forward to 2020 and after 5 years of growing a business, in September 2020, I decided to move back into rail and was appointed Head of People and Leadership Development, for Network Rail, a challenging and exciting role, creating culture change within a devolved organisation that is on the brink of the biggest change the rail industry has seen since privatisation in 1996.

I live in Cheshire with my husband Rob, who also works in rail, so there’s lots of train talk in our house! We have 4 boys, 6 grandchildren, 3 cats, a dog and Marmalade the hamster. I am a gym goer, practice yoga, paddle board at any opportunity and love spending time in the Lakes.”