Main theme: General
Introduction:
Clinical training provides limited opportunities to gain practical leadership experience, despite leadership being a core competency for consultants. Organising a national ENT trainee conference offers a unique opportunity to develop these skills. This reflective review explores the lessons learned from leading a national conference and the wider value of leadership roles.
Methods:
Learning points were identified from each stage of the project, from initial planning to post-conference delegate feedback. Key aspects included programme development, sponsorship, venue management, budgeting, and event promotion.
Results:
Delivering a successful conference required more than organisational skills alone. Before taking on this role, I did not consider myself a leader, assuming that good planning would be sufficient. However, our first task was to establish a shared vision for the conference, including its purpose, location, and themes. I soon realised that bringing people together around a common goal is a core element of leadership.
The most rewarding aspect was working within a motivated and supportive committee. Although unexpected challenges required flexibility and collaborative problem-solving, the conference's success relied on the strength of the team rather than any one individual. This experience changed my perspective on leadership: it is not about directing others, but about enabling a team to achieve a shared objective.
Conclusion:
Trainees are well placed to identify gaps and challenges in training and design events that are relevant for their peers. Undertaking this leadership role provided valuable experience with benefits that extend beyond the event and are applicable to consultant practice.