Leadership journeys are rarely linear, for many they’re synonymous with challenges, setbacks and unforeseen barriers. For those from underserved communities, leadership opportunities, and clear routes to access them, can be even harder. Many of the skills and behaviours associated with leadership are not explicitly taught or available to some, and for many there may also be a lack of representative role models to fuel their aspirations. Building confidence in leadership roles and fostering developmental environments for all, requires time, effort and self-belief.
We spoke to Tahir Akram, Development Manager at the Yorkshire Sport Foundation (YSF), to learn from his leadership journey and his ongoing commitment to tackle the inequality experienced by under-represented leaders in the sport sector.
"If everyone was the same leader and the same kind of person the world would be a boring place.”
Tahir's story
Tahir was born in Pakistan and moved to England at a young age. He lived in one of the most deprived areas in Bradford and thoroughly enjoyed his upbringing there. As a child he wasn’t aware of the social and economic inequalities that played a role in his community and found himself in a familiar schooling system with nearly all South Asian families.
It was only later in life, through his work in the sports sector, that he began to understand what deprivation really meant and how it shaped opportunity.
In the late 1990s, following the Bradford riots, Tahir’s father moved the family to a different village. Tahir moved to a new secondary school, finding himself as one of few non-white British students. He became accustomed to different cultures, clothing and social norms. Tahir continued regularly attending Mosque after school, remaining embedded in his faith and culture.
Like many first-generation immigrants at the time, Tahir’s father worked six days a week to provide the family with stability and a better future. Tahir’s fundamental values were shaped by this ethic and focussed on respecting his elders and serving others.
In Tahir’s family, pursuing sport wasn’t seen as an obvious career pathway, nor one that provided complete financial safety or social mobility. While these expectations came from a good place, it shaped Tahir’s early understanding of what felt possible.
“Imposter syndrome comes through from your childhood, how you’re brought up and how you view the world. Other people may have a world and an environment that’s set up for them to be leaders. Sport played a big part for me; I was always good at it which helped me to become a leader and practice those skills.”
Tahir decided to follow his passion with a degree in Sport Studies from Teesside University. After graduating, he spent nearly a decade trying to break into the sports sector, experiencing rejections frequently.
“In any sector, if you’re brought up into privilege you just do have a better start. The impact of colonisation, geopolitics, international affairs and social media all come hand in hand and help you understand how the world is structured why it is and how it impacts you.”
A turning point came in 2015 when Tahir attended a workshop at Leeds University around ethnically diverse coaches in football, or a lack of them. Professor Dan Kilvington, who delivered the session, proved influential and took time to guide Tahir through interview techniques and CV application writing. Shortly after, Tahir secured his first job in the sports sector at Sheffield FA.
Tahir now works as a Development Manager at YSF, supporting whole systems working across Bradford and managing the ‘Lead the Change’ initiative. This work is centred on supporting ethnically diverse people to access leadership roles within the sector.
“The culture at Yorkshire Sport Foundation is the best I've ever known it at any workplace.”
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Leader wellbeing
Tahir, like every other leader, has had to learn how to prioritise his wellbeing to sustain his drive, quality of work and motivation. The work can pull him in different directions and seep into personal life as a result of the passion and dedication Tahir exhibits.
One way Tahir prioritises his wellbeing is through humour. Taking time to laugh and not taking things to seriously has been a valuable strategy in protecting his energy and managing his mental health. Humour doesn’t invalidate the work Tahir’s doing, nor does it make light of the importance of its impact, but it keeps Tahir grounded and enjoying his day to day.
Developing a strong support network has been key for Tahir.
“I try not to keep things in my head, because you come up with so many different narratives in your head that can be inaccurate. When you’re in the middle of the storm you can’t always deal with everything well, you can’t see clearly. When you’re outside the storm you can give better advice - reposition yourself for clarity. I’m brilliant in a crisis as long as it’s not my own!”
Being able to speak openly and place his trust in people he respects has helped Tahir cope with difficult times during his leadership career.
Facing challenges
“When we talk about tackling inequalities, whatever they might be, people say they understand the challenges. My biggest frustration is people don’t always feel it. When you don’t feel it, you’re not passionate enough to make a change and it won’t be a priority for you.”
Tahir reflects on his first challenge - the idea that he could be leader. He remembers looking at those in visible power and feeling overwhelmed at their similarities - “white men from private schools”. While many of these leaders are good at what they do, it can create a mindset barrier for leaders like Tahir.
Tahir shared three main challenges from his leadership journey:
Consistent support
You need to go above and beyond to tackle inequalities and make a lasting impact. Tahir’s met many supportive people throughout his career who have been committed to the cause. Inequalities are deeply historical, pushing against these and making a difference requires sustained engagement. Sometimes the leaders are there, confident and ready, but the organisational culture isn’t right, or senior leadership isn’t bought in to longer term change and diversity agendas.
Balancing lived experience
Tahir knows lived experiences are important to support change but has faced challenges when appropriately balancing this with using the insight in a productive way. Sometimes lived experience can be leant on to pay lip service to a topic rather than to inform action, Tahir’s frustrated at conferences and events that discuss anti-racism instead of focussing on solutions and onward action.
Discrimination
In the early years of Tahir’s career, he called out racist and Islamophobic behaviour from a senior leader. While he knew it was the right decision, it was a test of his values and leadership. He decided that how you react to those situations defines who you are and he chose to accept the consequences. Tahir endured a lengthy process to justice that included false claims being made about him and him being ostracised from his colleagues. He felt let down by the system, his peers and the toxic work environment he found himself in.
Top tips
Tahir expressed that he doesn’t view himself as a leader, just “a person that leads at times”. His advice was:
1 – Get comfortable in your own skin
Speaking from lived experience can be uncomfortable, particularly when views are challenged by a hierarchical culture. As a leader, Tahir believes that you must accept that you have something to offer, don’t be afraid to speak up and share your experience. For a long time, Tahir was concerned about the way he spoke, thinking it limited his ability to be a leader. He soon realised that he was a strong leader because of what he was saying, not how he was saying it. “I’ve seen many leaders speak, some brilliant, some not so good. You can speak as well as you like, but it means diddly squat if it’s a load of waffle!”
2 – Embrace your story
Sharing your leadership story and being open about your struggles can help build deeper connections to the communities you’re serving. Tahir encourages leaders to utilise their story and lived experiences to inspire others and evoke real change.
3 - Stay true to your values
During difficult times your values will be tested. Tahir emphasises the importance of staying true your values in these moments, to ensure focus remains on the end goal and progress can continue to be achieved in a manner you, and your organisation, will be proud of.
"Your core values get tested when the going gets tough, trust your allies and lean on those around you, stick to your values more than anything else, you’ll need them in the most difficult times. They’re the most valuable thing you’ve got!”
In this segment we asked the last leader we spoke to, to leave a question for the next: What advice would you give to your younger self when starting your journey?
“That’s a brilliant question. I would say try more things, be braver, you are better than what you think you are. I look back and think if I had the confidence, I would have done more.”
Do you have a leadership story you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you, email us at leadingthemovement@sportengland.org and we'll be in touch!
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