E175: From Schoolgirl to Police Superintendent: Andrea Quinton on Leadership & Confidence

From Schoolgirl to Police Superintendent: Andrea Quinton on Leadership, Confidence & Unexpected Career PathsWhat did you think you’d be when you left school?And what happens when life takes you somewhere completely different?In this inspiring episode of The School Run Podcast: Little Voices, Big Stories, Jane is joined by Andrea Quinton, former Police Superintendent, leadership coach and founder of Together She Thrives.Andrea spent 34 years serving in policing, leading teams through critical incidents, organisational change, major investigations and some of the most challenging moments imaginable. Yet at 16, none of that was part of the plan.She wanted to be a teacher.Instead, a chance decision, a voluntary role in the Special Constabulary and a willingness to keep taking the next step led her on an extraordinary career journey that saw her rise through the ranks to become a senior leader in North West Armed Policing.Together, Jane and Andrea explore confidence, career choices, leadership, motherhood, resilience and why so many young people feel pressure to have their entire future mapped out before they’ve even discovered who they are.This is a powerful reminder that there is no single route to success—and sometimes the path you never planned becomes the one you’re meant to follow.In this episode, we discuss:⭐ Why Andrea originally planned to become a teacher⭐ Leaving school and taking an unexpected career path⭐ How volunteering as a Special Constable changed everything⭐ Working in policing for 34 years⭐ Rising from Police Constable to Superintendent⭐ Leadership lessons from high-pressure environments⭐ What young people really need to know about careers⭐ Confidence, resilience and personal growth⭐ Balancing motherhood and leadership⭐ Why your first job doesn’t have to define your future⭐ Learning through experience, mistakes and challenges⭐ The importance of empathy in leadership⭐ Why nobody truly has life figured out at 16About Andrea QuintonAndrea Quinton spent 34 years serving in policing, finishing her career as Superintendent in North West Armed Policing and Collaboration.Throughout her career she led high-performing teams through critical incidents, operational policing, organisational change and personal challenges, developing a leadership style rooted in empathy, clarity and helping people thrive.Today Andrea is the founder of Together She Thrives, supporting individuals and organisations to build confidence, develop leadership skills and achieve their potential.Podcasts for us are all about learning and sharing, of course free to listen to.We have some small costs to cover so if you would like to buy us a virtual cup of tea and Chocolate Fudge Brownie Frappe with soya milk, coffee and cream (Liv’s favourite) when we are planning them out please click here …..https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theschoolrunGet In Touch: Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials @theschoolrun_official / @mrsjanejames on Instagram, or search and follow Jane James on Facebook. We’d love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly [email protected]⸻Links: For information on Jane’s company Little Voices head tohttp://www.littlevoices.org.uk⸻Disclaimer: All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are just a mum and daughter, sharing their thoughts and chatting with guests that we really respect and sharing our personal stories and insights. Please seek professional advice if you need it.This episode is edited by Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real.