Women in Leadership: Take Action, Be Committed, and Pay It Forward

Career reflection is powerful however the power rest more when they become shared experiences and being prepared to be authentic. Authenticity is a vital part of our life, it is what relationships are made of and it is also what differentiates good leaders from managers.

Whilst I am aware topics such as Authenticity are not typically the point of discussion in a boardroom or in a meeting, it is important to recognise that authenticity will become a defining point in any relationship and will ultimately become the key factor in a successful business.

As a female, I recall moments as a 17 old where I was naïve, looking back on my life experiences had not encountered biases that I faced when I first started to work so why would I be any wiser? At the time women could not borrow money from the banks, and women did not wear pants in the office (oh yes I wore pants on my first day at work and the staff suggested that I go home to change before the manager arrived. No, I did not go home and I continued to wear pants.)

Today’s working environment is no different, so if we do not share our journey, we should not hold expectations from those around us to understand our path or our learnings. Sharing these moments and passing forward any lessons including those where we stumbled and failed is a key leadership skill.

As a female and a mother, there was never a doubt that I wanted to pursue a career and yes it was a choice.  Nonetheless, I did have moments, days even, that were challenging, having to work to deadlines whilst also having family commitments and I can’t say I always got it right, but at the time I made the best decision that I could then and there. Yes, doubt crept in as did guilt and perhaps even more so as time lapsed. There were some things however that I did not compromise, (setting boundaries helped me) family was a priority and all major events and community work that involved them was a given. Yes, there can be enough hours in the day if that is what you want to do. It is about commitment, and it is your choice to make it happen.

I am not suggesting that the road ahead will not be challenging but it is through moments of struggle that we grow and develop. I implore you as leaders, to share those moments with your staff. It is just as important, if not more, to share moments that were the most difficult as it is moments of success.

These moments allow people to see a genuine “you”, you become relatable. You allow yourself to be seen. It also provides you with an opportunity to also see your staff. These are golden moments and times where you should also look for unspoken words. Develop your skills and begin to recognise behaviours, traits and triggers. Look for responses and actions of those around you so that you can begin to support them by creating opportunities that allow them to reflect on what was happening to them as you spoke. Give them tools that may facilitate the desired change for them.

As a leader, it is invaluable to be able to identify these instances and create opportunities for growth. Giving people a voice develops confidence, and builds people up. Building people up is the key to a successful business model.

Create the footprint that you want others to follow.