Women in Business: Do you plan to succeed or fail to plan?

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Many directors or team leaders say that what sets staff apart from each other is how they handle the unexpected and manage critical situations.  In an ideal world nothing goes wrong and life is simple and easy.  As no-one lives in this ideal world you need to make sure you are prepared, and skilled, at handling situations when things go wrong to set you apart from your co-workers.

The everywoman workbook, Tackling critical situations, shows problem-solving tools that will get you in shape for when a critical situation occurs.  Don’t wait for the unexpected to happen before you use them.  Be proactive.  Have a brainstorm and use the results from the tools to be prepared for what could be thrown at you.

Cause and effect (or The Fishbone) – to help discover the cause of a problem

Draw a fishbone (see diagram).  Choose a problem and write it in the fish head.  Think of the major causes that contributed to the effect and put them on the end of each bone.Depending on the issue, you could use the 4 Ms (Manpower, Methods, Machinery and Materials) or the 4 Ps (Policies, Procedures, People and Plant).Brainstorm to discover the causes for each major area – let thoughts and discussion flow freely.Ask ‘why?’ as much as possible to build further branches/ribs to ensure you are getting to the root of the problem.Now prioritise the most important causes and decide which ones need improving for maximum benefit, or to cause the least disruption to your organisation.

The 5 whys – to get to the root of a problem

Clearly define the problem to be solvedKeep asking ‘why?’.  Write down the answers and continue to ask the question until all options have been exhausted.Use the answers to decide what needs to be prioritised and worked on immediately to tackle the situationUse some sort of image to show the flow of the whys pictorially.

Pros and cons – when a quick analysis of a decision is required.

Identify a decision to analyseAsk everyone in the brainstorm group to write two lists – one headed Pros and the other Cons.  They then need to record their own reasons for and against the decision.Pull together all the answers and compile a group list.  You may want to add weighting if some reasons are more important than others.Given all the Pros and Cons, determine whether the decision is the right one to take to resolve the situation.

The everywoman workbook, Tackling critical situations, can be downloaded from the everywoman website (member login required) and it contains more tips and strategies, to help you tackle the unexpected.   The blog post Women in business: Do you plan to succeed or fail to plan? has been taken from the workbook and covers four steps to take when faced with a critical situation.  If you are not a member of the everywomanNetwork* you can download a preview from bookshelf on our Personal Development page or go to www.everywoman.com/join to sign up and gain instant access to the whole workbook plus a range of exclusive tools that support your personal development.

*everywomanNetwork membership gives you access to workbooks, webinars, interviews, case studies and expert advice, plus promotional opportunities for you or your business, member discounts and offers, and the ability to connect with like-minded women.

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Why Smarter Cities Need More Women Entrepreneurs

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What puts women off starting up a technology business - and what can we do to change the situation?  

It’s surprising, because whenever I attend technology-focused events or awards, as a mentor or as an observer, my mind is always fizzing with the possibilities for days afterwards. At these events, you really do get a feel for the way that smart technology changes our lives for the better.

Sadly, research backs up what I have seen at the everywoman and other awards 
However, things are starting to change.  I’m again acting as a mentor to technology entrepreneurs at the IBM SmartCamp KickStart in London on October 5. This accelerator aims to help entrepreneurs including women from the UK and Ireland to nurture their early stage firm to next stage growth and success.  

At the event, entrepreneurs put their company’s business forward for scrutiny by a panel of technology experts, venture capitalists and IBM’s technology leaders.  The winning entrant is then nurtured over an entire twelve month period - accessing global networking circles, technology support and, potentially gaining access to next stage funding.  Past winners have included an analytics system for mobile applications and pricing software for retailers.

This year, the programme, with its tie-in to IBM Smarter Cities Summits addressing urban sustainability issues, is particularly seeking ideas to help build more intelligent infrastructures for our cities, contributing to more sustainable living.  

As a judge, you are particularly looking for the reason why the entrepreneur set up the business; did they see a particular market niche? Are they on a mission to change the way things are done?  I’m very interested too in how our start-up CEOs got their business off the page.  Too often, people forget that for every start-up that is successful, there are quite a few failures.  The founder’s passion for their invention or idea is as big an indicator of the overall resilience of the business as a clear market niche or well-researched business plan.  

The mentoring process sees the judges challenge the start-up’s business model. That’s when entrepreneurs start reaching out for ideas and advice and get support from their mentors.  It’s fascinating to watch this process: even the cleverest, most creative people always need input and ways to maintain that brand and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives it.  

IBM SmartCamp KickStart isn’t the only technology programme for young start-ups. However, this event – influenced by the Smarter Cities agenda – is focused on using technology to address issues such as sustainability and smarter use of the planet’s resources – and do so over the longer term.  

As a result, the programme combines both insight from business leaders with financial support.  Together with the judges’ expert advice, the event also opens the door to longer term financial support for winners: since November 2010, programme finalists have raised more than £30 million in VC funding between them.   

Events like this act as a vital catalyst for early stage businesses.  If there is a fault with some start-ups that I see, it’s the owners not really taking the risk, accelerating the product launch or getting expert help to drive the business forward.  

IBM SmartCamp KickStart naturally wants innovations from the UK and Ireland’s sharpest young companies but I believe it also offers the opportunity to women entrepreneurs to redress the gender imbalance in business start-ups. After all, from working with thousands of female entrepreneurs over the last few years, I know that women are just as practical about and interested in saving the planet as men.  

Entry to IBM SmartCamp KickStart is open until September 14. Details at:
http://ibm.co/eUTEVg

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Karen Gill MBE is a Co-Founder of everywoman.

I would like to offer you a free copy of The Navigator, which is a practical guide that focuses on the challenges women encounter in their business life. It brings together thought leadership from everywoman experts, and anecdotal business experience from everywomanClub members.

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Awards for women in transport & logistics showcase diversity of roles

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AppId is over the quota

The transport & logistics sector is often misunderstood when it comes to careers for women.  It is surrounded by misconceptions:

Not an interesting sector to work inA male-focused environmentJobs are low-skilled or manualLimited scope for women

The list goes on.  Reality, I am delighted to say, tells us something completely different.

Let me smash each of these misconceptions:

Transport & logistics may not necessarily have the appeal of, say, the ‘sexier’ aerospace sector, but I can honestly say that it is one of the most important.  Without the planning and distribution of resources, society would cease to exist as we know it.  How would food be transported not only in the UK, but across the world?  How would people be transported to work or explore the world? When you stop and think about it - the importance can't be underestimatedThere is no denying that women are outnumbered by men in transport & logistics (75% of employees are male*) but the tide is most definitely turning.  Research in mid-2012 by everywoman showed a marked increase in the number of women who feel their career aspirations can be fulfilled in the sector – 94% compared to 83% in 2011.Sure there are manual jobs but just as the sector is so varied so are the types of jobs available.  From truck and passenger drivers, warehouse workers and forklift operators, to those for people skilled in planning, business development, marketing, finance, project management, human resources, language specialists, etc. the sector has positions for people at all levels of skills and education.  The sheer variety of work available is what makes the sector so interesting to work in.Many women hold top positions and head up large companies as well as those who are drivers, have administration roles straight out of school, are on management/graduate training programmes or at various levels of management.

The sector can be demanding and those I know who work within it have a high level of pride in how they have chosen to earn their living.  Women can, and do, enjoy successful careers in the sector and there are no limits for women especially when it comes to entry routes.  This last point is important for the many girls choosing their path after school who want more than a job - they want to have a varied and fulfilling career.

A shining example of a woman who chose to start her career straight from school rather than continue on the university route is Stephanie Unitt.  Stephanie started on a Youth Training Scheme (YTS) and worked her way up through the ranks to be a Regional Stock & Audit Manager gaining qualifications on the way.  Her passion and enthusiasm for the environment changed her career path and Stephanie is now Environment Advisor at CEVA Logistics.  In recognition of her achievements, Stephanie was awarded the Green Champion Award at the 2012 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards (now the Innovation and Sustainability Award). 

As the transport & logistics sector has so many facets and levels there are many opportunities for advancement or a career change.  One lady who really embodies this is Jane Weaver of AYS Couriers. Starting out as a PA within just a few years she launched a management buyout of the firm and drove a four-fold increase in turnover.  Jane is a passionate believer in the opportunities that logistics offers – as she states “I would say to anyone thinking of either starting their own business or moving into transport and togistics without experience – do it!”. Her career achievements led her to win the Director of the Year Award at the 2012 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards.

Stephanie and Jane are just two incredible examples of not only the varied roles in the sector but also of the different routes to the fulfilling careers they both have.  The transport & logistics sector is changing which is great news for women seeking a career in this exciting and important area.  The changes are reflected in this year’s everywoman FTA Transport & Logistics Awards with two new categories (Industry Champion and Innovation and Sustainability) and the scope being widened to include passenger transport for the first time.

If you are a woman working in transport & logistics or you know a woman who does then you still have time to enter these awards as nominations do not close until Monday 11th February.

* Road Haulage Association 2011

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Women get life for pensioner's torture death

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Kelly Barnes, 32, and Jodie Barnes, 31, who are civil partners, will each serve a minimum of 24 years for murdering Barry Reeve, 67, a retired bus conductor, at his home in Norwich.

The pair, who had both denied murder and blamed each other, had to be removed from the dock at Norwich Crown Court by prison guards. Kelly Barnes swore and accused her partner of being a liar.

The court heard that they believed he had hidden money and tortured him in an attempt to make him reveal his Pin. He was punched, stamped on and slashed with a knife, and lay dying for up to 48 hours after the attack.

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Women in Business: First Impressions Count

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You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

“If you don’t make an impact when you are there, no one will notice when you are not.” Jodi Goldman, Image and Impact Expert

Like it or not we make judgments all the time and when we meet someone for the first time there’s no exception. Within seconds we make a variety of assumptions such as, whether or not they’re friendly, efficient, successful and trustworthy.

In business, first impressions count as we need people to buy into us quickly and very often we’re in a competitive environment. A great deal of work goes into creating big opportunities, for example that interview, client pitch, meeting with a potential future boss so why waste all that effort if we can influence the impact we make?

If you understand the messages you communicate you can influence the impact you make and the great news is that it’s not that hard. A couple of us at everywoman have been using our Image and Impact workbook to put this to the test. It’s amazing the difference small changes we’ve made have influenced the way people have reacted to us - we’re holding far more authority and that feels great.

Here are some of the things we’ve been working on. Clothes, dressing for the occasion - these communicate subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) messages about us to everyone we meet. Our body language - this contributes more than 50 per cent of the meaning of whatever we say. Subtle things like holding eye contact for 70 per cent of the time when talking and listening can make a big difference. Our tone of voice - this can communicate far more than the words we are saying.

everywomanNetwork members are able to view an exclusive seminiar  Jodi Goldman's "Get the First Impression Cycle Working For You" 

Take a look at what else is coming up on the everywomanNetwork and find out how to join.

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Women in Business: Build your confidence in 5 steps

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AppId is over the quota

Are you a confident person … all of the time?  Some people have an abundance of self-confidence and others suffer from self-doubt, but no matter who you are, and how you feel now, confidence is a constantly evolving state of being.

Whether in a business or personal environment, you can go from feeling amazingly confident when carrying out tasks you are familiar with or know you do well, to crippling fear when you are taken out of your comfort zone.  Being a confident person does not mean you’ll never feel fearful, but it does allow you to work through your fears and even enjoy the process of moving out of your comfort zone.

I’ve taken the five tips below from the Boost Your Self-Confidence Workbook (available for download from the everywoman website) as this is the framework I use when my confidence needs a boost - and it helps me.

1.     You are your best asset – trust in your abilities

Think about what you have accomplished.  Being confident means knowing what you are able to achieve and doing more of it.  Think broader than just a work context – what you have accomplished in your home environment is just as important when learning and appreciating what you, as a person, are capable of.

2.     Think positively – banish self-sabotage

People react to you according to how you behave, and how you behave is a result of what you believe.  If you believe that you won’t be able to do something means you probably won’t.  Forget the negativity of self-sabotage and start to think positively about what you can and will achieve.

3.     Focus on what you have done right, not on what is wrong

Acknowledge your successes and celebrate them however big or small they are.  Focus on your core strengths in the many roles you have in life – both at work and at home.  Being confident is about using positives from the past to help you be even more successful in the future.

4.     Set realistic goals and then celebrate success

Goal setting is a vital part of self-confidence.  A confident person knows the direction she is heading in and makes a plan, with set goals, to get there.  Before you set a goal, think about what needs to happen before that goal can be met then create a timeline and assess your progress regularly, remembering to celebrate success along the way.  

5.     Pay attention to your non-verbal communication

Your body language is a great source of information to those around you and is a projection of your confidence levels.  Remember that your body language says a lot as we read more into non-verbal messages than verbal ones.  Picture yourself in a work situation … how do you look?  A confident woman smiles, stands tall and upright with feet planted firmly on the floor, maintains eye contact, and uses her arms and hands effectively. 

Use the everywoman Boost your self-confidence workbook and these five steps to change from feeling ‘Woe is me’ to ‘I can do it!’.

Download a sample copy of Boost Your Self-Confidence

If you are a member of the everywomanNetwork, login and gain access to the workbook plus associated videos, online seminars and articles.  If you are not yet a member, go to www.everywoman.com/join and sign-up for instant access and to take control of your personal development.

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Women in Business: If we believe we can't do something, we won't

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AppId is over the quota

People react to us according to our behavior and our behavior is a result of what we believe. If we believe we can’t do something we won’t. 

I noticed, on the X Factor this weekend the Judges were forming opinions of the 6 contestants in their categories before they even opened their mouths to sing.  Confidence levels played a key part in the decision making process, there were some contestants who sang brilliantly but because they didn’t appear confident when they presented themselves, the judges were concerned they wouldn’t be able last the distance. 

One guy in particular didn’t believe in himself which meant that I had my heart in my mouth as soon as he started singing as I was waiting for him to fail.   I didn’t want him to and thankfully was brilliant but if he’d handled his insecurities differently we’d have had faith that he would deliver the amazing performance he is highly capable of. The rollercoaster effect was not comfortable for him or us.

Business is really not that different – people make decisions about us very quickly and if we believe we can do something we’re able to communicate that with confidence. That generally leads people to believe in us and support us to do so. 

Self-belief is a key ingredient of success but, when we’re out of our comfort zone the reality is that many of us are guilty of the X factor confidence crisis. 

Much of the time this is due to an internal dialog of negative thinking, so here are 4 things to help keep negative thinking in check and develop our self confidence

1)    For a day or so keep track of the negative thoughts you have, this will train your mind to recognise when you are thinking negatively.  It might be a good idea to write them down.

2)    Think about some positive thoughts that you can call on when you catch yourself thinking negatively. Again write some down I always feel that makes it stick in my mind better.

3)    For a week, pick an hour every day that you will refuse to have negative thoughts.  When they creep in push them away with your positive thoughts.

4)    Build this up until you notice you push your negative thoughts away a lot faster.

Read more in our Boost your Self-Confidence workbook on the everywomanNetwork. 

Join today and access of personal development tools on the everywoman network.

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Women in Business: It’s never too late to be who you might have been…

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AppId is over the quota

The above quote by English novelist George Eliot captures the kind of spirit that really epitomises the strength and determination of winners of the NatWest everywoman Awards that we see year after year. What stands out at these Awards is the sense that focus and passion really can lead to success, and that with a little self belief, amazing things can happen. 

Nowadays, perceived barriers such as age no longer hold women back – the landscape is changing, and more and more women are achieving great things as entrepreneurs who have started out at a later age. 

One fabulous example of this is Sylvia Hopwood, a 79 year old entrepreneur, who runs the successful recycling business ‘The Recycle Works’. Being widowed at the age of 62, Sylvia was facing financial hardship and her decision to start her business was a direct result of this, and, of her determination:  ‘I had a choice of staying at home with a stick and a shawl or making an effort to improve my lot’.

The Recycle Works was launched from the study of her home in Chatburn, East Lancashire in 1995 and the first product was a compost bin which sold for £42. Her resolve and strength really stand out and her business is still going strong now with an international client base and a website in five languages. Of winning her Award (The everywoman Iris Award) in 2008, Sylvia said ‘It was wonderful to feel that hard work and determination really does get recognised’. I couldn’t agree more. 

The perception of the ‘dynamic entrepreneur’ is often one that we associate with younger people, often exclusively. It seems this is changing; with the threat and reality of redundancy playing a large part (indeed many older women are starting their businesses through necessity). What is interesting is how many women turn this around into something positive, with personal benefits as well as benefits to the UK economy. 

With the wide reaching implications of the economic downturn, it’s important we recognise positive news. In terms of female entrepreneurs overall – recent research from XLN Business Services states that the number of small businesses that are run by women in the UK has risen sharply from 20.13 percent to 30.22 percent since 2008. 

We celebrate stories like Sylvia’s and many more besides at the NatWest everywoman Awards. Female entrepreneurs of all ages and with an incredibly diverse range of businesses are celebrated – to recognise their achievements and to inspire other women to take the plunge and follow in their footsteps. As Dame Mary Perkins, co-founder of Specsavers puts it: ‘it takes energy, grit, enthusiasm and lots of self-belief. No-one says it’s easy but it can be done..’.

Be inspired by a decade of success stories in our supplement featuring ten years of NatWest everywoman Awards’ winners. In this, our decade year of the Awards, we want to hear more of these amazing stories. So, if this sounds like you, or someone you know – now is the time to tell us – you have until 20 July – nominate at www.everywoman.com/ewawards/nomination.

Download the NatWest everywoman Awards supplement here:

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Women in Business: How do you deal with stress?

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AppId is over the quota

A few days ago, a white van backed into my house, destroying my front fence. I could hear the crash from upstairs. I think this qualifies as a pretty stressful situation, and I may have coped better if I had read the everywoman workbook Tackling Critical Situations. Instead, I just jumped up and down screaming.

The ability to think on your feet and communicate in a reasonable manner with others in a reasonable way is apparently the sign of true leadership. Well, I’m not sure I would have passed with flying colours in my stressful dealings with white van man.

But, as I learned from the workbook, I could turn a critical situation from a negative into a positive. After I’d calmed down, I got white van man’s number and am in the process of sorting out insurance and getting a quote for the fence. So, the upshot of this story is that I might get a brand new fence out of this mishap. Every cloud has a silver lining, as they say. Or as the Chinese say ‘Weiji’ the word for crisis, which means danger and opportunity.

All very well, you might say. But how does this apply to business? The Critical Situations workbook asks some pretty searching questions that can help how I deal with stress at work.  Am I a ‘bury my head in the sand’ kind of person, hoping it will work out eventually?  Hmm, yes I think that definitely ticks a box.

But what about you? Do you ask yourself how do I deal with stress in a constructive way? Have you created a contingency plan? Have you got people you can ask for help and support?  I was saddened but not necessarily surprised to read in the workbook that two-thirds of Britons have fewer than five people they can count on in a crisis.

As the anthropologist Margaret Mead once said: “Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. With no relatives, no support, we've put it in an impossible situation.”

Note to self: must widen my network of friends and business colleagues. And indeed, this may help how I deal with stress if I have sympathetic people to talk to.

In all, the workbook asks some searching questions and has certainly made me think how I conduct myself and how deal with stressful situations. It’s really helped me plan for the future and see how I might do things differently in the future.

Don't miss the Live Seminar: Being Proactive with Problems>>
Join Sara Parsons, who has developed and run customised courses throughout the UK and Europe. Her clients include blue-chip companies such as Paramount Pictures, Ipsos- MORI Research, Oxford University Press and Donavan Data Systems.
Thursday, 29 November 2012
8:00am - 8:30am

Download the everywoman workbook Tackling Critical Situations>>

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Women in business - Five steps to effective networking.

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AppId is over the quota

We’ve all done it – I certainly have.  Been at a business networking event, felt uncomfortable, didn’t know anyone, and plotted when and how to escape whilst in awe of everyone else who appeared to be having a great time, chatting and mingling with ease.  In the back of your mind you hope you are not giving the impression of a shrinking violet or wallflower.  Well the good news is that you are not alone as 90% of people are not natural networkers, so if that’s you … welcome to the club.

There is even more good news as you can ‘unlearn’ this behaviour and become a good and effective networker.  Over time you will find that you even become quite natural at it and are building networks as strong as those you admired before.  So how do you become the tall sunflower that stands out above the rest?

1. Create your own networking strategy

To be effective at networking you have to be authentic, willing and need a strategy.   Work out what you want to achieve from this investment of your time.  Think about the positive outcomes networking can bring you plus what motivates and inspires you to take action for your career and business.

2. It’s about you … AND the other person

Networking is a two-way street and is about developing and maintaining mutually valuable relationships.  It is tempting to focus on ‘getting’ something from networking but we often forget to ‘give’ something as well.  Rather than just talk about yourself, ask a simple question: “Can I help you with anything?”  So few people ask this question and show an interest in the person they are talking to that my guess is you will likely completely stump them, but persevere and use your ears more than your mouth.

3. Don’t give up – be consistent

Effective networking is like a dripping tap.  You need to be consistent and keep at it even when you do not need anything – switch to ‘receive’ rather than be on ‘transmit’.  The period of time between someone being appointed to a new role or awarded a contract in relation to when that role or contract first became available can be quite long.  This is the time you need your network working for you as you may not know the opportunity is there, but someone in your network might. 

4. Get connected

If you have the other person’s contact details (you should ask for these when you meet someone new anyway), drop them a quick email after the meeting to say ‘Hi’ and perhaps add something about it being lovely to have met them and that you will bear in mind how you could help.  Connect with them online as well, such as Twitter or LinkedIn.

5. Benefits, Benefits, Benefits

The most asked question in a networking environment must be: “What do you do?”

Your response is make or break time.  Make it too long and the other person will switch off, make it too brief and they won’t get enough information.  Be sure to include the benefits of what you do.  Tell them who you are, what you do and how you can help them, for example: “I’m Hilary and I am an accountant who makes companies more tax efficient” rather than just “I am an accountant”.  Tailor the benefit you bring to the person you are talking to.

The everywoman workbook, An introduction to building strong networks (member login required), covers a range of tips to help you become proficient at this key business skill.  The workbook combines knowledge and learning with tools and exercises so you can put what the workbook teaches you into practice straightaway.

Members of the everywomanNetwork* have access to quarterly online seminars that support the key learning points in this workbook.  You also have the opportunity to ask questions of the everywoman experts.  If the online seminars are not at convenient times for you then you can access them later on demand from the Building Strong Networks section at www.everywoman.com/development.

If you are not a member of the everywomanNetwork* go to www.everywoman.com/join to sign up and gain instant access to the whole workbook plus a range of exclusive tools that support your personal development.

*        everywomanNetwork membership gives you access to workbooks, webinars, interviews, case studies and expert advice, plus promotional opportunities for you or your business, member discounts and offers, and the ability to connect with like-minded women.

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Business Women in Technology Focus on Their Leadership Skills

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AppId is over the quota

Businesses thrive on technology, our day-to-day lives are shaped by technology and the world is ever-changing because of technology. Yesterday, we met some of the women who work behind this exciting industry at the inaugural everywoman in Technology Leadership Academy.

Held at the beautiful Cisco offices in Feltham, it was a day to hear from successful women working in the industry, learn about the opportunity that exists within the sector and allowed attendees to grow their confidence to excel as a leader in technology.

India Gary-Martin, Managing Director - Global COO, Investment Banking Technology & Operations of JPMorgan, provided the keynote address for the day. India, who never expected to end up in role such as hers, was personable, friendly and a character whom everyone in the audience could relate to, regardless of their level within the industry. Moving from New York to London, adopting two children and becoming Global COO of an international company have just been a few of her life highlights. Through all of these achievements however, she encouraged the audience to "know your personal boundaries" and to not compromise your values or yourself. She also emphasised the importance of "being yourself. Be who you are, and people around you will see something is great about you". Her work-life balance was incredible and clearly shows this was a key in her business success. She let the audience know that clearly someone saw something great in her, and that everyone in the audience had that in them too.

Following India was the panel session led by moderator Rebecca George OBE of Deliotte; with an introduction by Wendy Mars of Cisco. Rebecca was joined by Polly Burtinshaw from Cisco; Mandy Chessell from IBM; Sheila Flavell from FDM Group and Lyn Grobler from BP. The panel topic of how to navigate your path to success provided a great opportunity for attendees to ask direct questions to successful women working in the industry. Polly talked about the road blocks she has encountered in her career in sales and how to get past them, while Mandy stressed the importance of visibility within the company; sometimes a lack of visibility can cause one to not progress at the level they should be. Sheila encouraged everyone to pick an issue that was bothering them in their workplace and to make a change with it, and Lyn talked about how to make it easier for women entering into the IT industry. All agreed that women working in the industry should be committed to their jobs and assertive in their roles.

The lunch break offered some time for networking, before attendees began their afternoon masterclasses. ‘How to influence and communicate effectively in a male-dominated environment’ was hosted by Sara Parsons and covered how to make effective decisions, shift out of your comfort zone and stretch yourself in your career. She told the audience that you can’t influence others if you first don’t look at yourself – and the interactive tools she used made the masterclass that much more exciting. Kate Turner, who hosted ‘Learning to become a leader from within’ encouraged attendees to share the same views as their colleagues and to work hard to get their colleagues to share the same views as them. She expressed the importance of reinforcing to your team what you want people to demonstrate.

Closing off the day was the motivational session hosted by the vibrant Ros Taylor. Ros let everyone in the room know the perfect ingredients to create The Confidence Cocktail. Taking chances and challenging yourself were just some of the areas she wanted everyone in the room to focus on. She then went on to encourage everyone to think of four key words that explains them, and to use these words in the future to promote themselves.

Although a long day, the energy that came out of the attendees when the clock struck five was startling. The attendees’ enthusiasm showed that the day really did set out what it intended to do – it provided a great environment for women in technology to learn, grow and develop – something which is crucial in the industry.

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