What are the key milestones on your path to leadership?
When I transitioned into a design management role six years ago, that was the real turning point. The switch from the doing, the coalface hands on, into a management level. That took quite a bit of getting used to. While I love it now it brought a lot of uncertainty. It was a definite pivot point in my career.
Before I was a design doer which gave me a great foundation. I consciously spread my skills wide because I didn’t quite know where I wanted to focus my career. The corporate world really prepared me for where I am now. You have really clear systems - KPIs, targets that can feel very rigid but it shapes and focusses you. It’s very professional and that equipped me to be courageous. Through feedback, honest conversations and coaching, I transformed. So, when I moved onto my next role I was the most confident and courageous I’ve been.
What are the key challenges you have faced as a leader?
Authenticity is an area I’ve really struggled with to be honest. Diversity comes in many forms and covers many areas but at its core it’s about being comfortable with yourself. Learning to be comfortable with yourself can be really hard. As you get older you realise what you need around you to be your authentic self. In some roles I’ve felt like the square peg in a round hole.
For the first time in nearly twenty years I’ve recently suffered with imposter syndrome. That really caught me by surprise and I didn’t see it coming. I think it tied into becoming a leader for me. You take ownership of a team but let’s face it, there’s usually people in the team that are pretty well versed in that discipline. To overcome it I’ve had to recognise that to be a leader of a team doesn’t mean that you have to know everything inside out - that’s the quality of a leader. You have to recognize that someone knows more than you but your role is to shape and lead the team - you’ve got to get comfortable that someone on the team might be better than you at something. The team is looking to you for breadth.
I’ve overcome imposter syndrome now but it could set in again at any moment so I’ve built empowerment into the team. I recognise my weaknesses and ask them what they would recommend. I think that switch was what made me overcome it - I’ve flourished and they’ve flourished.
Describe your leadership style / what are your core values as a leader?
Respect is key. Everyone comes from all walks of life. It’s not just diversity in gender, it’s respect for all the differences in people.
Honesty is fundamental as a leader. You’ve got to have honest conversations. You’ve got to be clear and that can be quite taxing sometimes. Having honest conversations and being open can be really tricky with some people but you just have to remind yourself that it’s really valuable. I expect that from leaders around me and I aim to be honest with my team as well. Constructive feedback allows people to flourish, it’s constant coaching.
As a leader you have to have courage. You have to be ok with stepping into the unknown. As you move higher in an organisation, you have conversations with much more senior leaders and clients than you’ve ever done before. Sometimes it’s not comfortable but courage helps you get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When it comes to innovation you have to get comfortable with surprises.
What advice do you have for women who are trying to establish themselves as leaders?
Finding a coach - a manager or a mentor is invaluable. I don’t think I really recognized the power of that. When I look back I think how much I could have gained earlier. We’ve all had a rubbish manager who’s not useful. I wish I could have found a mentor that I really respected earlier. You’ve got to find an ally or peer that really supports you.
I feel pretty lucky to have a close relationship with my CEO, who’s supportive, encouraging and we naturally connect.
Being part of a group/network is amazing now - WIN, Kerning the Gap. There’s so much out there now and the new generation of leaders are so tuned into that, they’re all signing up to be part of these networks. I’ve got no recollection of that amazing support network of peers when I was starting out in my career.
Having a supportive partner is key. My wife and I balance things as much as we can, both professionally and as parents. When you step up to leadership your partner should be part of the mental shift - they can really support you and give you a push when you need it.
How would you advise organisations who want to foster diversity and gender equity in leadership?
Throughout my career I didn’t realise how important company culture was. I’d say through 80% of my career the places I worked didn’t have the right culture fit. When I joined Kinneir Dufort that really stood out for me. Before I didn’t realise why things were so tough… then I understood it was because it was so alpha driven. When you’re in a company that’s long established, it’s embedded and baked in so it’s hard to shift.
Coming to Kinneir Dufort I couldn’t believe the culture that comes from the top down. It’s not just because there’s a female leader in place but it’s about the values they’ve put behind the business and how they’ve put them into practice. Merle Hall, CEO of KD, has made an enormous impact - she’s underpinned by her values and they’re pretty clear. There’s a level of respect, support and openness that’s so refreshing.
For me as a leader, it’s important to show balance - doing your job, being a parent, having hobbies. There are a lot of people who become parents and naturally there can be a priority shift. So when you see leaders (not just female) who have their careers and their families that’s pretty inspiring. Showing that balance sets a precedent throughout the company. Burning the candle at both ends doesn’t work, it’ll impact both work life and home life.
When joining any company I’d look at the top and if there’s not a gender balance that’s got to set off an alarm bell. It’s about the balance of men and women there together - the combination of female values at the top which then disseminate down.
For anyone scoping out new career opportunities, I always ask if they know what the culture is like. That’s something you have to get to the bottom of, as the grass can always appear to be greener. That said, culture is really hard to assess from just asking people about it. It’s something you feel, and can also feel different for different people - you can all be in the same company and feel different things about it.
What do you notice women in your organisation are struggling with?
It’s probably not a surprise - confidence, and not just KD, but across many organisations. Like lots of women it’s also been my Achilles heel. Recognizing what you’re good at, capable of, that takes time. You have to learn to step forward and that’s really hard when you’re not feeling that confident. It’s those pressure points that you really do thrive in.
I remember getting feedback that I should focus on what I’m good at. In terms of boosting my confidence that really helped. That gave me the kick to do more public speaking, which I hate. I still hate it but I put myself out there and I forced myself to grow. I would talk to groups that I hadn’t before but through doing the talks on things I was really confident and familiar with really helped.
If you call on your strengths when speaking in public it’s really not that bad. If you know your topic it’s then about finding your style, and you really find that in your narrative. Then things just start to click.
Where do you think we can make the greatest impact through change in innovation?
I think we’ve got to question the pathway to innovation careers. It’s an area I’m really passionate about - is the problem education? Is it bigger? Too few women know about innovation careers and those that know often come from privilege. I took on an apprentice so that she could open her eyes to the world of design and innovation. We need to see more options and entry points into innovation that aren’t just universities.
What is your point of view on innovation?
I’m a big fan of the saying ‘do the right thing, don’t just do the thing right’. Really questioning whether you’re doing the right thing is really important - it defines the why and how. You’ve got to be doing the right thing.
People get obsessed with really doing the thing right and following the path, but I think in innovation you’ve got to really focus in on what’s right. Are you doing the right thing within a wider context?
I think that’s especially important for the next generation of leaders - having purpose and doing the right thing is becoming increasingly important.
What advice would you give businesses navigating times of uncertainty?
There are three things that stand out for me right now, in what is an unprecedented time globally.
Firstly, empathy. Empathy of what your peers are going through right now is crucial and showing that you recognise that is a priority. There has been an overnight shift in how we work and live and that combined with a global health pandemic requires us all to heighten empathy and put people first in companies.
Second, adapt. This might sound obvious, but the new normal in working remotely requires everyone to adapt their way of working to bring a sense of togetherness. Don’t confuse this with tools to enable collaboration. For example, consider how you’re checking-in with colleagues and the right frequency to make this effective. Mirroring how the business previously ran needs readdressing. Engage with your teams differently.
Finally, conversations. Proactively have more impromptu conversations with your colleagues and take the time to prioritise that. The opportunities to have a brief discussion whilst making coffee for example have been removed, and a few days of not engaging with people can feel like a lifetime right now.
Looking to the future, we should be learning from this experience, continuing to evolve when the imposed restrictions are no longer enforced. Considering how we carry these practices forward has the potential to change how we work, integrate and connect and do business in the future.
