Look no further this International Women’s Day
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘break the bias’. In celebration of the day, Wrkit’s Digital Wellbeing Manager, Louise Nixon, reached out to some of the inspirational women that she has had the pleasure of working with over the years, asking if they had any advice they would like to share. Below are some truly inspiring pearls of wisdom that were expressed by these successful women.
“I believe that you have to live something to truly learn what you want and what’s best for you. Just over 5 years ago I made a career change after 20 years working in engineering. I went back to college and qualified in Nutrition. If I was to offer some advice to my younger self, I would say, do what you enjoy, what you gravitate to naturally. Working in something that you love, makes it easier to get up and face your working day.
I would also say what you do now, does not have to define you forever. You always have options, to change, retrain, educate, and start again, doing something different. You do not have to stay in one career, you can plan and make a change. When starting again you are not starting from zero, you bring life skills and life lessons, which you will always use, often in ways you would never have thought possible.”
Marie Donnellan, Registered Assoc Nutritionist and Director at Ciall Health
“It is also OK to be not OK as a Leader. In a week where I have struggled and felt truly alone that doesn’t mean I stay there. True resilience is that when you feel alone or broken, you have the toolkit to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back to your awesome self. So, this International Women’s Day, I wish you to find that toolkit, mirror the people you admire, gather your strength around you like a clock and have the courage to ask for help or just to talk. So be amazing in 2022.”
Kate Martin (FCIPD), Regional HR Head – Europe, Russia & CIS at VFS Global
“Research by Venture Capitalist Mass Challenge showed that for every $1 investment in businesses run by a men-only Board generated 31c, for every business with women on the Board it’s 76c – showing that women are statistically proven to be key contributors to business success.
With this in mind (and many more reports that are instantly searchable), always look at the job description and see the things you can already do – not the things you can’t. You’ll get much further, much faster and are statistically proven to achieve much more.”
Megan Sowney, Group Managing Director at Wrkit
“Don’t be afraid to try new things and push yourself outside of your comfort zone, and don’t be afraid to fail, either: it’s often how we learn the most. Ask for help where you need it but be confident in your own abilities too. You bring something else to the table that no one else does, in your own unique blend of skills and experience, and that is something to be celebrated.”
Kathryn Kendall (FCIPD), Chief People Officer at Benefex
“On reflection, I feel the biggest lesson I have learnt along the way has been in learning to understand and set personal boundaries. When you are showing up every day out of alignment with your beliefs, your values, what motivates you, and rewards you, it manifests as stress, anxiety and ultimately burnout. It took an episode of extreme burnout for me to sit down and really ask myself honestly, ‘How do I want to feel every day?’, ‘What are the behaviours I am not OK with?’, ‘Does this work make me happy?’
Being honest with myself about what I would and wouldn’t accept gave me the confidence and integrity to push back when I felt those boundaries were being challenged. I have also learned that people are not mind readers, you have to take responsibility to say how you feel in situations where you are uncomfortable. It can feel scary to begin with, but the more you practise it, from a place of integrity, the easier it becomes.
So, take a Moment, take the time to really be honest with yourself about what feels right and know that a ‘No’ can take you just as far, and make you as happy, as a ‘Yes’.”
Fiona McKinnon, CEO & Co Founder of Moment Company
