I think that one thing the pandemic taught us is that we need compassionate leaders. Leaders who not only empathise but who are also compassionate and care about the overall well-being of the people that they lead and are not just concerned with hitting performance targets and the bottom line. Gone are the days of …
A Lesson in How Not to Lead from Dominic Raab, Former Deputy Prime Minister Read More »
If organisations were measured on their performance in meetings, most would have gone out of business. That’s according to a study that I came across when carrying out research for my book Quietly Visible: Leading With Influence and Impact as an Introverted Woman. When you stop and think about it, is it any wonder? Some …
How to Make Your Meetings Psychologically Safe and More Inclusive Read More »
Leadership meetings can be one of the most psychologically unsafe environments that leaders encounter on a regular basis. Lots of ego, a lack of inclusion, ignorance, and judgement towards those who think differently to the dominant group. And it’s not just introverted women leaders that experience a lack of psychological safety in meetings. Women who …
Sleepless nights, dry flaky scalp, breakouts of blotchy skin… these were the symptoms of the stress my client was experiencing as a result of changes being made at work. The organisation was going through a restructure and she had to re–apply for her job. There were 5 people competing for 2 positions, meaning 3 people would …
Is a Fear of Change Stopping You From Moving Forward? Read More »
Introvert drain is the term I use to describe the situation where introverts have been overstimulated and feel depleted of energy, and want to retreat inwards. As introverts we typically lose energy by being around many people for long periods of time, and engaging in activities where there are lots of external stimuli. Whereas extraverts are …
‘As an aspiring leader, I’m repeatedly told that I’m introverted and if I want to progress, then I need to change…’ I often receive statements like the above from leaders of all levels, who are basically being told to stop being themselves and to be someone that they are not. This is at a time …
Something to ponder on this International Women’s Month… Over 50 years ago in 1969, we sent man to the moon, but we still can’t achieve gender equity in 2023. In 2020 we got whole workforces working from home in a matter of days, yet, despite the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 here in …
Social justice is at the heart of what I do, and I believe that if all women had the confidence to achieve their full potential and the access to opportunities, they would become influencers for positive change in their respective fields. My mission is to help as many women as I can to achieve this. …
The Largest Gathering of Gender Equality Advocates in the World Read More »
Stereotypes can have many negative effects on some people. Including, internalising them and developing self-limiting beliefs, which cause them to doubt themselves and their abilities. This can bring on imposter syndrome, and a lack of self-confidence. It can be stressful and negatively affect our overall well-being. It is something that I have personally experienced and …
The Impact of Unhelpful Stereotypes for Introverted Women Leaders Read More »
Because there is a bias that favours extroversion in the workplace and society, many introverted women don’t embrace their introversion. Early childhood and life experiences may have left them feeling like they were not good enough because they are introverted. Over the years repeated negative messages regarding introversion have led to them having low self-belief …
Embrace Your Introversion and Watch Your Self-Confidence Levels Soar Read More »
