Forces for Change

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?

This was very hard as I feel this is something I need to ask others.  Having discussed with my daughters (aged 32 and 34) I have a couple of suggestions:

Acknowledge that you are not perfect.  That you have had ups and downs on the way as you ascended to these heights!  These might be mistakes made, stresses encountered or bad choices.  Difficult to convey as a leader who is trying to demonstrate strength, but something to bear in mind.

My "working mother" daughter (who hates that expression) has said the following:

- be honest, especially in relation to work life balance and juggling. No one expects men to have 'it' all so please don't put pressure on yourself to conform to this ridiculous concept, thinking especially of women with families or hoping to have families. No one expects fathers to have glittering careers and then to rush home and create #memories with the children with Instagram worthy home cooking home made cakes for bake sales and costumes. Outsource for your sanity, prioritise and focus on what is important to you and your family dynamic.

- lift women up, don't criticise openly other women striving in an arena that can sometimes be hostile to them. Be curious and challenge professionally but be aware of language. If you wouldn't use an adjective on a man, don't use it for a woman, e.g. bossy for women vs assertive for men, other examples, feisty, bubbly, shrill, demure, classy etc. Personal hate is 'working Mum, part time Mum, Mumpreneur'.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

No one will be as interested in your career as you are, so be sure to advocate for yourself early on and regularly.  Also – there will always be too much to do.  It is important to figure out what you can and want to focus on and be honest with yourself and others about things you won't be able to do (still giving this advice to myself today!).

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?

I think it is important to be honest about how hard the job can be and try not to appear invincible.  The hours can be long and the demands high and junior lawyers look at what we do and it looks impossible to them.  We need to encourage them to find their boundaries (though they should be realistic) and we should be clear about communicating ours too.  I try to be clear about when I am taking desk breaks or taking time out for a walk or some exercise.  I also try not to send internal emails at all hours (I am a big fan of the 'delay delivery' option in Outlook) and enjoy the rare quiet periods.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

There are (almost) no stupid questions.

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model

Be approachable and never forget what starting out was like.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

5 things:

• Look for a firm with an identifiable and lived-out vision and culture
• Build a support network and find a mentor as soon as possible – someone who takes time for others, and who has achieved a good work / life balance
• Own your own development – find areas that you are passionate about and seek opportunities in that area – don't wait for an invitation
• Don't be afraid by what you don't know – the fun of this career is that you are always learning – and no one expects you to know it all from the start
• Do an act of kindness every day (give a compliment, say "well done", offer a helping hand) and you will find you start influencing the culture and values of those around you

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?

We each need to be breaking down barriers for those who come after us. Each of us should be a mentor– and to ensure that we are the kind of person we wish we had helping us at the outset of our careers.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

There are many things I have learned over the many years of practice, and the most useful ones that I wish I knew when I started out are:

I remember the panic I felt if I ever made a mistake. As a lawyer you want perfection and as a person  I have very high standards for myself, and most lawyers are like that – we don't deal well with failure. However, I now know that we all make mistakes, and they are a very valuable lesson as you learn more from them than getting things right all the time. What is important is to do just that, learn from them, and also how you react to them and how you rectify.  Recognising a mistake quickly, owning to it, and getting the support needed will ensure that the problem is resolved in the best possible way.

Don't try and do everything yourself, and get your priorities at the fore of everything you do. As a mother and a full time working lawyer I had to juggle throughout my career the demands of having my children as my absolute priority and doing my job well, fulfilling my ambitions to have a good and long lasting career. Good help is the key. Only you can be there at every play, every parents evening and every sports day, every time they are unwell-I have never missed one and no one should, as your children will always, always come first, no matter what you do. But get help for everything you don't need to do-this is the only way to do well both.

Trust yourself, believe in yourself and don't let anyone make you feel you should not be yourself. The world is a different place but in the past, if a woman spoke up too much, would be criticised, but  if a man did that, he would be decisive. The good think about age is that you don't take any nonsense any more-I am positively a grumpy old woman and proud of it -but no one should feel as they cannot be themselves or say what they think.

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?

Make sure that, every time you notice any more junior colleague struggle with their work pressures or balancing their family and work you are there to help, encourage, talk and support, and  if they have that from us, it will make a huge difference to their working life and they will do the same for those below them, and this will make a big difference in the long run.

We each need to be breaking down barriers for those who come after us. Each of us should be a mentor– and to ensure that we are the kind of person we wish we had helping us at the outset of our careers.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

Enjoy every moment of your career, take the time to learn, to develop, to progress and to make friends at work. And, don't abandon your hobbies, your extracurricular activities.. there is time for all.

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model.

Taking the time to tell the team my best practices to reach life balance.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

Be patient with yourself. Take it step by step. Invest in yourself and in relationships. Don't avoid conflicts, stand your ground, fight for your goals. Always remain positive, empathetic, and authentic. Have trust that it will all work out. What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?

The most important element is to be authentic, true to ourselves. Rather than trying to be a role model, I focus on delivering excellent work, treating people well, being fair, authentic, and on walking the talk: whatever I demand from your team, I should deliver myself.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

If I would talk with my younger me, I would tell her to be perseverant, and patient. To work hard because at the end of the day everything that you do will have an impact. The way to succeed will be hard, you will experience happiness, frustration, sadness, but if you are a hard worker, believe in yourself and keep things professional, you will have nothing to be afraid of because time will bring the reward you deserve.

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?

Being a role model is a big responsibility, I think that you never stop learning how to be an example for others, that's why it is important to acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, be capable of knowing what things you can improve so you can work each day to become a better person and an example for others.

Also have the quality of empathy, be capable to be in the place of the people you are in charge of, so you can help them to be the best version of themselves and be better professionals. Never forget that your team is the basis of your work.

What advice would you give to your younger self just starting out with your career?

Be authentic. I think for a long time I thought I needed to fit a particular mould in order to be a successful lawyer, but in actual fact being confident to be yourself is what attracts and retains clients in our field. Being excellent at the law is of course essential and a given, but other fundamental differentiators are demonstrating authenticity and empathy to connect with clients and be impactful in all that we do.

What is one thing you think we can all do to improve as a role model?'

Practice what we preach. Genuinely promote inclusivity and diversity in our profession rather than theoretically paying lip service to it.