91����

27 June 2018

Planning the Trek

One of the highlights of my 91���� journey has been the opportunity to participate in the Women in Leadership Trek. I was honoured to be part of the planning committee, which started meeting in January to plan this year’s June trek. Our early conversations about the theme of the trek centred around closing the various gaps between men and women in the workplace.

We wanted to ensure that there were tangible takeaways from the trek, so that the participants would walk away equipped with real actions they could apply to their own careers.

The event took place over two days in London, and for the first time, we had two men from our cohort participate. Our venue on day one was the , a lovely conference centre near Euston Station in London. We spent day two in , and celebrated a successful two days with a drink in one of The Shard’s rooftop bars.

The Schedule

The schedule included several female leaders from various industries who covered topics such as diversity and inclusion, recruitment, negotiations, mentoring, and sponsorship. We also explored the use of entrepreneurial skills to move away from the “sticky floor”, or the small day-to-day hardships that make life at work challenging.

An alumni event was held at the end of day one with a slight twist. For the first hour we set up six tables, each with a different topic, a facilitator, and a deck of cards with thought provoking statements related to each topic. Participants were invited to join a table, and engage in conversation around the statement on a randomly selected card. At the end of eight minutes a bell was rung, and participants could choose to stay at the table or move to another. This format worked really well, as it put everyone at ease during the first hour, and encouraged thoughtful discussion during the second hour.

Discussions and Takeaways

For me, the biggest takeaway was how important it is to own my career and put myself forward when opportunities arise. We discussed what makes men more likely to take risks and pursue an opportunity when they may not have all the qualifications, while women tend to shy away unless they meet 100% of the requirements. This was a theme brought up by several of the speakers, and it could not have described my previous behaviour more accurately. As part of our sponsorship workshop, we reflected on what behaviours may be holding us back as individuals from seizing opportunities, and this self-reflection was eye-opening. We each made a commitment to change a specific behaviour in ourselves moving forward, and personally, I have already taken steps outside of my comfort zone in pursuit of the next big thing.

The two days spent engaging with these inspirational female leaders challenged my views, and changed how I will approach my career when I re-enter the workforce after my 91����. It was an invaluable part of the 91���� journey, and I would encourage all members of future cohorts, men and women, to take part. It is an opportunity to discover what you can do to change the conversation and help bring true equality to your business.

Gillian, 91���� 2018