MEMBER EXCHANGE – Steps to successful networking

After building your personal brand, networking is an excellent opportunity to promote it to others. Your reputation will well and truly be on display and yes, you will be assessed by those you meet. Don’t worry, you’ll be doing the same to them. Networking can come more naturally for some than others, but it is an important ingredient in career development.

We live in an age of connectedness and being an effective networker assist you in remaining engaged with your peers and mentoring is often viewed as a proactive and positive means of networking. Mentees –ask your mentor to suggest useful networking events, or even accompany them. Mentors – this can be a great opportunity for you to role-model effective networking strategies, but we would also suggest that you make sure they stand on their own two feet and you take the role of observer to provide them with some constructive feedback.

Our focus here is on the ‘in-person’ networking. However, it is also helpful to think about how you will maintain your connection with these new contacts online. You may also consider using special groups for networking. Once you’ve connected in person, think about sending an online connection request. A word of caution – be careful who you connect with given that they will also have access to your contacts. Be conscious of your personal band, bearing in mind your connections will also reflect your brand. Simply put – use online networking to support your in-person networking.

Effective networking can have profound benefits for both mentor and mentee.

Here are some key steps to assist you in your networking (and a few tips on what to avoid!).

Step 1: have a purposeful networking plan

Networking in order to grow your career needs to be purposeful. One of the subtle traps that both mentees and mentors can fall into is thinking that “I’ll be at XYZ event and get a chance to network.” However, when they get there, they bump into someone they know who they haven’t seen for some time and get chatting and before they know it the opportunity to network outside of their current network has passed. Some simple steps to keep in mind are:

  1. Know the why. Decide why you are attending this networking function – have a clear expectation of what the benefits are going to be of you giving your time, energy, effort and (potentially) money to attend.
  2. Set a target. Specify how many new contacts you wish to make at this event. Be realistic. You might want to limit it to three or four.
  3. Be purposeful. It’s easy to meet many new people at an event, but before arriving, hone in on the types of people you want to connect with. Be clear on what benefit you will be to them and them to you. We’ll come back to this point later.

Step 2: be productive

Networking often takes us out of our comfort zone. After all, no one likes to be rejected. So it’s important to be in charge personally of your strategy and. Being proactive means you ask for what you want and need.

This requires energy and effort. Being proactive can be tiring but it always pays off. Being a fringe dweller isn’t a proactive position at a networking event. It may be more comfortable for you, but it certainly won’t get you noticed or get you right into a conversation. Be prepared to be persistent as you may need to approach certain individuals several times.

What about when it comes to breaking into a closed conversation circle? A top tip from a senior diplomat is to take the direct approach. This doesn’t mean pushing in and taking over the conversation – this is never OK. Instead, approach the group by moving directly to the person who is speaking and gain eye contact with them. They will naturally then include you in the conversation and you will find members of the group shuffle around to fit you in. Then you have the opportunity to contribute to the conversation. Remember, don’t linger along the sidelines, don’t be a fringe dweller.

Step 3: think win-win

Thinking in terms of ‘What’s in it for me’ doesn’t focus on relationship building. This isn’t to contradict Step 1 – this is to reinforce the need to be purposeful in who we want to meet. In the purposeful plan that we develop, a key element is to identify what you might have to offer in return. It’s about keeping the balance in the networking situation and the resulting professional relationship.

So, what are you going to give in return? How are you going to maintain appropriate contact? A simple way of giving back is to be mindful of them and what you know about them. For example, you may have read a journal article that relates to something you spoke about. Take the initiative to send it through to them acknowledging that it may be of interest to them. It doesn’t matter if they’ve already seen it. What matters is you’ve demonstrated that you were genuinely listening to their input and that you are mindful of the connection. You may like to invite them to an event you’re attending and take them as your guest. Mentees, it’s easy to take on the mindset that your mentor doesn’t need anything from you – this is not true. These networking step also relate to your mentoring relationship.

Step 4: build rapport

Your mentoring resource guide refers to the need to build rapport as a foundation for building an effective mentoring relationship. The same can be said of networking connections. It’s too easy to go to an event and be caught in the business card shuffle. This isn’t networking! This is scattergun marketing, a completely different style and purpose.

If you accept the premise that networking is about creating purposeful professional relationships that are mutually beneficial then it is natural that you will take the time and effort to build rapport. This may not happen at a first meeting. You may, indeed, exchange business cards but the follow-up request to catch up for 30 minutes over coffee is when you can build rapport (this meeting also needs to have a purposeful plan). Therefore, a purposeful plan and gathering only a few contacts per event is important.

Step 5: prioritise

Effective networking takes time, effort and energy. You need to step out of your comfort zone and be consistently engaged. Making purposeful networking a priority is so important for moving forward in your career.

IML ANZ’s mentoring program is a great start for this kind of networking. Whether you are a mentee or mentor there will be opportunities to network with and through each other. We understand that you are all extremely busy people. Life is full and yet, we do suggest you prioritise the time and energy on effective networking.

We would encourage you to participate in purposeful networking events, be proactive in how you engage with others and the way you contribute to them. The benefits of making this a priority – putting time, energy and effort into building rapport far outweigh the challenges. This is another way of building your reputation and growing the career you truly want.

MEMBER EXCHANGE – Building personal brand

This question is something we all need to ask ourselves regardless of where we are in our careers. But what is actually being asked? Do you have a clear understanding of the elements that creates brand “you”? Brand is more than a name, it encapsulates the qualities and values attached to you. It includes the vision you have of yourself and your career while others will have an expectation of what to expect from you given your brand. Your brand is not your company. Your brand doesn’t only get turned on when you walk through the door for work. Your brand needs to always been on – it needs to be authentic and consistent if it’s going to provide value to you and your career aspirations. Your brand is your reputation and it needs to be guarded carefully and built purposefully.

So, how do you build your personal brand? How are you going to set yourself apart from others within your organisation or within your industry? Career opportunities are highly competitive even within your current company. Your qualifications, your experience, your extra-curricular activities all contribute to your brand, but there’s so much more to be considered to set you apart from the rest. Before we move into the ‘how’ of building a personal brand, please note that we are assuming you already have an online profile on a reputable professional networking site such as LinkedIn, so when discussing building a brand, that brand in person needs to also be accurately reflected online. We encourage you to modify your online profile according to the learning you have regarding personal brand.

The Venn diagram below identifies the four key elements to your personal brand. These elements are the broad categories to focus on when building your brand.

For each of these elements the following strategies are useful in assisting you to build your brand.

Reflect – you will need to ask yourself some, at times, challenging questions and provide honest answers to gain an accurate appraisal of the brand element.

  1. From your reflection, create a short list of descriptive words to describe yourself. This is your starting point. Include the ‘gaps’ or areas that need attention or development.
  2. Allocate these descriptions into lists of positive or ‘challenging’ attributes. These challenging attributes can be weaknesses if not addressed.
  3. Look for connections between career attributes, personal attributes and contribution attributes. By this, contribution relates to the non-work contributions you make in life, with teams, groups, even family and friends. The fuller the picture, the more accurate the starting point.

Research – how do others perceive you, your contribution and skills, and the way you relate to others?

  • Do you notice any repetition or themes with your list? Are there any surprises at this point? Have you asked people to be honest and genuine in their responses?
  • What aspects of the feedback will you build on in your brand and which ones will you try to minimise?

Modify – once you’ve identified aspects of your brand which need attention you will need to develop appropriate strategies to modify them to include them in your brand.

  • Develop a strategy to enable you to effectively modify your approach, interactions, language, skills, knowledge to highlight your strengths. We’d recommend focussing on those elements that can be easily modified just by being more conscious or purposeful about them.
  • Don’t try to modify or adapt all the ideas at once. Work through logically and assess for yourself how important each element is for you and your brand.

Apply – the modified elements are applied to improve personal brand.

  • Make it real. Authenticity is vital at every stage. Be practical in your application too, for example, through your online profile and through feedback from your colleagues and clients.
  • Identify and be involved in activities, projects, conversations and groups which reflect the positives of you and your brand.

Repeat – use this process periodically to ensure that your brand accurately

The four elements of personal brand are discussed below. We’d recommend you apply the above strategies to each.

Strengths

It seems natural to identify and highlight strengths when building your personal brand, after all, this is your reputation which is being built and reflected. We would certainly recommend you focus on strengths, but don’t lose sight of the growth and learning potential that can arise from understanding your weaknesses. They are an excellent impetus to make changes in your life.

Strong self-awareness = strong brand.

One of the interesting aspects of examining your strengths and weaknesses relates to the perception of others. This photo of the woman rock climbing, for example, can be used to represent strengths such as courage, willpower, determination, agility, flexibility and skill. However, another person may perceive this image and view her as reckless, irresponsible, unable to measure risk, ego driven or even a little crazy! As you work through the element of strengths, you will need to be mindful of identifying descriptions that are meaningful, knowing that what you perceive as a strength may not be so to others. Your strength of being flexible and adaptable in an environment of change could be seen as a weakness of lack of consistency in a more regulated or structured work environment. Qualifying your strengths with quantitative and qualitative examples can be helpful.

Values

Do you know what’s important to you? If you do, it’s probably related to the values you hold – those core aspects of how you engage with the world (self, others, and the environment) that you pride yourself in. Those aspects of being a person who seeks to demonstrate what’s important to them, what they put value in. We talk a lot about a company’s values, usually, they’re referenced on websites or in their marketing material. The standards of conduct they expect from every single employee. Company brands reflect and build upon these values, and essentially, we need to do the same. There are values audit tools you can download from the internet if you want to go down that path. But you can simply ask yourself – what’s important to me, and why? We would recommend that you identify approximately 5-7 values and these need to be included as part of your profile. You need to build a reputation for living these values consistently. Ideally, you want people to say that you “walk the talk”. These are the essential elements of how you want to be known and how you choose to conduct yourself.

Passions

Passions can be easy to identify – ask any of your friends, even your colleagues and they’ll know exactly what you love! Be it a creative pursuit, community activity, sporting team or relationship – they know because you can’t help talking about it, you want to spend time with what you’re passionate about. If we’re fortunate, our career may include an element of a passion we might have. For example, you might be really passionate about everyone being treated fairly and in your work you’re the diversity officer, the advocate for the new team members, or part of the union. Similarly, in your personal life you volunteer for a community group or work on a helpline to support others who are less fortunate. Your passions often reflect your values and when they are aligned the synergy in your brand is easy to demonstrate and sustain.

One of the traps people can fall into is referring to their passions too often and at inappropriate times or through inappropriate forums. We’ve talked about having an online presence through a professional networking site. Most of us also use social media through Twitter, Facebook or Instagram – for example. It’s vital that you know the purpose of each, the audience of each and that your personal brand remain consistent. People will be “assessing” your brand online. This forum can be used to assist in building your brand or can be detrimental, so be wise in what you ‘put out there’. One of the interesting aspects of having an online presence is seeing what people are passionate about and often who or what they ‘follow’ can give you a good indication of what’s important to that person. Just as we do it to others – they will be doing it to us. Is your online presence aligned to your personal brand?

Purpose

The final element of your personal brand is to pull together your strengths, values and passions, (minimise your weaknesses) and fulfil your purpose. It’s actually a challenging question to ask yourself – “what is my purpose”? Your personal brand development enables you to live your purpose specifically in your career, but this can easily be translated into your life generally. This article has talked about the need to be authentic and a key reason for that authenticity is for you to live your purpose. This isn’t genuinely possible if you haven’t been honest with yourself in the process of building your brand. Your reputation is going to be evaluated, often sub-consciously by others based on the evidence you demonstrate around your purpose. The “why” you deal with others using integrity. The “why” you put time and energy into growing your team. The “why” you treat others with respect; provide solutions; follow your dreams; give back to the community; have a ‘can do’ attitude; provide excellent service, and so on. So many of these “why” questions are answered in subtle and overt ways through your personal brand.

We’d encourage you to take the time to go through the five stages and apply them to each of the four elements of personal brand “you” to create the reputation your desire and deserve.

We are here for you

By David Pich CMgr FIML

IML ANZ Chief Executive

The global spread of COVID-19 has presented us with unprecedented challenges too numerous to list. The Institute recognises that this is an incredibly tough time for businesses, for managers and leaders and for employees around Australia and New Zealand as we all attempt to navigate the evolving impacts of the pandemic.

On behalf of IML ANZ, I want your Institute to offer you as much support as possible during this on-going crisis. It is during times like these that professional associations must step up and support their Members, many of whom have been loyal to us for many years. We want to ensure that our Members feel part of the ‘IML Tribe’ for however long the current social distancing, working from home and isolation measures persist. Last week I wrote about the fact that this is the time for managers and leaders to shine, but it’s also time for your Institute to shine. And shine we will.

It’s time for action from your Institute. It’s time for IML to be there for you.

Stepping up

On 13th March, I asked all IML staff to leave their offices and work from home. We were one of the very first businesses around Australia to do this. This decision was taken to protect the health of our staff and our Members. At the same time, we immediately instigated a detailed plan to convert almost our entire business to a virtual model. This plan – and the speed that we have managed to implement it – means that the Institute is now ready to step up and step in to assist our Membership through this period of adversity. Perhaps more than at any time in IML’s long and illustrious history, your leadership matters. So, your Institute is ready with additional resources and services to support you and your business. 

Here are just three of the offerings we have created for you as part of the IML Tribe:

  • Additional mentoring services with IML Member Exchange.
    In times of unprecedented change, it is essential to be supported by other professionals who can provide objective perspectives and guide you through upcoming challenges. Mentoring is key to intentional leadership and no more so than right now. As such, we’ve launched an additional four-month complimentary mentoring cohort starting in May to support managers and leaders in need of advice from other members of the community in this difficult period. 
Register here
  • Resources to stay informed and equipped – Webinars and more!
    With the crisis changing the way we work and lead globally, it’s important to stay up-to-date and abreast of new approaches to leading through the unfolding situation. Our experts have developed a series of on-demand Webinars and articles that are focused on equipping you to combat upcoming challenges. All of our Webinars are free to IML ANZ Members.
Browse our resources
  • Virtual Masterclasses on leadership, change, remote working and much more.
    With circumstances changing daily, leading people and businesses during the pandemic requires new and specific change management skillsets. In the absence of classroom learning, we’ve created a series of unique, informative and virtual Masterclasses that prepare you and your staff with the necessary professional skills to lead effectively through uncertain times.
Learn more about virtual Masterclasses

Stay connected

In addition, we understand that working in relative isolation is challenging. We know this because we’re all doing it! We want you to know that, as an IML ANZ Member, you might be working from home, but you are not alone. In times of crisis, our community grows stronger and more resilient when united. The Institute continues to foster spaces for you to connect with like-minded managers and leaders across Australia and New Zealand. Here’s where you can ‘meet’ and connect: 

  • Virtual Member Connects
    Whether you’re talking about your leadership experiences during the pandemic, or you’re seeking advice from others, staying connected to your professional network can be an avenue of support, not only for you but for others in similar circumstances. 
Join our virtual Member Connect
  • Online community
    We want to keep you updated and informed on the latest information and advice for professionals and businesses. One way that we’ll do that is through our social media channels. If you don’t already, please follow us in your preferred social media channel.

    Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Twitter

Finally, despite the difficulty of the current situation, I hope you will find confidence in the fact that the IML ANZ community is a resilient one. As one of the oldest and most respected leadership Institutes in the world, we have been connecting managers and leaders with each other for almost 80-years. Over that time, we have always been united by our shared passion for sound management and leadership practice in our teams, organisations and communities. This passion remains. As your Institute, we are determined to support you as a Member – and as a manager and leader – through this extraordinary time.

Rest assured, your Institute is here for you.

Five tips for young leaders stepping into their first management role

By Emma Mulholland

 

Watching some of the most inspirational business leaders in action, it’s easy to forget that even they had to start somewhere. When they were younger, beginning their first-ever management role, they felt the same mixture of trepidation and excitement that every fledgling manager feels on their first day.

So how can first-time managers make their mark? And what can young people do to compensate for their lack of experience? Start as you mean to go on and be upfront, suggests Sydney-based executive coach Stacey Ashley FIML, who helps top-tier managers hone their leadership skills.

“It starts with having really clear conversations,” says Ashley. “You want the people who report to you to know what your expectations are – and you need to know what they expect of you.”

Ashley is the author of ­The New Leader: From Team Member to People Leader – a Practical Guide. “When I was writing the book, I asked a number of leaders a similar question: knowing what you know now, what is the one thing you’d tell your younger self on becoming a leader? They said things like ‘Trust yourself more’ and ‘You don’t have to be like the person who was in the role before you.’”

Leadership Matters asked Ashley to share her five tips for young people who want to nail their first management role.

 

1. GET YOUR BOSS ON SIDE

The first week is going to be all about the sit-down: you need to get to know your new manager and every person on your team (remember: it’s all about being upfront). “If you don’t enrol your boss in your processes, you’re not necessarily going to get the level of support you need,” says Ashley. “Equally, if you don’t understand what their agenda is, you’re not going to be able to deliver against it.”

Ashley recalls a job early in her career when she spent hours compiling detailed weekly reports for her new manager, only to discover – six months later – that he didn’t even read them. “He just wanted a few traffic lights, half a page,” she says. “The problem is, I’d assumed I knew what he wanted and he’d assumed I’d be upset if he told me it wasn’t right. What a complete waste of time for both of us!”

Avoid this by asking your new boss what they need from you in the role. And before the meeting winds up, be sure to arrange a follow-up one-to-three months down the track to review how things are going.

 

2. RALLY THE TEAM

In the first five days, you also need to let your staff know what you expect from them over the next few months. This is especially important if you’re managing changes in working relationships (say you’ve gone from being a member of the team to leading it). “It gives your colleagues the opportunity to ask questions, to understand what it means for them and how you’re going to work with each other,” says Ashley.

And while it may not happen in the first week, it’s important to get to know the people who work for you. This advice came up again and again when Ashley quizzed business leaders for her book. “It makes it a lot easier to understand the decisions your staff make and how to get the best out of them,” she says.

New manager Duncan Toole MIML spent a year learning the ropes on the warehouse floor at Pirtek Fluid Systems, a company that repairs hydraulic hoses for heavy machinery, before being promoted to supervisor last September. Though Toole, 25, was well versed in the company’s day-to-day operations, taking on 22 staff members – almost all of them decades older than him – was no small feat.

To help him make the transition, he signed up to the IML ANZ’s Intentional Leadership Foundations program, joining 10 professionals from a range of industries in the same phase of their career. Toole says that one of the most valuable skills he picked up was learning to apply the DiSC model, a behaviour-assessment tool that’s used to identify a person’s motivators and stressors.

“It’s helped me understand what drives my workers, which is especially important in a culturally diverse workplace,” he says. “With the DiSC model, I can put everyone into categories and know how to speak to them. Some people ask questions because they want to have input and they like to find the easiest – most efficient – way to do things. Others just want to know how to fix it; they don’t want to beat around the bush.”

 

3. NAIL THE DRESS CODE

For Toole, one of the most challenging aspects of the new role was going from being ‘one of the guys’ to being the guy that tells everyone what to do. Switching hi-vis for office attire helps him make the distinction and stay on task. “It just shows that I am actually the boss who needs to do in-house work to improve processes and things like that,” he says.

And yet, by afternoon he’s often back in the hi-vis, helping out on the warehouse floor. “That’s probably one of my biggest problems,” he says. “Sometimes people call in sick and there’s no other way to get the work done. But it’s also because I know how I want a job done so when I see something that needs doing, I think, ‘Oh, I’ll just do it.’”

It’s a trap new leaders often fall into, says Ashley. “While it’s always tempting to muck in and help out, your role is to provide direction, which means enabling others to grow and perform. You need to take a step back and think strategically. Ask yourself: ‘What do I have to deliver?’ ‘What am I here to do?’ ‘And how can I have the greatest impact?’ Focus on the things that make a difference and schedule them into your day.”

 

4. GIVE YOURSELF A HEAD START

Of course, this also includes long-term planning. Ashley recommends blocking out time on your calendar each week – be it an hour, or half a day – to plan for the future. Sure, it may feel indulgent when there are immediate tasks to get on top of, but adopting a managerial timeframe means thinking beyond the day-to-day.

“We’ve all got the same amount of time, don’t we?” says Ashley. “Making decisions about how you invest yourself across all those different demands is one of the most critical skills a new leader needs to develop.”

For Toole and his boss, the best approach is an informal catch-up over coffee at 7 am before the warehouse staff arrive. They talk about the day ahead, but they also mull over less immediate concerns, like boosting morale and designing a new staff incentive scheme.

You might think that you have quite enough on your plate but there’s also long-term career planning to consider. You’ve worked hard to land this position, don’t let it be your last. Are you attending conferences, networking events, training days and checking in with your mentor?

As Ashley warns, you could wind up being so effective in your new role that the company will want to leave you there – forever. Plus, says Ashley, “You’ve got to have something to other: as a leader, you have a responsibility to always bring something new to the company”.

 

5. FORGET ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

Okay, so you can’t do away with performance reviews altogether. But as a new leader, you have a chance to rethink that once-a-year formal sit-down that everyone (including the boss!) dreads. Annual reviews are scary – and often useless. Instead, Ashley recommends you coach your staff every single day.

“We need to get much more comfortable with talking about performance,” she says. “It’s not about having a conversation once a quarter or once a year; you should be having it all day, every day. Because if I’m in your team and you don’t tell me that there’s something you’re not happy with, I can’t do anything about it.” Of course, the same goes for praise – if someone’s performing well, don’t wait 12 months to tell them.

And what if you’re tasked with performance management for the first time? Ashley says that a successful outcome – and a happy team player – depends on many things, including your attitude. “It’s not about having a big vent because it will make you feel better,” says Ashley. “You need to go into those conversations with the intention of getting a really great outcome. You want something good for that person.”

Ask yourself: ‘What is it that I want for them?’ The answer, suggests Ashley, might be that you want them to step up and be able to really perform in their role. “Now have a conversation that helps them do that. If they say, ‘Look, I don’t understand how to do the task’, then there’s something you can do to help them.” As always, it’s about being upfront.

Learn the foundations of leadership

IML ANZ’s Intentional Leadership Foundations program is designed to help ‘accidental managers’ become intentional leaders – helping them transition from individual contribution to succeeding through their team. The 12-week program blends facilitated learning with online study, leadership coaching, one-on-one mentoring, diagnostic tools and workplace-based projects. Participants will gain key learnings on how to manage themselves, communicate effectively, manage teams and individuals, and how to lead with the bigger picture in mind.

For more information, go to managersandleaders.com.au/foundations-intentional-leadership.

This article originally appeared in the September 2019 edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

Why professional networks are key to advancing career opportunities

It’s an old expression that the first step is always the hardest. But what if graduates who are looking to enter the workforce or make a career change had a way to make that first step a little less daunting?

 

A helping hand

Is it any wonder then that graduates turn to further education?

According to recent research conducted by the IML ANZ and WhereTo, 82% of students sought industry-based learning, and 78% felt that this would boost their confidence when it comes time to enter the workforce.

And it’s not just the students who feel like they need a helping hand. The same study found that 50% of employers believe that graduates don’t possess relevant workforce skills – despite their qualifications, they’re perceived to lack the practical capabilities required in the modern workplace.

 

Affirmation and advancement

It’s a familiar tale. When Deakin MBA student and consultant at public policy and regulatory advisory firm, Allen + Clarke Consulting, Pauline Van IMLa, decided it was time for a career change her first thought went to further education. “I was stuck on what to do next. So I decided to do what most people would and go for further studies,” Van recalls.

Like many who pursue the post-graduate program, it comes down to validation of one’s knowledge. Van explains that the MBA for her was a way to establish herself. “It’s given me a level of credibility and shows people that I am thinking more broadly about the workplace and the issues that impact businesses.

“I knew that there was no other physical token I can have that proves I was thinking of the bigger picture.”

 

Beyond the books

However, the research by IML ANZ shows that building a solid and enviable career takes more than merely sitting in class and collecting a qualification. In Van’s experience, it’s real-world interactions with leaders that made a difference to her career.

As a candidate of Deakin’s MBA program, Van has become an Affiliate Member of IML ANZ, affording her access to member-only networking events. Remarkably, after attending her first gathering with other Members, Van immediately realised the benefits of being part of this diverse network of professionals. She got talking with leaders from different industries and fields of expertise, including the managing director of her current employer and landed “her dream job.”

That positive outcome was a clear benefit of being part of a professional network. According to Van, “IML ANZ’s network is not limited to just one university or industry. It involves a broad cross-section of professionals: students, leaders and even those in the later stages of their career. The mix is just broader and richer.”

 

The perspective of industry insiders

On top of landing a new job, Van also benefited from gaining a different perspective on what’s possible for her career. “It was surprising to have very senior leaders encouraging me to join a board. Some of them wanted me to reach out afterwards to make sure that if I needed any resources or wanted to prepare myself that I got the support,” recalls Van.

Conversations with leaders currently sitting on boards showed Van that they are genuinely seeking diversity, not just in gender, but also in age. “They argued that there aren’t enough women or young people on boards.

That combined with the way they pointed out that I now have a good understanding of governance because of my previous roles in HR, made me feel that they really saw me as a valuable board member now – not sometime in the future, but right now.”

These are simply not insights available from within lecture halls. These are insights that can only be gathered by connecting with industry insiders. As Van put it, “It’s not something that normally gets advertised. And for students, how many board members do we actually know? So it was so valuable to be around leaders who helped me think: ‘We need people like you on boards, so why not join?’”

 

Professional networks add value

Van’s experience and IML ANZ’s research confirms that it takes more than qualifications to boost employability. Partnerships between universities and professional bodies afford students the networking opportunities that open-up their career options – whether that’s a new job or a push to think about joining a company board.

For, Van being part of the IML ANZ network offered her real professional connections. “People tend to think that networking is this sterile, one-sided process where people only reach out for what they can get.

“What IML ANZ and Deakin offer showed me that it can be focused on building relationships.”

Van concludes with advice for others like her who are looking to boost their careers, “It comes down to your motive for development. Find programs that will give you the best chance to achieve your goal. If you’re given the opportunities, seize it. Don’t hold back.”

Reflections on International Women’s Day 2019

By Bernadette Uzelac FIML

 

Last week I participated in IML ANZ’s Great Debate in Melbourne – one of many events held throughout Australia to mark International Women’s Day. The topic was “Her aspiration needs his cooperation.” I was on the affirmative team and our underlying position was that we need all people on the journey if we are to achieve equality.

 

Cooperation, not permission

But ‘cooperation’ doesn’t mean women need the ‘permission’ of men to be successful. Rather, our team’s message was that we need to empower, educate and support men and boys to become agents of change. To challenge gender stereotypes and societal norms that typecast people from a very young age to conform to roles and behaviours that ultimately set the scene for gender bias and discrimination – counter to the notion of equality.

Initiatives like Male Agents for Change and White Ribbon are great examples of men driving positive change and being part of the solution. The United Nations and the European Institute for Gender Equality both support and recommend education and awareness programs for men and boys to combat stereotypic attitudes relating to women’s and men’s roles and responsibilities within the family and society at large. They also agree that we can only succeed in achieving equality through the participation of both women and men.

 

There’s no ‘merit-based’ silver bullet

A central ideology in the conversation is around the issue of merit-based recruitment and career advancement. The proposition that decisions should be based on merit and the best person for the job, regardless of gender and other perceived barriers, sounds fair and reasonable. Indeed, many fair-minded people have pushed for merit-based approaches for decades as a means to counter nepotism, prejudice and bias. Surely, if all organisations based their decisions on merit alone, then barriers based around gender and other biases will simply cease to exist? On the surface, the merit concept seems to be a far more equitable philosophy.

The facts, however, tell a different story.

Meritocracy has not proven to be successful in creating a diverse and culturally rich workforce. Women hold less than 30% of company directorships and a staggering 35% of boards and governing bodies have no female directors. In Australia today the C-Suite is a very male dominated environment. A mere 17.1% of CEOs are female and only around 30% of key management positions are held by women. Full time average weekly earnings of women are 14.1% less than men, and women retire with around 42% less superannuation than men.

 

Why meritocracy can’t stand alone

The reason that merit-based approaches haven’t worked is because underlying barriers like bias, prejudice and discrimination still exist – they’re just not necessarily talked about openly. If you’re not from the right socio-economic background, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age group, you have disability or have needs that challenge an organisation’s cultural ‘fit’ you may struggle. And whilst merit-based appointments continue to equate merit with experience, the end goal of achieving gender balance and diversity will remain elusive. People who are capable to do the job, but who may not have the preferred experience, may not always get to first base to even be considered due to barriers such as disadvantage or unconscious bias and prejudice.

The notion of the ‘best person for the job’ will continue to be a myth whilst we have highly capable people on the margin who may not have had the same opportunity, luck or favourable networks of support as others may have had. Consideration needs to be given to building more equity into the process and encouraging greater self-awareness of deep-seated personal biases and prejudices that may be unconsciously influencing decision making.

 

Education, awareness and support

A local expert in diversity and inclusion recently said, “Change is grounded in education and awareness. The issues of equality between genders are deep and complex. We don’t know what we don’t know… it doesn’t matter which gender you are. We need to encourage curiosity so that people… seek further understanding, increasing awareness so that we know why we need to continue to drive change!”

Women are successfully raising the bar and driving change, however, change won’t come quick enough unless everyone is on board and actively contributing. Whilst there is a strong argument for quotas in some circumstances to fast track change and bring greater balance to workplaces, we do still have a long way to go. When the term ‘gender equality’ is no longer a part of our daily lexicon we will know that we have arrived. The force for change is in us all.

Bernadette Uzelac is a former CEO, is a fellow of IML ANZ, company director and small business advocate. Follow her on twitter @Bern_Uzelac

Other life: The X Factor

Taking the helm as licensee of TEDxCanberra has been a rewarding journey for Wisdom Learning consultant Ingrid Tomanovits AFIML, on both a professional and personal level.

By Lisa Calautti

When Ingrid Tomanovits sat among the audience at her first TEDxCanberra event six years ago, little did she know she was about to embark upon a life-changing path.

Upon learning that the speaker and performer event was organised entirely by volunteers, Tomanovits made it her mission to get involved. Fast forward to 2018, and she is the TEDxCanberra licensee, where she oversees a volunteer crew, who spend more than 3,000 hours bringing an event to life each year in the nation’s capital.

The experience of organising has left Tomanovits grateful for those in the world who want to make life better for others. “One of the things that I love about TEDxCanberra is everybody on that stage is just an ordinary person who decided to pursue their ideas and take action to improve something,” she says. “It is really inspiring to me to see people who are relatable. You don’t have to be a business or industry mogul or a millionaire to have a positive impact on your world. That was the thing that stood out to me the most.”

TED originated in 1984 with the goal of spreading ideas via short and powerful talks, where Technology, Entertainment, and Design come together. Today, TED covers topics ranging from science to business to global issues. As one event in the global TEDx program, TEDxCanberra showcases the best-undiscovered ideas in the local community, which Tomanovits says is also about bringing people together to make things happen. Ideas on how to eradicate scabies, to schooling solutions for children suffering from critical or long-term illnesses, to starting a revolution of human kindness are just some of the talks that featured in the 2018 event.

Likening her work with TEDxCanberra to running a business in her spare time, Tomanovits’ passion is palpable. Her enjoyment at seeing the end result drives her, as she knows from personal experience that being in the audience can be life-changing. One achievement she is most proud of is securing more women speakers through taking a deliberate approach to finding and assisting them to prepare for the stage. Also, learning there are times as a leader when you don’t have all the answers has been a welcome lesson, she admits. “It might be contrary to a lot we are taught about leadership but, for me, it is about having the humility to know that I don’t have all the answers but I do know how to ask for help. I have found time and time again, if I am prepared to ask for help, it will be there,” she said.