IWD2021 #ChooseToChallenge: Sally Yates

Disclaimer: Please note that all commentary and opinions provided in this interview are those of the individual and not the organisation/company they are employed by. 

How can female leaders ensure they get a seat at the table?  

Ask. As women we have a tendency to wait to get invited – men ask, put themselves forward. We have to have the same attitude.

What impact could Kamala Harris’ appointment to Vice President have on the next generation of female leaders? 
In the UK, our first female Prime Minister was back in 1979. It’s good the US is edging closer to getting a female President but for us Europeans it seems extraordinary that it has still not happened. The next generation of female leaders should look to the entire world for inspiration – from politics to business to science to the creative arts. Marketing is part science, part business, part art – and leadership comes in many forms and styles. We need to step in to the roles, take our place.

Why is it important that we “choose to challenge” and call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping? 
Recently our leadership exec, made up of both females and males, did some work on improving our team dynamic. Part of that was to look at our strengths profiles. In mine equality came out as being a key part of who I am – the (female) consultant who was running the sessions made the observation that in all her years working with exec teams, equality only ever came out as a strength in women’s profiles. That tells us that we need to continue to look for opportunities to focus on giving a voice to others or to represent them or just to simply stand as equals. The journey is far from over.

Click below to read the full edition of IWD2021 #ChooseToChallenge: Female Leaders Across The Globehttps://indd.adobe.com/embed/bb2678fd-fafb-4e5f-b57b-bbe97612e7cf?startpage=1&allowFullscreen=true