women in business


From teaching to business coaching


Lisa Åkesson will deliver the masterclass, Personal Impact for Women, on June 30. Tamsin Napier Munn of The Business Magazine caught up with her to discuss her career and share some insights on the challenges that women face


What prompted you to make the move from teaching to business coaching?


Interestingly enough, I fell into the business world by accident. I was working with actors for stage, film and TV at the time when I was invited to design and co-train “Assertiveness for Women” for the Metropolitan Police. I have to say that over the three months that we worked with these women, it was amazing to see them grow in confidence and learn how to hold their ground in what is a very hierarchical male-dominated organisation. The difference it made to them and the gratitude they expressed inspired me to make the move from teaching to business coaching.


How do you think your background has helped you with your work?


Having studied English Literature, worked as an actress in theatre and film, become a voice specialist and a master NLP practitioner, I have been able to draw on the mind, body, voice and language skills to inform my embodied work. This background helps me inspire individuals to ignite their personal power, claim their space and unlock their voices so they can own their message and step with confidence into their vision and reach their highest potential.


Studies have shown that people make first impressions within seconds. When you enter a room, the first thing people see is your appearance, then your physical posture, gesture, facial expression and what your movement says about you. Then you open your mouth to speak and we hear your voice. Does your sound exude credibility, gravitas and power? Do we believe you? Only when your body and voice are congruent with your words, do we give you our attention and listen to your message.


My background has provided me with tools to help individuals embody what they speak and become impactful and memorable communicators.


What has been the greatest challenge you’ve faced – and how did you overcome it?


One of my biggest challenges was moving from the safety of employment to the


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uncertainty of starting up my own business 10 years ago. The first few years were tough as you work long hours with very little returns. I wondered at the time if I had made the right decision. However, focusing on my vision and following my passion particularly to empower women kept me going. You have to be tough, resilient and believe somewhere deep inside of you that you can do it. I was lucky to have key friends and colleagues who gave me insightful advice as well as a supporting husband who helped me with the childcare. For me, this continues to be a journey of growth, learning and adventure. I have never looked back. Although there are many times I am stretched out of my comfort zone, I look forward to the exciting new ventures and opportunities that allow me to explore different organisational cultures, solve fresh problems and enable me to travel globally to work with so many diverse people who want to become powerful leaders, public speakers and influencers.


What has been the greatest experience in your career?


My greatest experience was working with female university professors in Saudi Arabia. I felt privileged to be invited into their world and help them become impactful presenters. I was so impressed by their openness to learn and to discover that hidden beneath their abayas were strong,


passionate women with voices longing to be heard and opinions waiting to be expressed. Interestingly enough, it was that very year, in 2015, that women there were given the right to vote. About 130,000 women registered to vote. That figure falls well short of male voter registration, which stands at 1.35 million. However, it was a start and I was thrilled to be part of their journey.


What are the biggest challenges you think women face starting in their career?


Women at the start of their career want to appear accomplished at their jobs and prove their worth. They do not want to create a fuss so they tend to keep their heads down, work extra hard, say “yes” to everything and hope that their efforts will be noted and rewarded. Unfortunately this is not the case. As men are more comfortable taking space, being heard and asking for what they want, many get promoted over their female colleagues, leaving women frustrated and demoralised.


Studies have shown that 57% of men at the start of their career will negotiate their first salaries compared to 7% of women. Women tend to be grateful for what is given to them, underestimate their potential and not ask for what they need.


As they are finding their feet in a new working culture and job role, they are also aware of how competitive this can be and that they have to prove to be more capable, likeable and effective. Their self- awareness is still forming and there are huge insecurities on how to come across and how best to influence sideways and upwards. They are unsure how to speak with alpha males or compete with women who appear to be more confident – women who take more space and can keep up with male banter and teasing.


I think one of the biggest challenges that women face at the start of their career is not to realise that they might be faced with gender discrimination. Working particularly within the financial sector, they can find that their confidence is chiseled away very quickly when sexist remarks are made. Younger women are less equipped to deal with them and can easily fall prey to bullying.


Women tend to be self-critical and over- reflective. They tend to take feedback more personally compared to men. This inevitably


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – JULY/AUGUST 2017


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