WOMEN BUSINESS


CELEBRATE | ENCOURAGE | INSPIRE


impacts on how they see themselves and how far they are willing to put themselves forward.


Women at the start of their career need to learn how to own their presence, reveal their personality, speak up and get the guidance they need to further develop their careers.


When rising through the ranks to senior positions the biggest challenge here is confidence. Being bold enough to take your space, whether it is leading, pitching, chairing a meeting or presenting in public. It is about speaking up, having a voice and holding your ground. It is the ability to question, challenge, call out unacceptable behaviours and stand by your values.


Whilst we are aware that gender bias, unconscious bias and stereotypes exist, women are equally guilty of holding themselves back. The inner critic voice can stop many women from putting themselves forward and taking risks. Often women will say they don’t feel “good enough”, “clever enough” or “interesting enough”. Research has shown that women will apply for a job if they have 100% of qualifications while men will apply for a job if they have 60% of the qualifications. Women tend to feel that they have to tick all the boxes before they are worthy of stepping into that “big, new role”. These self-limiting beliefs are one of the key reasons why many women don’t put themselves forward and fulfill their true potential.


Madeleine Albright (the first woman to become the US secretary of state) was once asked by a group of professional women what advise she would give them. She said: “learn to interrupt”. Yes, women have to learn how to handle interruptions but equally know how and when to interrupt so their voices are heard. They need to learn to speak up early and be visible if they want to be taken seriously.


Finally, women need to be brave and ask for what they need. This could be a pay rise, a promotion, a mentor or an audience. They have to turn up with a presence that says “I am confident“. They have to recognise that when they do get the senior role, sit on boards, run companies and affect powerful decisions that they are not token gestures. They have earned their place at the table and should show up with personal power, credibility, authority and authenticity.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – JULY/AUGUST 2017


What do you have that can help women break through some of these challenges?


Most of my work with women is helping them take their space, find their voice and own their message. From having worked with thousands of women, particularly at senior level now, I know that the key area that holds women back is confidence. My job is to take women on a journey that enables them to be self-aware of how they come across and provide them with powerful tools so they are able to step into their roles and move towards their goals with confidence.


We work on physical presence and how to show up with gravitas.


We work on the voice and how to project it so your message lands with power. We deal with nerves and how breathing deeply can not only slow your pace down but also help you exude calm and control. We look at the power of the pause and how to dynamically hold your listener’s attention. We also explore vocal variety so you don’t come across as monotonous and boring but leave a memorable message that inspires and motivates others to take action.


I also help women learn to flex their behavioural style. Most women do approachable behaviour and look to be approved and liked. However, learning how to access your credible behaviour will help you gain the respect you deserve. When women understand how they come across and what has stopped them from being powerful and influential communicators, their desire to change happens very quickly.


Tell us about some of the experiences you have had with women and companies you’ve worked with, that are examples of breakthroughs you can help other women achieve?


I have been very fortunate to work with numerous companies from the public to the private sector such as Coca-Cola Enterprises, Hallmark Cards, Cisco, Amazon, Barclays, HSBC, EY, CVC Capital, JP Morgan, Shell, Microsoft, Bloomberg TV, CNN, Harry Winston Watches, LSE, MOD and The Home Office.


Women have come back with numerous stories of how the trainings, workshops or


one to one coaching have changed their lives.


Many have shared how their increased confidence has meant that they turn up more powerfully – taking their space, owning their voices and realising their contributions matter. This shift affects how others have perceived them. They are now described as “confident”, having “leadership skills”, “making a difference”. They have found they are listened to more, respected more and interrupted less. They are surprised by the impact they can now create and how they can hold the attention of others through their embodied presence.


Many have shared how recognising their worth and value has meant that they are now able to ask for pay rises and accept promotions offered to them. They are not afraid of negotiating salaries and stipulating what they want. This has led many to receive what is due to them or more.


Women who would naturally avoid the limelight now volunteer to give a talk or present because they have the tools to be impactful and know how this will raise their profile and visibility.


A woman professor I worked with spoke of how her lectures are now so well received that she gets top grades on her performance from her students. They no longer hide behind their phones or tablets but instead look forward to hearing her speak and sharing her knowledge.


One client described the outcome of my trainings as: “I have since been approached by a headhunter to develop a new business initiative simply because of the additional confidence that is now evident from the workshop.”


Finally, many women who had been afraid of change, have now taken the bold step to leave their place of work because they did not feel appreciated; the culture there was not aligned to their values or that it was just time for them to move on. They have said what a huge relief and pleasure it has been to have the courage to follow their vision and embark on journey that excited, stretched and made a difference to their lives.


For further information on Lisa Åkesson’s trainings/coaching:


lisaakesson.com lisa@lisaakesson.com


businessmag.co.uk 13


in


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64