Female Leaders

Presenting to 150 fifteen-year-old girls is probably one of the tougher gigs that I have had. Not helped by the fact that my daughter said, just before I left home, “Don’t be embarrassing – they really aren’t interested at all…”
I looked at these young women and thought what would I have liked to have known all those years ago? I showed them a photo of my girlfriends and me at the same age. This started the conversation – instead of a mother, CEO and old woman – they now saw that I too had started my journey in the same place they are now.
I shared with them about the difference between accountability and responsibility. I gave them vivid examples of leadership versus management. But more than anything, I wanted to leave them with the message of persistence. Of not giving in.
I’ve met people throughout my journey – all of which have added to who I am now. Even the most horrendous manager taught me how I did not want to be. I said: “When I’m running the show it will be different.”
Entrepreneurs are like clown punching bags – we keep getting dealt a blow (we never know where from) but up we get and keep going. We never give up. There is no option of when should I quit. We have only one way forward – towards achieving our purpose.
Our purpose engages others in what we are up to. It is the people around us that will make it happen (as my colleague Megan said to me yesterday – “I’m the detail in your devil”). Persistence is a key ingredient. And being passionate about what we do every day is a given. Going into business just to make money is not very inspiring to anyone.
These young women were eager to hear my story and had many questions. But I left them with one thought; to follow their dreams single-mindedly – that it is wonderful to bring our femininity to whatever we choose to do (we don’t need to act like blokes). That by the time they are my age I would like to see that the public company boards in Australia are representative of the communities they serve.
Perhaps some of the young women I met today, will be part of that amazing revolution yet to take place in the boardrooms of Australia. I just hope we don’t have to wait 30 years to see it happen.

Grow & Scale Your Business by Naomi Simson

Tell Naomi a little bit about your business by completing the questions below. (It will take less than 60 seconds)

Answering your #1 Biggest Business Challenge question tip: 

Go beyond just saying "Poor Cashflow" or "Unreliable Team". 

Instead, give Naomi details & specifics on how this is currently your #1 Biggest Business Challenge. 

I.e. "Every month I'm struggling to pay my bills on time because there just isn't consistent cash flow coming into the business. I've tried sticking to budgets in the past & pay myself less to keep some extra funds aside for emergencies, but still every month there seems to be another financial fire to be put out. I don't know what to do about it, so I'm just grinding it out."

 

Thank you! We have received your information