Konexo | Eversheds Sutherlands' Senior Women In Financial Crime (SWIFC) convenes bi-annually for networking, collaboration, thought leadership and training. Susan was invited to deliver an Executive Presence workshop, based on her flagship Make Your Mark with Susan Room® framework, to this exclusive community of senior women working in financial crime.
Susan Room with Victoria Turner, Eversheds Sutherland and Erin Gavin, Konexo at the SWIFC Forum, October 2024
Enhancing industry effectiveness
Getting more women into financial crime careers isn't just about equality; it's about enhancing industry effectiveness.
Women bring unique perspectives and innovative solutions, both crucial for tackling complex financial crimes. Diverse teams explore more possibilities and develop better strategies.
Women often excel in collaboration and communication, vital for working with various stakeholders. Encouraging women into the sector enriches it and helps close the gender gap, paving the way for a more inclusive future in fighting financial crime.
The goal of the SWIFC is to foster a secure and inclusive environment where women can learn from and support each other, aiding professional development and enhancing industry standards.
Susan's workshop was designed to create a safe, open and supportive learning environment, following Chatham House Rules and accommodating different learning styles. During the hour long session, Susan's aim was to boost the self-awareness of all the participants and enhance both individual and group learning, making use of lots of open questions to encourage insightful discussions.
"We had the pleasure of having Susan as a speaker at our recent event for a women’s forum, and she was the highlight of the event that our guests are still talking about. Her focus on executive presence and voice truly resonated with our audience and the feedback from all our guests was overwhelmingly positive. They particularly appreciated the practical, simple, and highly effective tips she shared, which they could immediately put into practice. Susan even stayed on longer than planned to engage with everyone, which speaks volumes about the guests’ level of interest in her presentation..."
- Erin Gavin, Head of Financial Services Projects and Remediation, Konexo
Developing executive presence to make your mark
As a former C-Suite leader, Susan knows from her own boardroom experiences that success depends on being a confident, influential and authentic communicator. Whilst some may believe that executive presence is something you’re born with, everyone can learn to develop and improve their presence through small tweaks in mindset, body language, speech and voice.
During the workshop, Susan introduced the group to her Make Your Mark with Susan Room® framework, sharing powerful insights and practical strategies to help the participants to:
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manage negative self-talk and ‘imposter syndrome’
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improve physical impact, and ability to elegantly 'own the room'
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articulate thoughts clearly, concisely and convincingly
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flex their voice to influence, persuade and connect with others more credibly and effectively.
Susan also shared some of her past challenges and experiences as a C-Suite female leader working in male dominated organisations and encouraged the group to share their own.
“By understanding the dynamics at play and adopting a strategic approach, female leaders can confidently lead their teams and organisations towards success."
- Susan Room
Further reading: Boss or Bossy? Navigating the Double Bind of Female Leadership (3 minute read)
"Susan's focus on executive presence and voice truly resonated with our audience and the feedback from all our guests was overwhelmingly positive."
- Erin Gavin, Head of Financial Services Projects and Remediation, Konexo
"Susan connected with everyone in the room. Her insights were invaluable and participants left with practical tips to reflect on and implement"
Kirsty Robinson - Senior BD & Marketing Manager, Konexo | Eversheds Sutherland
