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If you are prepping for a high stakes meeting, are nervous about it and can put party politics aside for two minutes, spare a thought this week for UK Chancellor, Sajid Javid. Just before Christmas his boss publicly snubbed the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting – where high-profile leaders meet to address ‘the most pressing issues on the global agenda’. To add insult to injury, the boss didn’t politely decline the invite. To paraphrase, he said he and his team were too busy doing ‘real’ work to ‘sip champagne with billionaires’. Less than a month later, it seems the boss changed his mind. Sajid Javid got ‘special dispensation’ or, more likely, was ‘voluntold’ that he’d be attending the meeting to represent the British Government. Talk about the boss setting you up for success! High stakes meetings are hard enough without being wrong-footed. Yet Sajid Javid must walk into that meeting this week and get the best outcome he can. His actions not only reflect on him but his Government and the nation. That’s what I’d call a high stakes meeting! It’s inevitable that at times you’ll be confronting your own high stakes meetings. And, while the circumstances might not be as extreme as Sajid Javid faces this week, when the stakes are high the prospect can be equally terrifying. So, with that in mind, here are three ways to take the shakes out of a high stakes meeting… 1. Prepare It sounds obvious but carve out the time and space you need to do your homework – vacate your desk and find somewhere quiet to focus. Who else will be there and what’s important to them? The more you can meet their needs in the pursuit of your own, the more successful you’ll be. Once you’ve established the basics, think about what a successful outcome would be for you. Then start considering your content. Invest the time you need to get your story straight then simplify it - radically. This is a difficult skill to master so don’t be afraid to seek help from a communications professional, a trusted colleague or a coach. Making your case compelling, credible and concise takes time. My best advice is to start early. 2. Present You need to make an impression. That means presenting what you want to say with confidence and staying ‘present’ by which I mean really paying attention to those in the room and the surroundings. I spend a great deal of time helping people build presence not least for critical moments like these. There’s too much to share in this article, so here’s my ABC: Awareness. Be aware of the entrance you make. First impressions matter. Don’t rush. Own your entrance. Whatever happens, don’t let your first words be an apology. You’ve earned your place, you’re there, you’ve got this. Breathe. When we’re nervous, our body tenses up and that impacts our voice. To sound credible, you need to get your breathing under control. It’s easily done with simple breathing exercises. I recently published an article detailing a breathing exercise that’s useful just before making your entrance. It’s titled: “And breathe…” Confidence. Have the confidence to speak up, make your case and deflect interruptions. But also have the confidence to be curious. Listen to what others say and ask questions like you have something to learn. Confident curiosity is intoxicating and influential. 3. Pursue So, the meeting’s over. It went well. That’s it, right? Wrong. The meeting is the beginning – never the end. The magic only happens when you follow through. Send a summary, including assigned actions. Then become “that” person. Deliver what you say you will and pursue others to follow your lead – until you get the result you need. Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned coach. One of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her help others feel, look and sound confident – improving performance and happiness at work.

New Year’s resolutions wavering? You are not alone. Research from the world’s largest sports participation platform, Strava, shows this Sunday (19th), is ‘quitters’ day – when most abandon their resolutions. But while that may be true for daily visits to the gym, it needn’t be the case for your career. Here are seven ways to make 2020 your year to flourish professionally... 1. Reflect Audit where you are now in your life and career and where you aspire to be. Be honest with yourself. What are you great at, what do you love, what makes your heart sing? Set small, concrete goals for the next 12 months. Make them specific and realistic. Identify the gaps you need to bridge. Reflect critically on what your audit reveals. Critical reflection is a much under-estimated skill which not only brings clarity to your own agenda but also ‘has the potential for significant cultural change in organisations’. 2. Journal If I ask you to list all the things that didn’t go well at work last year, I’m sure you’d be able to provide a comprehensive list. But what about listing all the things that went well? Much harder isn’t it? That’s because we are prone to negativity bias. This year keep a journal of all the things that go well. Ignore the urge to discount – that means don’t tag on a line about how you could have done better. And log everyone who praises you regardless of how minor you believe your effort. You’ll soon feel more positive about what you’ve achieved. 3. Prepare Instead of waiting until ‘performance review time’, start preparing your ‘dossier of evidence’ early and do it on an ongoing basis. Be bold and be brave. Talk openly and regularly with your boss and others. Speak about your career ambitions, any skills gaps you’ve identified and how you’d like to fill them. What can your manager do to support you? If you are particularly interested in performance reviews, check out my article ‘what to say’. 4. Read One study suggests that reading offers a raft of health benefits including ‘reduced risk of stress, depression and dementia; better confidence, empathy, decision-making and overall life satisfaction’. You don’t need to read a book a week, like Bill Gates, but more books are a guaranteed route to greater knowledge. To retain that knowledge, check out these tips on how to get the most from your reading from the master himself. And here are five of my favourite books for those eager to develop themselves further this year. 5. Network Quite a few people I coach are reluctant to network because, in this era of ‘fake’ news and reviews, they associate it with the idea of ‘forced friendships’. But networking really matters. As Herminia Ibarra says, it gives you ‘outsight’; a chance to hear from those beyond your echo chamber. Her 2015 book gives practical tools to get you started. If you are a ‘reluctant networker’, this little book is also filled with tips to help you give networking a go. 6. Converse Mastering the art of conversation takes practice, but great conversations transform relationships. They keep you close to people and drive interaction, inclusion and alignment. Aim to have more conversations this year. Listen and question as well as talk. If you’re not a coach, study the basic principles of great coaching conversations. Learn from others, like journalist Celeste Headlee in this fantastic TEDx talk ‘How to have a good conversation’. 7. Practice “Knowledge isn’t power until it’s applied,” said the late American self-help writer, Dale Carnegie. It often feels scary to apply new skills or behaviours at work because the stakes can be high. But it pays dividends to quickly put what you learn into practice. Volunteer for projects or programmes outside your immediate circle at work. These opportunities provide a safer test bed to hone new habits and develop new skills. And persevere “…it takes an average of 66 days for the average person to form a new habit”. Remember, small, steady steps lead to significant strides. Think progress not perfection. I wish you every success for a flourishing career in this new year. Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned coach. One of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her help others feel, look and sound confident – improving performance and happiness at work. www.susanroom.com Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

A friend of mine recently took a year’s sabbatical to go and teach in Africa with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). It got me thinking. We often hear stories about inspiring individuals who generously volunteer extended periods of their time, in far-flung corners of the world. And, while you only need look at the VSO’s blog to see how these volunteers change lives, what I realise from my own volunteering experiences is you don’t have to stray that far from home or commit masses of time to share your skills and make a difference. So, given less than a quarter of us consistently volunteer and today is dedicated to promoting the contribution volunteering makes, I thought I’d share the three things I’ve found most beneficial by regularly ‘paying it forward’. 1. Volunteering allows you to: Develop & hone your skills. “Knowledge isn’t power until it’s applied,” said the late American self-help writer, Dale Carnegie. That statement is profound because it is true. It’s why I challenge and support all those I coach to quickly put what they learn into practice. Applying new skills and behaviours in the workplace often feels scary because the stakes can be high. One good way to start is to make what American social psychologist Amy Cuddy calls ‘small tweaks and self nudges’. Another is to engage in volunteering, which can provide a safe test bed for honing new habits. My own volunteering started in earnest when I chose coaching as a fourth career. I was cutting my teeth as an executive coach and volunteered to coach six of the team at the Bromley By Bow Centre - a pioneering charity that’s created a new model to generate healthy, vibrant communities. One of the most surprising things I learned from that volunteering experience was just how much I gained from it. I thought, because I was giving up my time and freely sharing my skills, that those I coached would be the only beneficiaries. But I gained so much as well. It’s probably why I continue to volunteer as much as I do. Yes, I get a sense of wellbeing from ‘paying it forward’, but I also always walk away from the experience personally enriched because I have learned something. 2. Volunteering provides a way to: Extend & diversify your network. It takes effort to build a diverse network but, for me, it’s critical to getting a well-rounded view and stretching how I think and act. Strong and diverse networks provide what one of my favourite authors, Herminia Ibarra, calls ‘outsight’. It’s the idea that your network is diverse enough to challenge - rather than just comfort - you. It doesn’t add value if it’s just an echo chamber. There’s something very powerful about having conversations with people who are different to you. Volunteering is an incredible way to meet people from completely different walks of life – whose paths you might never cross otherwise. For example, this Autumn I gifted a day to run three confidence-boosting workshops for 300 high school girls at the Future Asset Conference in Glasgow. My regular work doesn’t see me interacting with women this young, so the Conference was a wonderful opportunity to do so. I benefitted hugely. Not only did I get powerful insights into the barriers that hold young women back before they even enter the workplace, I also got genuinely refreshing, ‘no holds barred’ questions and feedback on my content and delivery style. I’m grateful to Baillie Gifford (also a Future Asset Conference sponsor) for introducing me to Future Asset. My involvement in the Conference has strengthened my relationship with the firm and given me insights into how to attract young women into asset management. But it’s a river that runs both ways. On several occasions my volunteering has led to new commercial work as a result of extending my network. 3. Volunteering provides a way to: Find or fulfil your purpose. For near-on a decade, management consultancy Deloitte has been publishing research into human capital trends. In their 2014 report they take a close look at ‘the power of purpose and how the most talented people want to join organisations whose work engages their interests and deserves their passion.’ People have a need for purpose and meaningful work. If you are lucky, your current role gives you this. If it doesn’t, changing your job is one way of finding and fulfilling your passion and purpose. Volunteering is another. The reason I switched from a successful corporate career to become a coach was to give back – it was the desire to fulfil my purpose that drove the change. After years of being the only woman in the corporate boardroom, I retrained as a voice and executive coach because deep in my gut I felt I could help women secure leadership roles they love by combining my corporate experience with these two disciplines. Volunteering to run a voice and personal impact masterclass for the 30% Club, whilst studying to be a voice coach, gave me the proof I was looking for. Suddenly, I had found my passion and my purpose. Five years later, I continue to gift my time as a speaker and coach to the 30% Club. But no matter where my volunteering takes place, it always enables me to fulfil my three-fold purpose 1) to demonstrate the enormous power and value of coaching 2) to 'pay forward' the skills, experience and knowledge I have acquired, and 3) to make business better by enabling more women to succeed. When we’re busy it can be easy to see volunteering as a drain on our time. But, for me, the personal and professional benefits have been life-altering. Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned professional coach. She was writing in support of #InternationalVolunteerDay on Thursday 5th December 2019. One of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work. www.susanroom.com Photo by ray sangga kusuma on Unsplash

I love this quote from Daniel Danso, Global Diversity Manager at Linklaters. For me it holds such resonance... If women could create workplace equality alone, we’d have done it by now. But we can’t. We need to work with others. Not least men. That’s why, this International Men’s Day, I want to celebrate all those men who champion the rights of women at work and, in doing so, help accelerate better gender balance. It’s not always easy though for men to know how best to become a catalyst for change. So, with that in mind and having led within male-dominated industries, coached many to successfully overcome workplace inequality, and sought input from those in my network, here are five practical steps men can take to help their female colleagues prosper and progress: 1. Network Seek perspectives from women outside your immediate circle of influence and find ways to create partnerships or alliances with them. Encourage your female colleagues to invest time creating strong networks across the organisation and outside of it. Introduce women to others in your network. Regardless of gender: “It’s not enough to be a super star at your job”. As Herminia Ibarra sets out in her book ‘Act like a leader, think like a leader’ strong networks provide what she terms ‘outsight’. This is critical to learning and leading beyond the confines of today’s role and stretching up for the bigger picture. Recommended Read: Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra. 2. Listen Create opportunities for women to be heard. Encourage them to speak up. When you’re chairing or hosting a meeting, go around the table and invite their input. Then listen, really listen, and don’t let yourself or others interrupt. There’s a comprehensive and fascinating study of the Australian Senate (called Let her finish). It shows the extent to which men interrupt women and the impact this has proportionally on the time women are given to speak. Listen for disrespectful language and, when you hear it, use the power of your voice to call it out. 3. Engage Get involved in initiatives designed to improve gender balance. As an example, I’m currently running women-only and mixed-gender cohorts of my Make Your Mark programme. The women-only cohorts are oversubscribed. The men on the mixed gender cohorts are few and far between. Find out what your organisation is doing to improve gender balance and ask women how you can best collaborate to achieve it. 4. Credit Give credit where it is due and encourage capable women, particularly young women, to apply for stretch projects and promotions. Recent research by McKinsey identifies that the leadership pipeline for women gets broken at the beginning of their careers – during the hiring and promotion cycles in that first step up to manager. ‘Fixing this “broken rung” is the key to achieving parity’ it says. What can you do to help? 5. Read There’s bias in favour of male authors publishing non-fiction books – particularly in the business arena. That means you’ll need to proactively seek out those penned by women but diversifying your reading list will help you understand women’s perspectives and the issues they face. Amazon compiles a ‘Best Sellers list in Women & Business’ which is a great place to start. This is also an interesting article by Jenna Farmer about how a research project went awry and led her to compile the ‘10 best business books written by women’. Susan’s boardroom experiences in the mid to late 90s, were tough but rewarding in equal measure. There were few women holding executive leadership positions at that time. Two decades later, there are still nowhere near enough. That’s why Susan’s a passionate advocate for gender equality and specialises in helping women aspire to be the best they can be. Susan was writing in support of ‘Men Leading by Example’ the theme for International Men’s Day on Tuesday 19th November 2019. Now a professional coach, Susan’s one of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work. www.susanroom.com

Many historically male-dominated industries are working hard to attract more women. As a lone female voice in the corporate boardroom within a male-dominated industry for many years, I love blogging about industries working towards better balance - last month it was the investment industry, today it’s construction. Let’s face it, with an industry gender split of 87/13 – there’s a pressing need to get more women into construction at all levels, since better balance is proven to make for better business. The National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) plays a key role in this regard. It's London and South East committee, chaired by the extraordinary Christina Lanz Azcarate, is working relentlessly to change the face of this overwhelmingly male-dominated world. I've gifted my time to support their work, and was asked, but sadly unable, to speak at their national conference today. Instead, I'm sharing five simple steps construction companies can take to encourage more women to join them… #1 Recruit more women by removing gender bias from job ads Job ads are likely the first experience someone will have of your company. Research by TotalJobs shows recruitment adverts often contain hidden gender bias, impacting who responds. To help you get it right they’ve created a free Gender Bias Decoder. This topic was eloquently covered by BAM's HR Director, Andrea Singh, at a CN Inspire Me event we both spoke at earlier this year. #2 Tell a consistent story Your (operational) left hand and your (corporate) right hand need to know what each other are doing to tell a coherent story. It’s encouraging to see stories like this raising the voices of women in construction but everything you say and show needs consistently to ladder back to tell that same story. These onsite signs are a perfect example of how messages can reinforce or go awry... #3 Look for best practice examples There’s no need to reinvent the wheel: if you see somebody doing something well - replicate it. Examples include but are by no means limited to: Balfour Beatty, who have a comprehensive and measurable three-year plan to help redress their gender imbalance – it includes some useful recommendations. They were also recognised for their ongoing efforts at this year’s Inspire Awards. Willmott Dixon who are working to achieve 50:50 gender balance by 2030. Or the five companies highlighted in this article which are actively promoting women in construction. #4 Lend your support Be it attending or sponsoring events; becoming a member of or partnering organisations dedicated to advancing women in construction; or working with suppliers and initiatives helping women into the industry - lend your support at an individual and corporate level. Here are some you may want on your radar: Inspire Me annual conference Women in Construction Summit 2020 National Association of Women in Construction Women into Construction Women in Construction and Engineering Awards #5 Dive deeper into diversity Here are some interesting sources of information for delving more deeply into how to get more women into construction: Randstad research report into why so few women become managers in construction, property, engineering and rail industries. The Image of Women in Construction project Report independently assessing the Women into Construction (WiC) projectRICS 2019 Gender Pay Gap survey results What works: Gender equality by design Women in Construction UK magazine Susan Room was a keynote at the March 2019 CN InspireMe conference, and has run pro bono workshops for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). She is sharing her reflections to mark this year’s NAWIC national conference. Susan is a passionate gender equality advocate – working to help more women get into leadership positions and pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated industries. She's one of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching. This unique blend of experience sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work. Susan Room's Make Your Mark programme is available to women only or mixed groups in the construction industry www.susanroom.com

Performance Review Series: What to say Today marks the day when women stop earning relative to men. Women are paid 13% less on average than their male counterparts. Coincidentally, the last quarter of the year tends to be when performance reviews take place. This presents a perfect opportunity not only to discuss performance but progression and pay. This is one of those conversations, where you want to be confidently in control. It’s an obligatory conversation that feels awkward to many but being brave brings benefits. As the author of ‘Cringeworthy’, Melissa Dahl, says: ‘Having the awkward conversation you’re dreading is often the most worthwhile.’ So - to help prepare what you say, in a professional way, even when challenging pay - here are my five top tips for getting more out of your performance review. 1. Purpose Remind yourself of your organisation’s purpose and vision. Your review is an assessment of your performance against business objectives so it’s a great idea to understand what your organisation’s ultimate goals are. Look at the big-ticket contributions you’ve made and be sure to talk your boss through how they’ve helped progress your organisation’s big picture aspirations. 2. Feedback This isn’t the time to be shy about talking about the value you add. Ahead of your review ask your key stakeholders for 360-degree feedback and use this as evidence to reinforce your achievements. During your review ask your boss open-ended questions to understand their thoughts on your performance. Listen, really listen, to their words rather than react to them. One person’s view is simply their experience of you. No one person has a complete picture of your value – not even your boss. You can evaluate everything you’ve heard after your review, when you’ve got time to put things into perspective and think through how you best respond. 3. Development Talk openly with your boss about those critical aspects of your work that haven’t gone so well but don’t dwell on or let a few negatives outweigh the overwhelming positive contribution you’ve made. Share what you’ve learned and what you’d do differently next time. Identify any skills gaps and set out development areas that would help you do your job better going forwards. 4. Aspirations Your boss isn’t clairvoyant so talk about your career aspirations with them. Share your thoughts for your goals for the next 12 months, how you’ll measure them and what value they’ll add to progressing your organisation towards its ultimate vision. Ask about any stretch projects, development or promotional opportunities that will help you towards your ultimate career goals. 5. Pay Having established your strong contribution for the last 12 months and agreed the scope of your work for the year ahead, ask for a raise. As the saying goes ‘don’t ask, don’t get’. While you aren’t guaranteed a raise by asking, Harvard Business Review research shows it results in success for women 15% of the time – 20% for men. That 5% discrepancy may not sound much but by the time women reach their 50s they are paid on average 28% less than men – that’s worth around £12,500 [Rest less gender pay gap research]. So professional women, if you ask for a raise and get turned down, persevere. Go prepared to share evidence with your boss from a credible outfit like the Fawcett Society to discuss the gender pay gap. Ask your boss ‘is my pay really OK when we compare it to others doing similar work?’ And, if a raise still isn’t forthcoming, agree what you need to do to secure one next year. Susan Room was writing in support of #EqualPayDay on Thursday 14th November 2019. Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned professional coach. She’s one of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work. www.susanroom.com Images: Women meeting by Christina Morillo / Minature people by Hyejin Kang

I’d wager that most executives can name their organisation’s values but asked to identify their own I believe many will struggle. Yet personal values reflect what’s important to you in life. They determine your mindset and actions, which impact your professional success and fulfilment. What’s more, as a leader, your values influence your leadership style. They signal to others what’s acceptable and valued by you, influencing workplace culture. Simply put, your values impact your wellbeing and that of those around you at work, yet they are something we invest little time in understanding. As an executive coach I work with successful professionals looking to be the best they can be at work every day. For me, this starts with knowing who you are and understanding your values because so much anchors back to them. If your values are at odds with your employer’s, you’ll likely be unhappy in your work. If you’re in conflict with a colleague, there’s a good chance they’ve crossed your personal values line. Think of your values like a compass - there to guide everything you do. Living your personal values as fully as you can every day will positively impact; your wellbeing at work; your professionalism; and your career advancement. Don’t believe me? Here are just three ways I’ve seen executives benefit from harnessing their personal values in their professional lives: 1. Persona: Your values are the foundation upon which your personal brand is built. They are always under your control and taking deliberate decisions in line with them will take you closer to the kind of person you want to be - determining how you are seen and remembered. 2. Performance: Working in ways that align with your values makes it easier for you to prioritise and less likely that you’ll second guess the decisions you make. As well as increasing your own performance, employing your values to drive a positive working environment for others also drives a higher overall performance culture. 3. Progression: When your inner critic rears its head to keep you safe but stuck, understanding your values helps you differentiate between what’s an excuse and what’s a valid reason for not moving forwards. Given values reflect our beliefs and drive our behaviour, understanding them can also help identify your biases – enabling you to become a more inclusive (and subsequently, more in demand) leader. World Values Day is an annual campaign to increase the awareness and practice of values around the world. The next World Values Day will be celebrated on the 17th October 2024. In the meantime, here's a great tool to help you get to know yourself better by identifying your personal values. #WorldValuesDay Neon Sign photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash Compass photo by Heidi Sandstrom on Unsplash Read more about how developing your vocal and executive presence can help you to align your personal brand and values in the workplace. If you're eager to improve your spoken communication skills, why not consider 1-2-1 Business Voice Coaching or my Business Voice Masterclass for groups or teams.

“I don’t believe in work life balance.” It’s a phrase I’m hearing business leaders say more frequently and, I must admit, it bothers me. The line between work and home has undoubtedly blurred, but in our always-on world, balance is more important than ever. When you scratch the surface, the boss isn’t necessarily advocating that you always need to be working to be successful. But many professionals, already swamped, don’t get beyond that headline. And, as we know, headlines have a way of taking a hold. There’s a reason the government banned people from using their mobiles whilst driving – people can’t focus well on two things at once. Yet many professionals I coach continuously bleed work into their personal life, distracting them from story-time, socialising and even sleep. The “switch off” struggle reaches far beyond those I coach. '28% of senior leaders said they found it difficult to fulfil personal commitments, with 29% saying the reason for that was the amount of time they spent working’. CIPD’s UK Working Lives Report 2018: Yes, we need to be fulfilled professionally, but we also need personal fulfilment. When one routinely sabotages the other things get messy, impacting our performance at home AND work. So, in this National Work Life week, I’m sharing a tip each day to help professionals achieve a better work life ‘balance’. Be present. If you don't like where you are, extract yourself. If you do, be present – especially with your partner and kids. It takes effort but if you don’t do it, you’re not listening, you’re not learning and you’re not in real conversation. Acceptance. There’s always going to be more work than time. Accept that you can’t do it all and that not everything will go your way. Prioritise the important over the urgent. Stop dwelling on what’s happened. Focus instead on what you can do to be brilliant now. Learn. Test your understanding, broaden your thinking, and better your ways of working, by repurposing your commute. Many CEOs read a book a week to learn something new. Here are five of my favourite books for those keen to develop themselves professionally. Attitude. Successful professionals work hard but nobody can be at 100% all the time. Sometimes it is OK to be 80%. Modify your mindset. Some days you’ll be going like the Tesla Roadster at 250mph, but other days it’s fine to be cruising in a VW Estate with the kids in the back – you are still moving forwards. No. Saying ‘yes’ when you mean ‘no’ (especially when it encroaches on family time), usually ends badly. There’s a positive way to say no so learn how. TEDXer, William Ury, sets it out in The walk from yes to no. Critic control. That negative voice in your head, dragging you down, is your inner critic. You’ll gain confidence and balance in all aspects of your life by getting your critic under control and into perspective. Empathy. I hope these tips help you strike a more comfortable work life balance. Balance becomes much easier when we show others emotional intelligence and help build an empathetic culture. Give others permission to be human; share these tips, and encourage them to embrace work life balance. National Work Life Week takes place from 7th October 2019. @workingfamUK #worklifebalance Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned professional coach. One of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work. Photo by Leio McLaren (@leiomclaren) on Unsplash

Jordan Belfort AKA the Wolf of Wall Street is having a difficult month. The former stockbroker, jailed in 1999 for defrauding investors of millions, is now a motivational speaker, travelling the world teaching ethical persuasion, sales and marketing. But Belfort clashed with two female presenters on an Australian talk show recently, ahead of an upcoming speaking event he’s doing in the country, when one of them called him “a thief”. Belfort was, needless-to-say, unhappy about that, but it highlights that you can’t simply shrug off a reputation - something the world’s investment and asset management industry knows all too well… thanks, in large part no doubt, to Belfort. Belfort may well have reformed, but his story (a book, film and stage production) entitled ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ has long-living and wide-reaching implications for the investment world – especially when it comes to encouraging women to take careers in the sector. Long story short, the investment industry wants and needs women, yet struggles to attract them because of a persistent, all-be-it now out-dated, reputation that the industry is one of male privilege, excess and greed. “The gender diversity gap in finance and investment is closing but women remain under-represented in the most senior and best-rewarded roles both in Scotland and across the UK,” explains Future Asset Chair, Susan Anderson. That’s a missed opportunity for women but also for the industry, given women’s leadership is linked to ‘better overall financial performance and reduced incidences of fraud, insider trading and other unethical practices,’ according to the IFC 2019. And that’s why, this week I was presenting at the Future Asset Conference in Glasgow - designed to encourage high school girls in Scotland to consider investment careers – because, as Amanda Young, Head of Global ESG Investment Research, at Aberdeen Standard Investments beautifully articulated, "investment is a noble profession, offering fulfilling careers that help protect people’s futures." I was among some extraordinary and inspiring female presenters including; Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson MP; BBC Scotland journalist, Laura Maciver, and the event’s host, The Young Money Blog founder, Iona Bain. While the plethora of successful female speakers each made their individual contributions (mine offering practical tips to bolster professional confidence), the unifying message was clear: ‘You can do whatever you want – don’t let anything hold you back – especially your pre or misconceptions about finance and the investment industry.’ It was a full-on day, which deserves a 6,000 word long-read rather than a 600 word blog, but for the sake of practicing what I preach, ‘to be brief and stop talking before others stop listening’ - here are my top three highlights from what was a truly fabulous day: LIGHTS: Lynne Lamont, Head of Charity and Institutional Clients (Scotland) at Brewin Dolphin not only passionately set out why investing matters – intriguingly illustrating her point with pictures of toilet rolls and Toblerone - but also demonstrated that you don’t have to be big in stature to have a big presence and make a big impact. High heels are not a prerequisite ladies – high confidence and presence are. CAMERA: The message from Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, was to keep asking questions and not get derailed by others. How her speech wasn’t derailed by two intimidating photojournalists invading her personal space throughout her talk though, was a very impressive illustration of her point and professionalism. I’ve coached many leaders to present and you’d have to be exceptionally good to deliver your wise words, as she did, with all that distraction going on around you. ACTION: Interactivity is a signature of all my work– whoever the audience - because experiential learning is so hugely powerful. Hundreds of young women came to my conference workshops, and were quick to spring into action and get involved. Their excitement and enthusiasm left me truly energised. Indeed, while they came to learn how to put their best foot forward, I left with the feeling it was I who had learnt the most. The Future Asset Conference took place on 24th September 2019 at the University of Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre. Susan gifted her time to present three workshops based on her Make Your Mark programme, which she delivers for leading organisations – including Baillie Gifford who were one of the conference sponsors. Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned professional coach. One of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work.

National Read A Book Day must love a challenge. Encouraging people to grab a book and spend the day reading, in the same week that most of us are returning from summer break and frantically trying to catch up, seems a long shot to me. But even if whiling away an entire day with your nose in a book might be beyond reach – I can’t deny that I love the day’s sentiment and learning something new from a great book, so in homage to that, I’m sharing five of my favourites. If you’re keen to develop yourself professionally, then these are worth ordering this National Read A Book day - even if you can’t get to them right away! The best news is that they’re all available as audiobooks. If, like me, you’re passionate about the power of the voice and how to use it to best effect then, as well as learning from the content, you’ll also experience voice artistry at its best, through each book’s professional narration. And who doesn’t want someone to read them a great story when they are on the move or reach the end of a long day with tired eyes? So, in no particular order, here are my five recommended reads: 1. Herminia Ibarra's 'Act like a leader, think like a leader’. I’ve long been an admirer of Herminia's work. She’s without doubt a leading voice on gender policy, and leadership and career development. She’s widely published, but in this book focuses on how managers wanting to morph into leaders need to change how they act today, to secure the leadership mindset they need to win tomorrow. It’s an easy read, containing immediately implementable advice. 2. Chris Voss and Tahl Raz’s ‘Never split the difference’. I must admit, I love it when I see people taking insight that’s proved successful in one environment, translating it to benefit another. It’s what drove me to adapt the voice training I learned at one of the world's most prestigious speech and drama schools to help business professionals feel, look and sound more confident. But can the learnings of a former FBI kidnapping negotiator be relevant to the corporate world? Yes, it seems they can because negotiation, regardless of setting, starts with the premise ‘I want…’ This book is a fascinating read about using ‘listening as a martial art’ to convey empathy and gain competitive edge in any negotiation. 3. Helen Morrissey's ‘A good time to be a girl’. How could anyone fail to be impressed by Helena Morrissey? She’s got nine children (yes, nine maternity leaves) and still managed to make it to the top in business. In 2010, in addition to her corporate CEO role, she set up the 30% Club to get more women on boards – that’s something very close to my own heart, which is why I’ve been freely gifting some of my time as a coach to the 30% Club for the last five years. In this book Helena sets out why women shouldn’t copy the dominant masculine model of leadership but rather change the system to succeed in their own way. 4. Julia Gillard's ‘My Story’. Gillard became Australia’s first female Prime Minister in 2010. This book, about her political tenure as PM, isn’t the easiest read for those outside Australia who are unlikely to be familiar with the politicians referenced or the inner workings of their government. Nevertheless, if you can see past that, this is an astonishing account of how one woman finds herself thrown, somewhat unexpectedly, into the leadership spotlight and has her resilience and leadership tested to the max from the outset. This personal story offers great insight into the ‘politics’ female leaders face - with both a big and small ‘P’. 5. James Kerr’s ‘Legacy’. Just when you thought the books I suggest couldn’t come from any further away, Legacy, is about New Zealand’s All Blacks - the world’s most successful sporting outfit. Don’t be fooled though, this isn’t a book about rugby, it’s 15 practical lessons business professionals can learn from the team’s long-standing success. Beautifully written and broken into digestible chunks - if you haven’t yet read it yet, you are in for a treat. This year's National Read A Book Day takes place on Friday 6th September. Susan Room is a former corporate leader, turned professional coach. One of the rare few qualified to provide voice and executive coaching, her unique blend of experience now sees her helping others feel, look and sound confident – positively improving their professional performance and happiness at work. www.susanroom.com