Insights from the 5th Women in Operations Leadership Summit

This week I had the privilege to chair the 5th Women in Operations Leadership Summit in Sydney.

The speakers over the 2 days shared their leadership journeys, learning and insights. What an incredible group of leaders.

Overall, the themes that flowed through the two days included

• Leadership is personal. You need to lead yourself, develop and grow yourself.
• No two careers are the same. Make the career choices that work for you.
• If something is important, then you need to step up as a leader and do something about it. Even when it’s scary.
• Using a coaching approach as a leader allows you to tap into the talents, strengths, ideas and accountability of the people around you. You don’t have to do it all on your own.

Here are some of my key insights from the speakers:

Sarah Ross: COO, Product Technology at Macquarie Banking and Financial Services Group

On resilience:

‘It’s not about how fast you run or how high you jump, but how well you bounce.’

Karen Cole: General Manager, Operations at PACT Group Holdings

On Work Life Balance:

The Importance of checking in on a regular basis how you’re doing with balancing/integrating the 3 key areas of Work : Self : Relationships.

And if you’re not doing as well as you’d like, make some adjustments.

Kate Driver & Sally D’Addio, General Manager Operations and Senior Manager Operations at Questacon

On Cultivate Your Confidence:

Remember to check your perspective. What you perceive isn’t necessarily the truth.

Louise Weine, National Director at NAWO

On attracting and keeping Women in Operations:

The basic hygiene factors must be in place before you can do the great things that will shift the needle.

Elizabeth Bradford, COO Commercial Banking HSBC

On Resilience:

Resilience can be a differentiator for women.

And,

Look after your own resilience. Look after your team’s resilience. Focus on both.

Kerry Pronk, Director, Digital Delivery & Operations at OPTUS

On Emotional Intelligence:

‘A man is but a product of his thoughts.

What he thinks, he becomes.’ Mahatma Ghandi

And,

The importance of vulnerability as a leader.

Jasmine Doak, General Manager, People Strategy, Group Operations and Wholesale Markets at AGL

On Navigating Career Transition:

Focus on your transferrable skills to support your career transitions.

AND: Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways I can help you grow your coaching and leadership: