Empowering Women, Shaping Tomorrow: Insights from a Female Leader

For me the Connection side is to have the chance to come together as women, it’s what we have done for centuries.  Talking and validating each of our experiences is very powerful, often I just need to hear another women express that sometimes she feels a certain way too when different situations present, or in a lot of the time help me find the humor in it !  That’s often enough for me to keep going.

The opportunity for connection on International Women’s Day give’s us the space to rebalance as women in this way.

The moment for reflection In the business world, in the heavy industries, is also a very powerful opportunity to see where we have come to, and more importantly where are our blind spots.

Blind Spots give us the ability to collaborate, to reflect on what women do bring to organisations.  When I look back at my business in the first few years, it was 100% women staff.  This was actually not good for the company because we missed key skill sets and perspectives that Men bring to the teams.  Now my company is a 50/50 balance and it seems to be working really well.  I still have so much to learn as a leader, mainly in communication ! My focus for the 2023!

I strongly believe that women and men can accomplish amazing things together, throughout my career there has been a trade-off that I perceived I had to make.  Time away from my children in order to continue a career.

In 2010 it all came to a head, I realized that for the small amount I was being paid, I was simply taking that money and was paying other people to ‘not’ raise my children in before and after school care.  And when I was with them I wasn’t present because I was so dedicated to my employers business I would continue taking calls and working into the night to keep up.

As a business owner now, and as a mother of older children with more time available, I do want to actively be involved in shaping the role women play in businesses, in a complimentary way where Salary is not directly associated to the hours worked. Men and women think, do and communicate differently, this is not new information.  The question is how can we shape the fairness and attitudes around time contribution to companies in a complimentary w3ay to economic decision making both at a business level and societal level for the greater good of our communities.

What inspired you to pursue a career in your field, and what challenges did you face as a woman in a male-dominated industry?

Shipping is pretty much all I have known, from carrying ladders for my Dad and plugging in refrigerated Containers, to walking around on large breakbulk vessels and wharves.  Operationally, I am very secure.

Challenges has been wide and varied, but one of the most alarming challenges 12 years into business has recently stumped me.  In early February last year, a Service provider had operational issues on 4 shipments back to back, needless to say based on the service received these issues needed to be improved.

How do we improve, we talk, we discuss, we hear each other.  This service provider unfortunately wouldn’t accept that improvements needed to be made, and after a litany of emails advised that a social community was very small, and they talk to each other.

I voiced my concern and conveyed that as a woman I felt this was a threat. A threat to my reputation, a threat to my ability to continue business, and a threat to my safety when and if I ever decide to return to that community.

This I a very big big man in both Physical structure and revenue, so psychologically I sincerely don’t think these type of men understand the impact they can have on a Woman.  Unfortunately, 8 months later, although he denied it was a threat at the time, he dispatched a man from this social community to one of our mutual clients’ doorsteps to tell him to stop doing business with me.  The poor client was absolutely baffled as was I, this was over $1600 – of which I had already absorbed $800 for the client. 

The emails that ensued from this Man to the poor client have been nothing but deplorable and highly alarming.  The continued attack on my character over something so small has been extremely concerning and at times I will admit, worrying. I worry on how far this aggression towards me will go and when will it stop. Unfortunately, that service provider lost significant revenue off his bottom line due to his own behavior.

The lesson I have learnt……is that by trying to make some sense of the behavior I have had some amazing discussions with other male associates in the industry, with both corporate and sole traders, with both Warehouse operators and transport providers, all Male.

I have been given some great support and understanding on what might be motivating this behavior, but even better than that this experience has enabled me to have better communication and dispute resolution with the terrific service providers w currently collaborate with.

For me, that’s the silver lining.  Always improving by looking at the blind spots and seeing how we can do better.

How do you use your platform as a female leader to advocate for women's rights and gender equality?

I must admit I fail here.  I am not doing anything to advocate, I simply employ the best person for the Job I have available.  The pay they receive is market rate.  I call on my empathy when there is a need for the employee to support their family, whether that is one of our team members at the moment taking leave to nurse his sick mother or creating a plan for maternity leave for one of your other team members who is recently about to embark on the Parenting journey.

What advice would you give to young women who aspire to become leaders in their respective fields?

Connect with women, become curious on the different communication styles between men and women.  Practice, or in my case learn to be assertive in a calm and direct way when there is a communication style that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Find your supporters, connect, connect, connect !  I have an amazing support network of incredible men, who are both generous with their knowledge but also their support in business and . I also have an amazing tribe of women in both business and my private life that Champion me, they hear and validate my feelings.  So between the Network and the Tribe I am privileged to have amazing support to stay curious, and keep improving as a person and in my chosen profession.  Stay Curious !

What is the best piece of advice you have been given as a woman in your career?

Just keep going and that actually being a Women is my superpower

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 I know that International Women’s Day is this week but I thought we could sneak in a few posts to celebrate you and other people we really admire. Once we receive your response, we will create a feature blog post on our website and share it across our social media channels.