Underrepresentation has become the main theme of almost every discussion about women in technology, and for good reason.
Despite encouraging progress, recent studies show the industry has some way to go, with female talent making up just 28% of the global workforce and holding around the same ratio of senior leadership positions.
However, while highlighting persistent problems is important, sustaining the drive for change also requires positive motivation. That’s why I want to expand the gender equality narrative by sharing my experience of what’s possible.
Specifically, I’d like to share how lessons from my role models have helped me progress and thrive in male-dominated fields, including tech.
Lesson one: Always be ready to learn and adapt
Initial credit goes to my kind and family-oriented father. He helped me build the confidence to enter environments traditionally dominated by men without feeling intimidated and the ability to keep an open mind, both of which were significant advantages as I started my career in a professional hotel kitchen.
Training under the highly esteemed and meticulous French chef Paul Bocuse was, undeniably, intensive. Yet being receptive to learning meant I quickly gathered practical insights about self-discipline, especially staying calm and maintaining stringent standards in pressured situations. Similarly, I also gained a valuable understanding of how to foster strong team relationships, including creating good-humoured camaraderie while winning respect by standing firm.
These skills proved a solid foundation for my transition into the even more competitive world of sales. Admittedly, I sometimes needed to work harder and demonstrate deeper product and client expertise than (again) mostly male colleagues. But being comfortable with positive assertiveness, particularly when it came to spotlighting my achievements, was hugely useful to earn merit-based admiration and unlock progression opportunities.
Lesson two: Great leadership is built on trust
My first official business mentor was an exceptional figure. After fleeing civil war in Africa, Richard Wolfe-Daimpre arrived in London with £10 to his name and began making a new living by selling records. By the time I met him, he had explored a range of entrepreneurial ventures and risen to the role of EMEA Vice President for software company Citrix.
The obvious takeaway from my time with Richard was a profound belief in the importance of resilience. There were, however, other key lessons to be taken from his management style. A passionate champion of autonomy, he had become known for driving great results by allowing his teams to run their accounts as they thought best, regardless of gender.
As an employee, being part of this self-regulating culture taught me how to clarify and pursue my goals independently. Watching Richard as a leader also provided an aspirational example of what I wanted to be: the kind of manager who recruits diverse groups of talented people and trusts them to do their jobs well.
Lesson three: Diverse perspectives enable better growth
Stepping away from sales and into customer service also provided an opportunity for greater discovery and perspective taking as I joined more mixed teams. Although my peers and direct reports were never defined by gender, I frequently noticed broad trends. Men, for instance, largely focused on hitting their goals and outpacing competition, while women tended to lean towards unified cooperation, often supported by refined emotional intelligence.
These learnings paved the way for further exploration and growth as I worked with my first experience with a female mentor, Penny Ashley Lawrence. An agile and determined businesswoman, Penny has held multiple C-suite roles in the customer service industry, currently serving as Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer at Workiva. Her emphasis on combining tenacity with equally unshakable authenticity underlined the need to be true to my real persona, which has enabled me to better connect with the teams I lead by allowing more room for fun and vulnerability. What’s more, this experience powerfully demonstrated the benefits of diverse mentors.
For anyone keen to embark on a tech career, my advice is to embrace difference. Setting preconceived assumptions aside, it’s essential to look beyond gender and the idea of following just one guiding force. Instead, being ready to collect lessons from an array of role models who match your evolving professional and personal needs, without losing your sense of self, is the best way to get where you want to be and keep advancing.
