Taybah Siddiqi on 'Connection' for International Women's Day

What does International Women’s Day mean to you??

International Women's Day is a day to stand in solidarity with women everywhere and to commit to being a part of the movement towards a more equitable and inclusive world for all. The “international” in IWD is particularly meaningful because it reminds us of the many and varied struggles women experience around the world, and how feminism and advocacy for women’s rights must be inclusive and intersectional to truly achieve the goal of equality.??

Thinking back to earlier in your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself on building connections??

The piece of advice I would give to myself on building connections is to focus on quality over quantity. In the first few years of my career, I sometimes felt pressure to network with as many people as possible in order to expand my circle.

However, I have learned that it is much more valuable to cultivate deep and meaningful connections with a select group of individuals who share my values, interests and goals. Although building genuine relationships on mutual respect may require more time and effort, the rewards of having a trusted support system where I feel safe to speak openly have enriched both my professional and personal life.??

My other piece of advice is to avoid any pre-conceived notions that just because someone has a different background (ethnic, social or otherwise) to you that you won’t find anything to connect over.

I have found that if you approach relationship-building with a curious mindset you open yourself up to developing unexpected connections which can often be the most valuable as you can receive valuable perspectives that might otherwise pass you by.?

How do you build connections with colleagues and clients?

I make a conscious effort to communicate openly, and show understanding towards the challenges that colleagues and clients may be facing. For example, during a recent client secondment I had to quickly build connections with many new people across different business functions.

This was challenging as the client is a leading technology company, so I had to take the time to learn about the businesses products and strategy from my new colleagues, but this was ultimately very rewarding as being inquisitive and actively listening allowed me to build the foundations for collaborative and supportive relationships.??

One particular connection that I am grateful for is with a senior colleague in my team. Not only has she been a trusted source of advice and support professionally, but she has also been incredibly supportive in helping me navigate difficult situations in the workplace.

Building this strong relationship where I feel mutual trust has been incredibly valuable to me and I hope that I can offer the same kind of support to others as I progress through my career.?

Taybah Siddiqi is an Associate in our London office.