To the Women who Unwittingly Challenge Me - thanks!

A romantic comedy from your teenage years may seem like an unlikely conduit to contemplating life and its complexities, but Sliding Doors was my awakening when it comes to matters of fate [if you’ve not seen it, I give it 5/5 to this day], and especially as it came out around a big life disappointment when my first real attempt at exercising control over my destiny didn’t quite go as planned. I didn’t get into my first choice of university and instead settled for my 2nd choice, the University of Bath. I remember being fraught with worry; would going there by my version of catching that train, or not catching that train?

Being Scottish, with the good old Calvinist concept of pre-destination running deep, my mum consoled me with the common Scottish phrase “whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye” which has remained a comforting thought to this day. And she was right, of course. A mere few weeks after arriving in Bath, I soon realized that this was the right place for me.

What helped me realize I was in the right place and feeling like I had caught the right train was meeting a group of girlfriends; strong women who in these first real steps into adulthood and living away from home became my support group, my anchor, my guiding lights. As true friends, they were there for me through thick and thin, they comforted me, inspired me, pushed me, held me accountable, and challenged me… and they do so to this day! For anyone with an eye on my calendar, the annual “goddess summit” has been a fixture for over 20 years, and it will be one of the first things on my agenda when we come out of the other side of this pandemic.

Little did I know when I first met the goddesses (yes, we genuinely call ourselves that), or indeed when we graduated, that I would gravitate towards other strong women as my inspiration and barometer in ensuring I am on the right path. That it is the women around me who dare to push that envelope, try to smash that glass ceiling, and dare to challenge who have had the biggest impact on me, and will continue to do so in the years to come.

So on this day, International Women’s day 2021, I am honouring here some of the women in my life who not only inspire me, but have had an impact on and have challenged me, and who simply by being themselves and doing their thing embody #choosetochallenge

The Goddesses – my University of Bath girls, who helped me come of age and are always with me, albeit not physically by my side

Alexia. Globetrotting, multilingual, impulsive, brave, spiritual and spirited – a natural born teacher with an entrepreneurial streak who is breaking down barriers in education.

Denise. Calm, collected, well read and level headed - the most well balanced person I know, juggling the World bank with motherhood, and mastered remote working before it became a thing. 

Sophia. Gone, but not forgotten – your “bull in a china shop” way of living, of striving for what you wanted remains an inspiration. You packed a lot into your short life, for which I am grateful, and in awe.

The Managers – throughout my career I have had a mix of male and female managers, all of whom I have learned from, but it’s these ladies who I would model my own leadership style on

Peggy. You taught me the fundamentals of time management, juggling multiple and varied tasks and how to prioritize, and you inspired me with your quiet trailblazing, often the only female in a sea of men.

Anna. I wanted to be like you when I grew up and I guess I probably still do – somehow you just had it all together, you knew when to help and when to let me figure things out. You taught me how to structure, to take a step back and see the bigger picture, and to be kind to myself. 

Dona. How did you become so compassionate? How do you know exactly what to say at exactly the right time? What you did for our team during the pandemic, keeping us close and working together was quite frankly inspirational. You are a phenomenal coach, and a true people person.

The Leaders – the trendsetting women who move organizations onwards and upwards, paving the way for me to follow suit

While I’ve had quite a lot of jobs, it has been EF and Linkedin where I have forged my career. And what fantastic companies where women have a seat at the table, are able to lead and spearhead innovation and progress. Leading yet always available, a big shout out to the leading ladies I’ve looked up to in my career. Isabelle, Josefine, Lisa, Paula, Mikaela, Marie, Chiara, Jennie.

The Career Guardian Angels – these ladies have been instrumental in the big moves I’ve made, that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and broadened my horizons, quite literally

Jessica. Thank you for moving me to Shanghai. I still see my life in two chapters, BC – Before China, and you were the one who got me there. You were also the one who moved me home, to London, and you welcomed me onto the Delivery Excellence Team, a forerunner to Customer Success (my current home). 

Elisabet. The solver of puzzles. You saw there was a gap at Linkedin, and you knew I was the right person to fill it and be your colleague and sparring partner once more. That there was an opportunity in Sweden and that Stockholm was the right place for me was also crystal clear. Long may we have a positive impact on one another’s careers.

My Peers – the ladies I meet on a daily basis who do the same thing as I do, but in their own way and with their own style (that I can borrow). There have been many many peers throughout the years, but currently I am learning from fellow customer success managers in team Nordics

Anna K. Never afraid to roll up your sleeves or to try your hand to something that’s a little outside your comfort zone. I love our “conference room” chats, and you intrinsically know what’s right by our customers.

Freja. My constant reminder to be more curious, and get nerdy about Linkedin and all the good things we are doing here. I learn when you learn, and our customers can only benefit from that.

My Partners – there’s no Batman without Robin, or in that this is international women’s day perhaps it’s more relevant to say there’s no Cagney without Lacey? In any event, these women are top-notch comrades

Annette. I never met anyone who does as much as you. Ever. You are a whirlwind of motion, and I am in awe of how strong you are.

Tracie. Your big heart does right by all around you, from your family to friends, to colleagues and customers. It works. I miss your hugs.

Jessica. Grit, determination, cultural awareness, sensitivity, feeling and style all rolled into one. A power to be reckoned with.

The Alter Ego – rumour had it that every now and then the universe would present you with a second I and I wasn’t quite sure about that, but in she walked to my life approx. 1.5 years ago.

Jen. Same way of acknowledging and leveraging a diverse background and experiences. Same university (telling you – a fated place!). Same thought process – give us a whiteboard! Same taste in everything from shoes to ice-cream to wine to exercise to ways of working. A reality-checking phone call with you puts the world to right. You are my sounding board.

The Friends (and Sassenachs) – all work and no play makes one a dull girl, and I need and cherish my friends from different walks of life who keep me grounded and on my toes all at once and who have an impact on me personally and professionally

Maybe I worked with you or somehow met you through friends and family or by the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. You ladies are all strong, fascinating, inspirational and I am so proud and grateful to have you in my life and know that when we do get together again it will be like we were never apart. Jo, Steph, Becca, Rachel, Sarah, Cecilia, Katrine, Dieuwke, Hanna, Nanna, Brooke, Sophie, Marjolein, Priya, Anna, Haviva, Christine, Rachel – keep on being you.

Family – the foundations and cornerstone

We may be tied by blood or (practically) marriage and often you won’t have a Linkedin profile or be connected to me here, but to my sister and mum, my aunts, cousins, and future mother and sister in-laws – thank you for giving me the space to be me and for being there with wisdom and love.

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Regardless of how I know you and how you have impacted my life, challenged me, and contributed to my experiences, you have had a big impact on me. So thank you, and keep on choosing to challenge. Happy International Women's day!