Another voice in the room: The importance of networking to diversity initiatives

While Jigsaw24 has always been a forward-thinking company and I’ve felt nothing but supported during my time here, the fact is that for most of my career I have been the youngest and only female contributor in a room full of people. While no-one treated me differently, I have at times been very aware of my ‘outsider’ status in the room and have had to actively push myself to share or challenge ideas.

While attending a recent Women in Leadership event, I was surprised to find just how many women reported similar experiences. It’s not always others within organisations that place limitations on women in leadership roles: sometimes we find ourselves held back by the lack of self-confidence that stems from being an outlier in a group – an issue that I’m sure everyone can relate to in one situation or another.

Why is networking important?

One thing the event highlighted for me was the importance of building your network to provide support. Attending the course was a really valuable opportunity to share views and opinions with like-minded individuals and explore a topic which is regularly referenced, but not necessary discussed in detail in the normal day to day churn of working life.

Knowing that women across different companies, industries and sectors were going through a similar experience to my own helped create a sense of camaraderie and trust when discussing our experiences in the workplace, and knowing that my concerns are universal (rather than just a personal misgiving about speaking up) makes it easier to push myself to do so.

“A great day, with inspiring women, all with different reasons for attending. I’ve never proactively engaged with women-only groups professionally but it has made me rethink that."

Networking is also a great way to link emerging talent to mentors

Assuaging our individual fears is all well and good, but in order to tackle this issue for the long term and improve things for the next generation of women in the workplace, there needs to be a consistent approach in developing talent (of any gender), with active encouragement to support women to build confidence to step forward into leadership roles.

Taking a step back to review my own personal experience has helped me realise the importance of having strong mentorship within a business setting. The current Jigsaw24 senior leadership team have been wholly supportive and actively encouraged my professional development. They have taken significant time to be inclusive and give me exposure to new areas of the business, allowing me to learn new skills and contribute new ideas. There has always been a balance of challenge and support, encouraging me to step outside of my comfort zones and consider different perspectives or approaches to various issues.

However, not everyone has access to this kind of support in their current work environment. Networking with people in a similar position is a fantastic way to learn those lessons from others in your field, and identify strategies you can apply in your own workplace to advocate for yourself and encourage the development of a broader range of talent.

Tackling imposter syndrome with Rise

One of the first things Jigsaw24 is doing to put these lessons into practice is host an event with the gender diversity group Rise. On May 17th we’re hosting the Rise Training Programme’s “What’s Imposter Syndrome Really About?” training session. In the Rise Women in Leadership report, 75% of respondents said they had experienced imposter syndrome in their career, so identifying the root causes of this and sharing effective resources to manage is a vital first step in encouraging women to take the lead in their careers. I hope to see some of you there!

"Networking with people in a similar position is a fantastic way to learn those lessons from others in your field, and identify strategies you can apply in your own workplace to advocate for yourself ."

Other key takeaways

In the spirit of sharing advice, I asked some of the other event attendees to share what they learned at the course.

Isabella Eckhart, Head of Growth at Equals Money, said: "The key learning I took from the day was that leadership is more than just getting the most out of yourself and your team. The third element is understanding the financial makeup of the business, key revenue lines, and ensuring you are part of the financial conversations. I really loved getting to spend the day with really talented women and sharing our experiences. I really look forward to bringing everything I learnt back to the business and staying in touch with the awesome people I met."

Meanwhile, Maddy Gilbert, the Acting Head of Skills & Employment at London Borough of Hounslow, felt that the session was "a fantastic networking and reflective opportunity, giving all of us the chance to think about the bigger picture of women in the workplace but also about our own personal journeys and sharing tips and support around the barriers we all perceive and experience.

“The section of the day where we looked at the six domains of resilience I found especially useful – here was a chance to think about how we behave and cope (and why). I was paired with another delegate who had also experienced a personal loss, and sharing how that had impacted us and our ‘Composure’ and ‘Tenacity’ (two of the six domains) was so refreshing. We were at a professional event, opening up about the personal circumstances that had shaped us and how that changed how we behave both personally and at work. It was enlightening to see how we much of ourselves we bring to work and that it really is okay to be your authentic, whole self, to let it improve and shape you, rather than tuck it away in the name of professionalism.