Best Practice
Know your
worth
Emma Howe, sales and
events director at Street
Feast, on what success looks
like for a woman in sales
W
“Define success in
your own terms
and set career
goals for yourself,
however big or
small”
ith over 15 years in the events and
hospitality industry I can see a lot has
changed for younger women starting out in their
careers. Nevertheless, there is still some progress
to be made for working women and some
invaluable best practice out there to empower
women in the workplace.
If you lead a team, like me, then think of your
group as ‘genderless’ and make sure you have
communicated to your colleagues that your
expectations of them has nothing to do with
their gender.
This mentality will spread to other parts
of the business not just in your own team;
outlining a positive career and work ethic will
encourage those in your team, whether female
or male, to achieve and do the best they can.
It’s important not to take things personally,
learn to take criticism and that showing a little
emotion is good, it shows how much passion you
have for your job.
One of the biggest lessons I also learnt
was not to be afraid to ask for a pay rise or
promotion. It can be nerve-racking but learning
to advocate yourself is the best way to advance
your career. Know you’re worth and never feel
as though you aren’t deserving of progression
when you have earned it.
I’ve always found that networking with other
like-minded business women is empowering and
it’s good to find and meet other women outside
your own business. It’s an effective way to build
industry relationships, the foundation of which
will help you learn, grow and be inspired.
The same can be said for finding a mentor,
lots of organisations have structured
programmes, alternatively ask someone you
think could help you grow. Consider how much
time and work goes into being a mentor and
being mentored, be respectful of people’s time,
and you will get out what you put in.
Try to continually analyse your own
performance, think ‘what went wrong and what
do I need to change?’. Define success in your
own terms and set career goals for yourself,
however big or small. You might start by aiming
to speak on a couple of panel sessions each year
and then eventually your goal might evolve
into becoming the key note speaker. Remember
every month, quarter and year, take a look at
what you have achieved (and celebrate it), even
if it’s analysing what went wrong and how you
can improve.
If we stand with the view that one woman’s
success is a win for all women, we can become
supporters of one another.
If you wonder how another woman achieved
her success, ask. We can all develop our own
skills by looking to others who are in positions
we aspire to reach.
April — 57