Cohort two of the EG Future Female Leaders project are one session in to their public speaking and leadership training regime with Ginger Public Speaking. Here we meet them all to find out what got them into real estate, what they hope to get out of the project and just how inspired (or nervous) they might be after seeing the success of cohort one.
Zoe Sharpe
Company: Dandara
Job title: Development manager
How did you get into real estate?
I originally planned to become a lawyer and qualified as a solicitor in 2005. Returning home to the South West, I moved from general litigation to commercial property. Eight years later I stepped away from law, joining JLL in the planning and development team. Qualifying as a chartered surveyor in 2015, I moved a year later from consultancy to work client side, primarily for private family real estate and development businesses.
This route into real estate was not planned. It has largely been opportunistic and down to the support of mentors as well as past and present bosses. Always prepared to look outside the box, I listened to the internal voice challenging me as to whether I wanted to practice law forever.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
A future leader is a work in progress; someone with evident and realisable potential to take up a leadership role in due course. They show the qualities of good leadership long before the responsibility is bestowed on them. These qualities include: natural authority derived from their exemplary approach to work and colleagues; earning the confidence and trust of others because of their integrity and by knowing what they are doing; being prepared to make brave decisions and getting things done; being honest about their own weaknesses; and being open to learning. They value the skills and knowledge of others and look to help them realise their potential also.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
I hope to learn the skills, composure and presence required for public speaking, including how to manage my nerves so as to present engagingly and knowledgeably with confidence and conviction to a large audience. Without notes. Just me on stage.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
A leader must be able to hold their own as the public face of their organisation, which will hopefully inspire others to do the same. So, in the first instance, I would like to be able to confidently say to one of the directors at Lloyds TSB in Bristol: “Yes, of course, I will be on your panel of speakers about the Future of Living” both to provide diversity on the panel and to represent the build-to-rent/private rented sector. I turned down the one in March but there is another one in September.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
Having spent the past decade signing up for running and cycling endurance events, I am familiar with throwing myself into something but I have to resolve the internal dialogue that regularly ensues following sign-up. If there is one thing that doing ironman and the Marathon des Sables has taught me, it is that success is down to mind over matter… and lots of preparation and training.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
Many people who know or who work with me might struggle to believe that I would have any fear of presenting to a large audience of industry peers. The greatest outcome would be for me to expand, develop and apply the confidence I have in communicating to and within smaller groups to this larger scale. The benefit of such confidence can then be drawn upon to help in a wide variety of situations.
Wherever possible I want to encourage others who might also have self-doubt to do the same. This programme will help in that respect.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
I have two.
- Being vulnerable – This is a nerve-wracking thing to do, but that is outweighed by the fear of not having tried and then wondering “what if?”. To be brave, I have to risk being vulnerable.
- Being found out – Being found out that I do not have anything interesting to say. But more than anything, found out that I do have something interesting to say and then will be expected to do more public speaking as a result.
Amanda Lim
Company: Knight Frank
Job title: Partner, head of flexible office solutions
How did you get into real estate?
Entirely by chance. I was a flight attendant based in Tokyo for nearly four years until I wanted a job on the ground. I started looking for sales roles as I enjoyed the client-facing aspect of what I did and I really enjoyed meeting new people. I landed a sales role for a serviced office provider, which then gave me the opportunity to work for Knight Frank in Singapore. As I grew into the role, I wanted to be a part of the real estate world more and more. The opportunity to start a whole new team and a whole new service line at Knight Frank in London came up and that’s when I knew that this is what I wanted for my career – the ability to be a small part of something big, but at the same time, to actually to make a difference.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
The opportunity of having a platform to reach others across the industry is immensely exciting. I’m constantly challenging the status quo and asking myself what else can be done differently to help others following in my footsteps. I don’t necessarily think being a future leader means leading by example, although that is important. I think it has a lot to do with being open. It means being open to any conversation (either with a senior stakeholder or a junior employee on their first day), open to any idea and open to any challenge – no matter how scary it might at first be. A lot of the time, leadership is about actively lifting people up to your level, not just showing people how you got there.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
I’m hoping to absorb everything I can from the programme. There are so many amazing women on the programme that I can learn from, and it’s quite a rare opportunity to watch so many inspirational people share their ideas and connect over their successes and learning curves. Even after my first session, I walked away from a host of remarkable women who gave me so many things to think about. The best part of it all is knowing that whatever you’re going through, from the ambitions to the fears, other people have been there too. If I had to pinpoint one tangible skill I’d like to walk away with, it’s to be more confident in public speaking.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
I hope to keep passing them on. Whenever I, or a member of my team, have been to an inspirational event, we always come back and share everything we’ve learned. I think it’s one of the best ways to keep a team tight-knit. Feeling like you’re growing alone can sometimes stifle your career development. Humans are social creatures; we need to feel like the people around us care about where we’re going and how well we’re doing. I’m a big advocate for my team to develop new skills, chew on ideas and embrace new challenges – and I want them to talk to me about it and get excited. Part of achieving that comes with being open about the skills I need to learn to overcome my weaknesses. This is especially true for the more junior employees who are just starting to make their mark and might think that everyone looks like they know exactly what they’re doing. The truth is, everyone is still learning.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
The thought that ran through my mind in the first hour with Ginger was: ‘This is madness, I can’t do this!’ but as the day went by, I had moments where I believed that I could potentially deliver a note-free talk on stage and I’ll just figure out the “powerful” bit later on. The training session was more intense than I imagined, but I was also surprised by how, in just one session, my self-confidence improved so drastically. It just goes to show that there are very few challenges you can’t overcome – so long as you have the right training, the right support and the right mindset.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
The greatest outcome would be that I become so confident and comfortable with public speaking that I never stress about it again. It will help me say yes to so many more opportunities to raise my team’s profile and show the world how great they are at what they do – and what Knight Frank does as a business. It will help me stop second-guessing myself – and that alone won’t just help me grow professionally, but it will put me in a position where I can nurture my team. Self-doubt locks out a lot of opportunities, and I think this programme will help me manage that.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
My biggest fear is that I would disappoint my firm and the women in my cohort. But what gives me peace of mind is that I share this fear of failure with others – knowing that other people are scared about the same thing as I am is bizarrely comforting. It reminds me to take my nerves a little less seriously, because they’re not specific to me or my competencies – they’re part of being human.
Natasha Trathen
Company: Nuveen Real Estate
Job title: Senior associate, global product & solutions
How did you get into real estate?
I fell into real estate. My background is in law but this wasn’t a path I wanted to pursue so looked for something different. I was lucky enough to join a training programme at Henderson Global Investors (now Janus Henderson Investors). The programme was a one-year contract with the product development team. It was a great fit and I enjoyed five years with the team but needed a change.
Nuveen Real Estate, previously TH Real Estate, was part owned by Henderson, which meant I was familiar with the great culture Nuveen has, but I was also really excited about the opportunity to work with an asset class that was tangible. The firm’s sustainability credentials were also a big pull factor. I now work on Nuveen’s product and solutions team, and my specialisms are European debt and impact investment strategies.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
A future leader is able to inspire people to action, not by directing them to fulfil certain tasks or roles, but by bringing people along on the journey with them so they are equally motivated to achieve the action set out. The ability to deliver a message with clarity and passion is something that I’m really excited to progress in the programme.
Leaders also have a big responsibility to be at the forefront of change and to drive innovation in their roles. Particularly leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences as we move towards embedding diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This responsibility again highlights the need for really clear and impactful communication.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
Part of the appeal of the programme for me is to gain the confidence to be able to deliver a strong and impactful message to any size of audience. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to present in my role; however, as many people do, I find presenting an incredibly stressful experience and can only find my way through it by memorising a script.
Developing my confidence through the programme by practicing to present with impact, on a topic that I am passionate about, drawing on my personal experience and knowledge is a really exciting opportunity.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
Being able to deliver a message with authority and presence. As a woman in a largely male-dominated industry, you may be overlooked or spoken over by more senior, generally male, colleagues, or you may not speak up as you expect this to happen. I hope that the skills I acquire through the programme help me to voice my opinions, so that I can be a real driver of change and evolution in our industry.
I also hope that having the confidence to speak in public allows me to put my hand up for these opportunities as they present themselves, to help me to further deliver this message. I would like to get to stage where I don’t need to panic about speaking in front of others.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
Watching last year’s group deliver their talks was really inspirational; their topics were really powerful and the passion that they delivered their talks with was really motivating. I also found watching the talks quite intimidating. Watching the group of women present, they were so professional and proficient at presenting, it was an amazing evening. I first thought that I would never be able to present with such confidence and eloquence after watching the talks. However, after attending my first workshop I feel excited for the challenge and feel the programme will help to give me the skills to present with impact.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
Gaining the confidence to talk without notes, and without a plinth to stand behind will be a real personal achievement. I hope that this will help me to speak out more in my job more generally, whether it be to challenge things that I don’t agree with, standing up for ideas I support, or even as simple as letting my voice be heard in meetings.
I also hope that my talk inspires action. I feel really passionate about the topic I am presenting on and think that our industry can make a real difference if we get behind it.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
Aside from the very large crowd that I will have to present to at the grand finale, my biggest fear is getting in my own way. It is far easier to remain in your comfort zone and not push yourself to try something new, particularly when that something new is scary to start with. By participating in the programme, I’ve already started on this path of pushing myself to try something new. However, to make the most of it requires me to throw myself into the experience despite my fears.
Nicola Wood
Company: Grosvenor
Job title: Community engagement manager
How did you get into real estate?
I joined Grosvenor in 2017 after graduating with a MA in the Sociology of Cities from Goldsmiths, University of London. This academic context means that I am interested in the ways that people are affected by the built form, particularly the relationship between urbanism and social diversity or inclusion.
During my studies I conducted research into Covent Garden, which highlighted a distinct sense of place and multi-faceted local community. The unique identity of the market and neighbouring streets was at risk of being replaced through the saturation of high-end retail. Speaking to the divergent groups of business and residents it was clear that many local people were not being heard and their needs were not being met. I knew that I wanted to help change this.
I was encouraged by Grosvenor’s approach as a landlord and its long-term view on estate management. The principle of delivering social benefit alongside commercial profit is important to me. Working for Grosvenor as a dedicated community engagement resource allows me to make sure that local people are given a voice in all our work.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
We are going through an era of rapid change and faced with challenges of sustainability not only of the built environment, but also society. Previous qualities of “command and control” and binary hierarchical roles within an organisation are less effective in this complex context. Future leaders will need to be innovative, with an ability to listen and be accessible, learning from others while holding firm to their vision.
Future leaders bring authenticity to a subject because they are not afraid to share personal experiences or show vulnerability. They have strong personal values that align well with the objectives they are trying to achieve. Future leaders are people who motivate others and mobilise them to act in response to these challenges. They invest in those around them and support the next generation – they show other people the ladder rather than pulling it up behind them.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
The training programme will help me to believe in my own expertise. It will show me how to deliver my message in an impactful way and to tell a compelling story around a subject that I am passionate about.
I’m looking forward to learning about the impact of body language, and how I can use this to create a dynamic presence, own the space and “hold” an audience. The training will also help me to deliver my message in a concise and considered way, using a measured pace of presentation so that people absorb what I’m saying.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
The confidence gained from the training programme will allow me to be more ambitious. I will put myself forward for public speaking opportunities in a variety of forums such as panels, lecture series or podcasts; I will no longer avoid taking the stage.
By progressing the skills to effectively deliver a message that I am passionate about, I will be able to continue to leave people with a call to action and a want to respond to what I am saying.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
As soon as I saw last year’s speakers, I knew I wanted to take part in this programme. All the women spoke so passionately about their subjects and had the ability to inspire and motivate. I wanted to know how I get from here to there.
Being given this opportunity and world-class coaching is a privilege, and I so went into the first training session knowing that I need to soak up every part of this experience and ultimately put my trust in the Ginger team to get me on to that stage.
Meeting the other participants was exciting, as we are all from different parts of the industry and were quick to share stories about our experiences. I know we will be able to support each other throughout this process and I’m pleased I’m not doing it alone.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
This process will give me a platform to talk authentically about something that I believe is important. I am passionate about the significance of social sustainability alongside economic and environmental aims. While the industry is gradually diversifying from a gender perspective, there is still a lot to be done in terms of diversity of thinking, background and BAME representation. We need to do more to better reflect the communities we are active within. I would use this opportunity to champion effective community participation and representation in the planning process and accelerate my professional contribution in this area.
I welcome the opportunity to highlight the erosion of public trust and resulting importance of better community participation in the planning process. Set within this context of restoring trust, I would promote the need for better engagement with hard-to-reach demographics, particularly young people. Changes are required to better reflect the diverse needs and aspirations of today’s young adults and I would advocate for corporate and strategic-level change with targeted projects to more effectively engage with them.
Although the training programme is preparing us for a 400-person audience, by applying the skills to everyday professional situations I hope to make an even more valuable contribution to Grosvenor. I will be encouraged to “think big” and hope that my increased confidence and presence in the industry will open doors of opportunity to become a representative in my field.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
Having the confidence that my voice alone is enough. As an over-preparer, over-thinker and perfectionist, the idea of speaking without notes is unnerving. I am looking forward to building the skill set that enables me to step out of my comfort zone.
Lucy Whitfield
Company: Cluttons
Job title: Associate, residential valuation
How did you get into real estate?
I’ve always had an interest in the built environment and the way that people use those environments, which I think is why residential property appealed to me. This is basically just a fancy way of saying that I’m incredibly nosey. Geography was my favourite subject in school and when it came to applying to university I wanted to do something more vocational, so surveying seemed like the right fit for me. On top of that, my dad is a surveyor so I’ve grown up reasonably aware of surveying, which definitely influenced me to go into it, although I don’t think he expected me to pursue the same career as him.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
I think it’s a great opportunity to help change the perception of residential surveying. I feel like it is sometimes an area that gets a bit overlooked, especially in terms of education and also at the beginning of your career, so hopefully I’ll be able to give an insight into my world and help promote our profession. I think this is true of so many professions and something we’re probably all guilty of in some way but it’s very easy for us to keep our heads down and work hard so I think it’s a great opportunity to put myself out there a bit more and promote myself as a future leader.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
We work in such a far reaching industry which impacts on so many people’s lives so I’m looking forward to learning about other people’s work and the roles that they play. It is also going to be really interesting to learn about how we can all come together to represent our industry as a collective and the different stories we all have to tell.
On a personal level I’m looking forward to what the course is going to teach me about myself, what my strengths and weaknesses are and how I can harness them.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
The skills we acquire will put us all in a great position to develop our networks and develop our understanding more of the world we work in. I hope that the skills I develop will help me promote myself as I progress my career and allow me to speak up, to be noticed and to, ultimately, be respected. Developing my public speaking skills and confidence will also hopefully enable me to embrace more opportunities for public speaking and presentations.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
Apart from the sheer terror at the prospect of doing it myself, I was intrigued to learn about the process of how they developed such great, motivating talks and how the stories they had to tell evolved and took shape over the course of the programme. I was also slightly anxious about how I would ever be able to find something so interesting and inspiring to talk about and what my story could be.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
I hope it will encourage my self-belief and confidence to succeed and progress my career to become a leader in my industry. I hope it will help me gain respect from my peers and it would be pretty good if I helped inspire some people to do something similar. I also think it will be amazing to have developed a wider network of people who are not perhaps directly related to our everyday roles, but who we can hopefully all draw on in the future, and generate even further exposure over time.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
Is delivering a 10-minute talk in front over 300 people without notes not obvious enough? Aside from that, I think a lot of this process is making yourself vulnerable in order to really get the most out of it and be prepared to learn things about yourself, which can be quite a daunting task. It is also really challenging and hard work – you really have to give it your all to get the most out of the experience. One challenge I think I’m going to have is after the course ends being able to keep momentum to expose myself to new situations and continue to put myself out there.
Sarah Bissessar
Company: Willmott Dixon Interiors
Job title: senior estimator
How did you get into real estate?
My favourite subject at school was design technology. I loved technical drawing and graphics. I also found buildings and the built environment fascinating. Looking at degree options, I was keen to consider architecture but had lost confidence in my freehand drawing and was concerned that I wouldn’t be good enough. I considered various management-type degrees but none of them seemed to be sitting right with me. I came across a half page advert for a construction engineering management degree at Loughborough University in the UCAS book which caught my eye… buildings and management and the course was sponsored by various construction firms with work placements in the second and third years. I was sold.
Since graduating in 2002 I’ve worked for three different main contractors, as well as spending five years working on a freelance basis when my children were very small. In my current role as a senior estimator for Willmott Dixon Interiors, I enjoy being involved with the early stages of projects and then being able to visit the projects and see them come to life when they get to site.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
Forging a path that others can follow. I see it as a bit like being at the front of a walking group and having to cut back foliage and brambles to get along the path, or even find a new path, but then others following on behind can walk through with more ease. As future leaders it’s our role to champion, lead on and demonstrate options to enable others to see a way through, be that balancing work and family life while maintaining and progressing in a career within the construction industry, or just to set an example and be role models to those around us and give confidence to other females entering or already in the industry.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
Over the past 10 years I think I’ve become increasingly content to be in the background rather than the foreground. Being put forward for the course has been a bit of a wake-up call and encouraged me to think about how what I do can impact on others. I have made some bold choices and requests during my career to prioritise family and “life” while also trying to maintain a career and I need to be more confident in sharing that. Learning to be more succinct in making a point, as well as bringing in stories to encourage and frame a message when speaking will also be really useful.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
Willmott Dixon has already made tackling the balance of gender in its workforce a huge priority. It was the UK’s highest-placed company in the recent FT Diversity Leaders list and made a huge commitment to achieve gender parity by 2030 right across the business. I’d love to help achieve that by being a role model both within Willmott Dixon Interiors and across the industry by being part of and leading increasingly diverse teams. There’s a great opportunity within the business to encourage and help develop the next generation of females coming into the industry and see them flourish, which I’m excited to be part of. Hopefully the skills learned will help me to become more confident in my presentation of ideas and in leading teams within the pre-construction side of the business. The network of friendships with the rest of the cohort will also be influential for all our careers as we share this brilliant experience.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
To be honest, I felt 80% terrified and 20% excited. I kept thinking “how have I ended up here?” and “what am I going to bring to the table that’s fresh and new that people are going to be interested to listen to?”. I was intrigued to see what techniques, strategies and teaching Ginger would use to help us overcome the fear factor, narrow down our topic thoughts and make us clear and concise in our presentation in terms of content and presence. However, even as the first five to 10 minutes of the course started I felt myself relax and start to enjoy the challenge and I’m getting to know a great group of ladies too. I’m looking forward to switching the balance to 80% excited and giving this my very best shot.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
I’m hoping that the Future Female Leaders programme will develop my confidence and give me a good basis to enhance my presentation skills, which will help me with leading teams of people and inspire them to achieve their full potential. I’m a people-focused person and I am looking forward to further developing my leadership skills in a safe environment by bouncing off other aspiring leaders from across the industry, alongside practical and inspiring training in public speaking. I’d love to help the business achieve its goal of gender parity by 2030 by being a role model both within Willmott Dixon Interiors and across the industry.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
I think my biggest fear is freezing or speaking too quickly when it comes to the final talk. My natural fear and stress reaction in public speaking situations is to speak super fast, so I’m keen to avoid that, to slow down and remain in control. Already in the first session with Ginger I came away having done two mini three-minute presentations. In the first one I felt comfortable but the second felt terrible. The difference I realised was how confident I felt with the content of what I was saying and that had a huge impact on my confidence in delivering it.
Laura Mackay
Company: Savills
Job title: Associate director, development
How did you get into real estate?
I fell into it entirely by chance. I finished a geography degree at the University of Sheffield and hoped I would just have an epiphany about what career I would pursue when I finished. A good friend of mine showed me a RICS-accredited planning & development masters course that she was thinking of applying to. I had never really come across surveying as a potential career before but liked the look of it and could see myself doing it. I have always had an interest in property so I applied in the July, started the course shortly afterwards in September and then spent the year getting work experience alongside the course. Now here I am after applying to the Savills graduate scheme. I’m not sure if you can count that as an epiphany but I’m glad it happened.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
It’s obviously very flattering to have been asked to represent Savills at a flagship EG event. It’s great to have recognition for my hard work by being thought of as a future leader. I now suddenly feel responsible for representing the company I work for and women more widely, having never given much thought to being a woman in property before that. I don’t think I’ve ever been held back for being a woman and being asked to participate in the future leader initiative is testament to that.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
I hope to become a confident and engaging public speaker who is not fazed by large audiences. I’m excited to be given the opportunity to have such fantastic public speaking training in order to develop my business skills. One thing that stood out for me at the launch event was how positive last year’s cohort was about the training and how at ease they were when speaking to an audience – hopefully I’ll be feeling equally at ease once the programme has finished. I’m also looking forward to building a network with my fellow future leaders and engaging with important topics that are focused around change in the real estate industry.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
I would like to use the platform and training to be more comfortable with speaking at events that we host at Savills, as well as events where we are invited to speak. I would like to have the confidence to put myself forward for public speaking and not feel nervous about standing in front of an audience. I also want to be able to improve my pitching to help generate more business opportunities and build on what I have already achieved within the business. I hope that becoming a role model will encourage other women to step forwards. I would also like to be able to share what I learn throughout the programme with other people to help them develop their skills as well.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
I was very nervous and am still a little daunted by the whole experience at this early stage. I’m sure we will all settle into it and last year’s cohort are a great example of how people can deliver powerful speeches. The main thing running through my mind was what on Earth am I going to speak about for 10 minutes, but I’ve been speaking to lots of people and researching potential topics which has been an interesting process.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
I hope it will have a positive impact on my career as I progress and take on more senior roles. I hope it will allow me to continue to build a business with Savills and help the wider perception of the property industry. It’s not a male-focused domain where women are not regarded as equals and I hope this programme helps to demonstrate that. I want to be able to help people move away from the misconception that women are not provided with opportunities to develop their skill set or recognised for their hard work in surveying.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
Just the small matter of having to stand in front of 400 people to do a 10-minute TED talk. I have presented at events, as well as internally at Savills on a number of occasions and while I don’t mind doing it, I have never felt particularly comfortable with it. I have never done anything on such a large scale before so I am definitely most nervous about the size of the audience. It’s also an entirely different presentation style to what I have done before with no visual aids and just talking on one topic which is quite scary, but I’m up for the challenge.
Katie Jacobson
Company: DLA Piper
Job title: Partner, real estate
How did you get into real estate?
Working in law was etched in my mind from a very young age, although I have absolutely no idea why. If I’m honest, I didn’t deviate from the plan because I quite liked the prescribed structure that law school, a training contract and the early years of qualification had to offer. Choosing to specialise in the real estate sector was somewhat more calculated. I love that when networking and socialising it is easy to explain my area of legal practice, contrary to explaining derivatives to the layman. The real estate sector is accessible to all, and the pace of transactions and the ability to add real value to tangible assets motivates me.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
It means taking responsibility to create, communicate and implement an inspiring vision of the future. It means ensuring that your team is motivated to engage with that vision, assembling a dynamic and capable team to help deliver the vision, managing the effective delivery of the vision and then ensuring the collective celebration of the team’s success once the vision has been accomplished.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
I hope to acquire a greater depth of self-awareness. To be able to acknowledge my abilities and identify areas that require further development is key to ensuring my continuous personal and professional growth and the subsequent success of my team. I hope to take part in challenging discussions with the other participants and leaders from their institutions, enabling us all to develop an insight into each other’s organisations and gain further experience through exploring the challenges we all face. I would love to identify a role model who inspires me and use the programme to consider the various leadership traits that I admire and would want to nurture.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
I hope the programme will give me the time and space to think about the future opportunities in our industry. I intend to share my experience and journey with my colleagues at DLA Piper, enhancing the opportunities for my wider team. As a curious person, I would like to ensure that I use the skills acquired to implement new ways of learning, encourage the application of transferable skills and the implementation of new ideas to our strategic outlook. Above all, given that the purpose of this programme is to learn the tools to become the best leader one can be, I would like to implement that sentiment for the benefit of my team and my clients.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
There is so much to learn but how grateful I am for the opportunity.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
Building a community. Followed closely by having the chance to take the time to learn and listen respectfully to others who I may not have had the opportunity to spend time with previously, being able to optimise and create time to make myself available for opportunities, and working as part of a new team and learning from one another.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
Paralysis when deciding on the topic for the talk. I am struggling with indecision, given the hundreds of options that may fit the bill. In a work context, I am usually able to make hard decisions and rarely suffer from indecisiveness. However, in my personal life and when decisions do not have a particularly detrimental impact, I tend to get stuck in “paralysis of analysis”.
Suzan Ucmaklioglu
Company: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Job title: Architect
How did you get into real estate?
My path to a career in the built environment involved three graduation ceremonies in order to become a qualified ARB-registered architect. With more than six years in practice and seven years in education, my experience has varied from high-profile public transport and civic projects, large-scale masterplans to intimate cultural buildings, working under several different collaborative forms of contracts.
My father was a civil engineer, so I felt naturally interested in the fabric of our cities. I first learned about architecture as a vocation during work experience in an engineering firm and entered the profession slightly out of stubbornness when teachers then told me I would make a far better nurse than an architect. I was determined to prove them wrong.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
For me, being a future leader means becoming a role model, setting an example and ultimately inspiring others to reach their full potentials. It means being approachable, consistently learning, never complacent in your own knowledge/talent and environment while simultaneously being emotionally intuitive and communicative with those around us – ultimately an inspirational leader.
I feel incredibly lucky to have met several truly inspiring leaders at different stages of my career path and am privileged to be surrounded by many incredibly talented and inspirational people on a daily basis both in practice at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, with our clients and collaborators as well as the University of the West of England, where I tutor. These leaders have made a valuable difference for me.
Our industry is notably and undeniably lacking in visible female leaders, however, this does not mean they are absent. To be a future leader means starting to redress that balance, and hope that through the visibility of our cohort, we collectively may be able to help others to step forward.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
I hope this programme will help to make existing inconspicuous leaders visible and create a more socially, culturally and inclusively diverse collective of leaders for the future, both male and female.
I’d like to think the skills this programme teaches will transcend beyond the individual participants of the cohort and into the wider context from co-workers to personal networks and everyone in the audience at the final event. Beyond the realm of gender equality to further diversity conversations such as inclusivity. I hope that I will be able to mentor and provide students and co-workers with a greater skillset to share their talent and intelligence beyond their personal boundaries.
Personally, I have been told I lack confidence, and perhaps I do, therefore like I have previously in life, I would like to take that feedback and use it to learn and grow. I hope to learn how to use my education and experience to overcome inhibitions which can hold us back.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
I want to be a better communicator, and to a wider audience. I hope the skills I acquire through the programme will give me an amplified voice that will enable me to help other early stage leaders, and less visible mid-stage leaders to step forward.
I also want to use the enhanced confidence and public speaking skills I am seeking to improve my own work and capabilities.
Beyond architecture, I would like to explore sharing knowledge closer to home. My father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis many years ago, which enables an understanding for the transient nature of physical ability, something which is becoming increasingly relevant in emerging policies for the built environment today.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger?
“How on Earth did I get here? And why on Earth did I sign up for this?!” Throughout the first session I felt a full range of emotions, from being utterly terrified to excited with a dash of imposter syndrome.
Last year’s cohort delivered topics consistent with today’s critical agendas: climate change, changing the image of success, the relevance of residential buildings, why women leave the industry, bringing the hidden to light and the gender pension pay gap. It was an event created to make change happen. With an extensive audience, it was packed to the brim with representatives from globally prestigious corporations within the built environment.
I kept reminding myself how encouraging the programme felt and the energy emanating to and from the audience during last year’s presentations. This energy filled me with the courage to embrace the day of coaching. Meeting the other members of the cohort felt energising, and a real sense of team bonding and, ultimately, collaboration bought a sense of unity.
What will be the greatest outcome for you from going through the programme?
Architects undeniably play a prominent role in the built environment, but are arguably under-represented within the forum of real estate.
Through this cohort and programme, I hope to promote and encourage further collaboration and communication across a wider spectrum of built environment professions outside of project-specific clusters ‒ and much earlier in the design process.
I hope that by using the platform to learn how to publicly speak up and voice an opinion, it will in turn encourage more people to do so. Not only cross-disciplinary but also to encourage a greater range of diverse and inclusive communication to result in a truly diverse and collaborative built environment fully functioning for the end user.
The integrity of a building should not be compromised by a collective of built environment professionals striving to deliver individual goals when adaptability will enable progress towards a singular common goal.
Voicing my opinion has always been a fear of mine. In the past I have felt comfortable speaking in front of an audience of people, however I have feared voicing an opinion. Especially to those more senior or more experienced than myself. I often find I take a long time to form an opinion and it is always open to change as our knowledge base grows and develops. By taking part in this cohort I hope that both myself and others will be able to face their fears for a progressive future.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
That I completely mess up and the message does not deliver for the audience. That what I have to say becomes jumbled and misinterpreted. I have every faith in the programme, Ginger and, through them, myself and ultimately hope this will not be the case.
Davina Clowes
Company: Savills
Job title: Director
How did you get into real estate?
I always took an interest in property. My father runs a rural practice and I respected and admired how much he enjoyed his job. I have always been very driven, so I had no interest in going to university to study a subject that would leave me none the wiser about the direction of my career once I graduated.
I wanted to do something vocational; something that was tangible, people-orientated and would draw upon my creativity as well as my interest in investment. An undergraduate in real estate and training as a surveyor gave me a clear path. Having said that, there were some hurdles along the way. Graduating in the GFC left me being offered a range of non-real estate jobs including an assistant lecturer, pub landlady, EA and finally to headhunting, which I did for two years before returning to real estate. There were no regrets as the business skills I learnt in a hard nosed sales environment were invaluable.
What does being a future leader mean to you?
It means becoming involved in shaping the agenda. It is taking ownership and being accountable. I hope it also means being supportive of others and helping them to be effective. It’s encouraging a conversation and taking the opportunity to challenge the status quo and make inspiring changes for the better, even if they are difficult. It also means trusting those who you work with, otherwise you won’t get anywhere fast.
For me it’s an exciting time to in the industry, the make-up of real estate is changing and on a personal level I hope to champion opportunities to improve diversity and inclusion across our business and the sector more widely.
What do you hope to learn from the programme?
I can be guilty of second-guessing myself and falling into negative thought patterns – particularly when it comes to public speaking. I hope to learn to take control of these fears and channel this nervous energy into improving my ability to deliver important messages, clearly and with conviction.
What do you want to do with the skills you acquire through the programme?
As a younger leader I want to be able to speak in public in an assured and clear way, which instils confidence in my message. The power of communication is instrumental in many walks of life but particularly so when you are a broker.
Having seen last year’s cohort deliver powerful, note-free talks up on stage, what was running through your mind as you sat down to begin your first training session with Ginger
I haven’t done the Ginger training yet, but my worry is I might melt/implode/explode as anxieties grip me. That saidx I know that proper preparation should prevent this from happening and I look forward to my first session. It’s time to get practising.
What will be the greatest outcome for you going through the programme?
It will probably surprise people who know me but I don’t like public speaking. I have always thrived in high-pressured environments and yet my biggest fear is failure. Imposter syndrome is something that has become all the more acute the more progressed I have got into my career so the opportunity to address this fears is one that I welcome. The greatest outcome would be for me to be able to take back control of my anxieties, as well as to use the platform to build my profile and expand my network across the industry. The programme feels like a great springboard that will help me in a range of scenarios – both at work and outside of it.
What is your biggest fear around the programme?
To fail.
To send feedback, e-mail samantha.mcclary@egi.co.uk or tweet @samanthamcclary or @estatesgazette
