"Are you prepared to take the shit?" asked
Fiona Mactaggart MP, Shadow Junior Minister for Equality and keynote speaker at our
Inspiring Leaders event – a packed, over-subscribed day of discussion panels and training sessions (three running in the morning, three in the afternoon) – yesterday.
Fiona’s keynote speech began the day, which was organised by
Camden Speakers Club and
Progressive Women, with her tips on how be a leader (see quotes below).
We are extremely grateful to all the speakers and trainers (all listed
here), and the volunteers who gave up their time and expertise to make it an inspiring, enjoyable and educational day.
Thanks for all your
Tweets too!
Read Emma-Louise Hardman's guest post on the Progressive Women website
here. And a piece from Kathryn Perera, who spoke at the event, on her Sheblogs website
here.
See
photos from the day, taken by Kirsty McCall Thornley
.
Listen to podcasts of the discussions on the
route to leadership and
overcoming the challenges of leadership.
Inspiring ideas
Fiona Mactaggart, MP, Shadow Junior Minister for Equality: "Base everything on your values. Work harder than everybody else. Help other women."
Lee Chalmers, leadership coach, who also delivered a workshop on leadership: "Be authentic and know who you are. Whatever you lead, you have to do it first.”
Louise Doughty, novelist: "Tell the truth. Develop a hide as thick as a rhino, which is good for you – shows you how hard you have to fight. Have fear, but do it anyway."
Kathryn Perera, Labour Women's Network, barrister and writer: "To be a leader, you have embrace feelings [about things being tough]. Self-doubt is important; all leaders feel self-doubt.”
Deborah Cameron, Oxford University linguist and author of the book ‘The Myth Of Mars And Venus: Do Men and Women Really Speak Different Languages?’: "We have to challenge the myths [of gender differences, for which there is no scientific evidence]. Challenge them in everyday life. The truth is, no one is good at multi-tasking!"
Vicky Booth, Lib Dem Campaign for Gender Balance: "As a woman, you have to deal with perceptions [prejudices] that people have of you."
Boni Sones, Executive Producer, Women’s Parliamentary Radio: "My motivation as a leader is Henry Moore. He said: 'I kept going and the others dropped out.'"
The training sessions were as follows: Ellie Cumbo (debating), Gilly Hollis (public speaking), Pia Henderson and Nicola Preston Bell (communication and confidence), Lee Chalmers (leadership), Christine Kerrison (assertiveness) and Kristie West (empowerment).
Three tips for public speaking from Gilly Hollis (via Inspiring Leaders delegate Athos Athanasiou):
- Audience: understand who they are
- Rehearse: no actor will go on stage without a good rehearsal
- Talk: the best speakers just talk to the audience...and answer questions in the same tone.
