Five Lessons to Accelerate Your Career

Article written by Pip Marlow, CEO Customer Marketplace, Suncorp Group.

 

I grew up in a small New Zealand town, in a middle-class family with parents who believed that girls could do anything that boys could. We didn’t talk about it. We just lived it. Our family of seven worked hard whether it was chopping wood or peeling potatoes with consideration for ‘jobs for the boys’ or ‘jobs for the girls’. My parents’ values – hard work, diligence and equality – were ingrained early, and I now realise became my foundation as I entered the workforce and started my career path.

That career starting line was in IT – an industry that I fell into by chance but stayed in by choice for 25 years, the last six of which as the Managing Director of Microsoft. I moved into Financial Services 18 months ago – a leap of more than just industry. Reinventing and disrupting myself was something that I had been doing for decades, and this was another opportunity.

The last few years have taught me that leadership in an era of disruption is industry and role agnostic. Leaders are not leaders because they have the title; and no industry can thrive without leaders who embrace disruption. I hope my learnings can help others considering the next chapter in their career. Let me share a few of my favourites.

 

Self-disruption is not an option

Darwin says it best – adapt to survive. The difference in this lesson is about timing. Are you waiting for the change to occur and following the trend? Are you constantly looking for signals that guide how and where you develop the skills and capabilities for the future? In my career, stepping into emerging business areas came with both great risk and great reward.

 

Purpose is the secret sauce

Leaders can often clearly articulate bold goals that call out ‘what’ you want to achieve, like ‘be #1 in market share’. But if that’s as deep as you go, then the people you lead will wonder what’s the point. Great leadership comes from taking the time to articulate ‘the why’.

I know for a fact that most of the people I work with don’t get out of bed to sell a widget. At Microsoft, my purpose was to help Australians from all walks of life use technology to realise their potential. Now I’m at Suncorp, I’ve found my purpose hasn’t changed that much. I do what I do to support Australians to have a better life. I get to help people buy the homes of their dreams, grow their businesses and sleep soundly knowing the things they care about are protected. Never forget to articulate why you do what you do and share it with others.

 

Exercise mindful authenticity

I often get asked about authenticity, especially by women working in male dominated industries or companies. Do you need to be one of the boys? How can you be authentic but still accepted? It’s a complex area which touches on how inclusive your work environment is.

My advice is be true to yourself but remember that authenticity doesn’t excuse poor judgement. Let me explain. People tell me I’m funny and I like to think so too (at times!). Often in a meeting, a funny quip might pop into my head in reaction to something that’s been said. As funny as it might be, and as authentic as humour is to my personality, good judgement should always prevail. Always ask yourself – what is the best part of me to bring to this moment?

 

Your fear is a fear, not a fact

This is probably the most important lesson I have had to learn, and I still must work hard to remember it. As I went into new roles and companies or took on responsibilities where I didn’t have the subject matter expertise, I had to fight the self-talk of my fears. A voice that said things like, ‘you’re not good enough’ and ‘other people don’t think you can do this.’ This voice would tempt me not to step forward or speak up – but that is just me listening to my fear. Yes, I’ve made mistakes and asked silly questions, but I always pushed myself forward. The fear of failure should never hold you back because being scared to fail doesn’t mean you will.

 

Pay it forward

My career has been bolstered by those who went before me, broke glass ceilings, believed in me before I believed in myself, and mentored and sponsored me. It’s not about throwing a ladder down after you. Cast your net wide and help the next generation of women.

In Conversation: Gillian Franklin’s Guide to Leadership

With only $200 in her back pocket, Gillian Franklin arrived in Australia almost 35 year’s ago and would go on to have a successful corporate career and become the founder of her company The Heat Group, with annual retail sales of over $100M.
It’s safe to say Gillian is one of Australia’s entrepreneur success stories. From corporate heavy hitter, to start-up founder, to successful business women. Driven by the desire to run a business that encapsulated her personal values, The Heat Group won the rights to Procter and Gamble brands Max Factor and Covergirl, and managed the distribution for those brands in Australia for more than a decade. The company now has over 100 personal care brands in their portfolio.
Gillian is known for her passion for supporting women in the workplace, and is often found sharing her business experience, leadership skills, financial acumen, strategic thinking, and values-based lessons, through formal and informal mentoring initiatives. Gillian attributes her success to working incredibly hard, networking, and always surrounding herself with inspirational people.
So, we caught up with her before October’s WILS event to discuss what it takes to drop everything, go it alone and build a multi-million dollar business.

Can you tell me a little about your journey from Corporate Exec to Entrepreneur?

I was in a corporate role for more than 20 years when I decided to become an entrepreneur, although at the time I didn’t associate my next step ‘as an entrepreneur’ per se, it was more that I wanted to have my own business. The benefit to me of having worked in the Corporate world was that I had been exposed to a high level of professionalism with systems and processes and so I was committed to taking these disciplines into my new (albeit little) business. From the outset I established a professional Board (who were also shareholders) and established good foundations in our business processes to set us up for future growth and success. I don’t think Heat Doward would be as successful as it is today if I had started out without this experience under my belt. Having said that, it was still a very daunting experience knowing that you were now totally reliable on your own personal success to pay the mortgage and indirectly the mortgages of your staff – a very different kind of pressure.

 

What inspired you to make the move and what advice do you have to others who have just started a new business?

It was the late 1990’s and consumers around the world were challenging companies and brands to have “values” that were true to their brands and their behaviours (remember consumers throwing bricks through the Nike windows when they discovered the product was made in sweat shops in China?). It made my think about what kind of company I wanted to be proud of and how I could be more in control of my own destiny and my values. I was also passionate about supporting working women, especially working mums, and had recently launched the “Self Made Girl” programme to encourage young women to be financially independent. These two things encouraged me to resign from the safety and security of my corporate job and go out and create my own company that could be commercially successful but also contribute to society in some way – hence the Heat Group was formed with a passion and commitment to supporting women. This has been very rewarding and the advice I would give to others is take the plunge but with a robust plan, and most importantly surround yourself with great expertise that you can draw on, either as a Board or mentors/advisors, as you will experience many unforeseen hurdles, and wisdom from more experienced people is invaluable. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

 

What have been the biggest challenges you faced since starting The Heat Group?

Learning about the importance of cash flow. In my previous corporate roles, cash was readily available – this changes dramatically when you have your own business. The other challenge is finding the best people. Whilst we would all say we know this, the success of any company is directly linked to the quality of your people and this is often not recognised or taken seriously enough especially in a smaller company where individual performance can be so material to the outcome. And attracting the best person when you are a small company can also be difficult, so you need to find compelling reasons for the best to join your business. I did this with very competitive, relevant and attractive benefits that went beyond the salary, for example I offered full pay for 3 months maternity leave – and this was 18 years ago when it was unheard of!

 

What has been the most rewarding aspect?

Influencing the culture and values of the company. Integrity is very important to me and so having the authority to frame how we work, what kind of people I want to spend my day with and what values we work by was key for me. Your company becomes an extension of who you are as a person, which is very rewarding.

 

What is the best advice someone ever gave to you?

When preparing any contract, assume that the relationship will sour, and review the contract again in fine detail, with that perspective, to make sure you are completely protected in the (hopefully very unlikely) event that it occurs, before you sign. This doesn’t come naturally to me because I am an optimist at heart, but this approach has helped me out on numerous occasions.

 

What advice do you have for other women in the corporate sector who dream of running their own business?

  1. Surround yourself with people who are more experienced than you, as Board members and mentors

  2. Never compromise on the quality of your team

  3. Do your financial plan assuming at least 20% of your plans will not eventuate, and ensure you can still survive and be successful under these circumstances.

  4. Cash is king

 

Our main theme this year is Empowerment. What does this word mean for you?

Empowerment means being able to make your own choices and not compromise on your values, in a way that delivers both success and happiness to you. Being true to my values in everything that I do is very important to me. No exceptions. Empowerment is also about accountability, because ultimately, if empowered, you are fully responsible for your performance.

 

How do you, as a leader, seek to empower your staff?

We have a WIP process that is focused on KPI’s, learnings and achievements with a report that is presented to each manager by their team member at every meeting covering each of these topics. This is important as it empowers people at all levels of the organisation, gives them direction and recognises their contribution to the overall company goals on a regular basis.

 

What is your advice for other leaders and business owners when looking to empower women in their organisations?

Make it clear that employees are rewarded for outputs, not hours worked. Women are often so guilt-ridden about the need for flexibility and this is both unfair and unnecessary. Women should feel proud of their achievements and they should be rewarded for their performance and deliverables. In my experience, if you trust them, for example to work from home if required, they will repay you in spades. Loyalty and respect are key requirements for success in my view. And from a commercial perspective, as working women are the most important economic segment of the market (after all, they spend more in the economy than any other demographic!), it is in all of our interests to empower women and make them more successful.

 

Why do you think larger organisations still struggle with gender equality, especially in more senior roles?

I would like to approach this question differently and rather than consider what the organisation should do, consider what women can do to achieve more success.

a) I feel that women today still sell themselves short. They don’t push for the promotions in the same way men do, don’t demonstrate corporate courage and are not as experienced negotiators. Ask for the promotion and network to achieve it – don’t wait for it to be offered.

b) Due to pressure on their time at home, it is important women need to plan, as best as possible, to have adequate support for their non-work duties, so they can deliver what is expected in the corporate environment- be that home help or flexibility in their role.

c) I encourage all women to have formal and informal mentor relationships, who can develop the skills they are lacking, to help them be successful (on their terms). Women should also join as many business groups as possible to expand their networking with business leaders. Above all, think of yourself as a brand that requires marketing.

In Conversation: Sue Hollis, Adventurepreneur

From corporate role to self-made entrepreneur, Sue Hollis exclusive Interview with WILSummit

Sue Hollis’ story isn’t your classic rags to riches fairy tale, it’s not event your conventional corporate role to self-made entrepreneur! The self-titled “Adventurepreneur” packed up her high-flying corporate life with an international airline to start her own company, TravelEdge. Wanting more than the ‘career success trajectory’ had planned for her, Sue was desperate to build something for herself, something many of us always dream of but are too scared of leaving the salary, job security, and corporate benefits that have become so comfortable.

Sue’s story is a fascinating one. In our extended interview, she opens up about building her dream company to over $250 million and then, leaving it all behind to bike across The States, and write her book!

Sue will be sharing her story at this year’s WILSummit and I can’t wait to find out more about this Adventurepreneur!

 

Hi Susan, thanks for taking some time out to talk with us today. As a founder of the company, your journey to the C-Suite hasn’t been all that conventional. How did it all come about?

I don’t think my journey could ever be called conventional!

I was a corporate heavy hitter with international airlines for over twenty years working in sales, operations and global strategy, where my feet were firmly planted in the career success trajectory! I lived and breathed my work – it gave me excitement and adventure beyond my imagination.

But it wasn’t enough. I realised that I wanted to build something of my own…I wanted to create a values-led business that delivered amazing results for customers and perhaps even more importantly, to create an environment where my people could learn, grow and flourish both personally and professionally.

In 2000, I walked away from corporate life (and all its security!) and with my partner Grant Wilson stepped into the wild world of entrepreneurship to start our own business – TravelEdge – a business that would eventually become a multi-million dollar company.

Initially, Grant and I did everything – there was no delineation between roles as we scrambled to bring our business to life. But as the company continued to grow, specific roles emerged for both of us. Although we didn’t realise it at the time, one of the strengths of our partnership was that despite our core values being totally aligned, we had completely opposite skill sets.

This led to Grant taking responsibility for the strategic development of the company, while I managed of the operations – with my role eventually growing into the CEO for the 5 separate businesses within the TravelEdge Group…and so yes – a particularly unique path to the C-Suite!

 

What were the big turning points of pivotal moments from taking an idea, a concept, and building it into a multi-million-dollar organisation?

In the past 18 years, TravelEdge has been through a number of pivotal moments – moments that certainly could have gone either way for us…but fortunately, most of them have helped create the strong company we have today.

Key moments for us included:

Getting started: For six months Grant and I wandered around trying to fine -tune our business model to make sure it was perfect. We weren’t prepared to start the business until everything was completely in alignment and under control. But the stagnation began to overwhelm us– until we learnt the invaluable lesson: Start before ready – you’ll never be ready!

Weathering the Storms: In our first year of operation, in one week alone Ansett Airlines went bankrupt – they owed us money…our largest client Gate Gourmet went bankrupt – they owed us a lot of money and then the tragedy of September 11 occurred – meaning all international flights ceased. In a newly minted business, the cash flow implications of these events were staggering…but we dug deep and learnt we could withstand just about anything.

Holding your Values: We stand by our values – they drive every business decision we make and are integral to the success of our company and our people. This means that we’ve turned away potential business where the company involved was not aligned to our values, and we’ve walked away from existing customers whose culture and values have had a negative impact on our people. Even in tough financial times, and in times when the commercial impact was significant, no matter what – we have stood by our values.

 

Many founders talk about their mistakes and failures as important as their ‘wins’. Has this been the same for you and your journey?

It’s funny – I think I remember the mistakes far more than the wins…because their lessons have been far-reaching and impactful.

A brilliant mentor of mine once told me, that if I wasn’t making mistakes then I wasn’t pushing the boundaries enough. We’ve certainly pushed boundaries in our business – some have been incredible successes – some have been significant failures…but you don’t get to “great” by settling for average.

In our business and for our people, a mistake is only a mistake if it’s repeated. If we don’t take the learning and do something differently, then that’s a failure…but if we’ve gone into something full prepared and have still gotten it wrong – then we chalk it down to experience and move on. But we’d rather try and get it wrong than not try at all.

 

I guess as a founder, you didn’t have a lot of mentors from within the business. Was there anyone who really helped you on your career path and in building Travel Edge?

I was fortunate in my corporate career to have had two exceptional mentors, and their generosity of spirit, knowledgeable support and unwavering belief gave me the courage to step into the life of entrepreneurship, but after that, I was on my own – although having an amazing business partner helped.

I’m not sure I would have had the courage to have started the business by myself – but having a reasonably brilliant partner sharing the load was a significant bonus!

The beauty of starting my own business though was that it was a real-life MBA learning experience every day…there was no theory involved, just hard facts, tough decisions and impactful consequences…I learnt fast!

 

When your business kept growing and you evolved into essentially the CEO, was there anything that you found particularly challenging? How did you overcome this?

There were many things that I found difficult as the business grew and my role continued to evolve.

Some of my biggest challenges include:

  • Learning to work on the business and not in the business – understanding that as a CEO my role was strategic, not tactical (my safe place!) was hard
  • Learning to let go – accepting that I had great people who were infinitely capable of making good decisions without me!
  • Not taking people with me – when the team was small, it was easy for me to impact and inspire…but as the business grew, my reach was not as personal, and I had to work very differently in order to ensure everyone was committed to our vision
  • Keeping the values and culture alive – again, it’s easy for a company culture to be vibrant when there are 10 people – it’s very different with 150 people. It took the development of systems and frameworks to ensure that our culture is consistent, and our values are lived – no matter how big we become
  • Investing in growth before we were ready – you have a choice in business – wait till you get the growth and then put the support structures in place or go out on a limb and establish them in advance so that your business has space to grow. We always chose the latter – but it was a scary place to be!

 

One challenge many CEOs cite is juggling the work/life balance and you’ve openly talked about this. What is your secret to achieving ‘balance’?

I personally don’t believe there is such a thing as “work/life” balance. I think it’s impossible to expect that you are going to be perfect in all aspects of your life 100% of the time – and striving for that impossible standard just creates incredible pressure and stress.

I’ve learnt to trade “balance” for “harmony” – and to accept that if you’re going to do amazing things in your life and not settle for “average”, sometimes you are going to have to be out of balance – and that’s OK. “Balance” is not for driven people!

Instead of trying to balance everything evenly at all times – work, family, relationships, your personal life – harmony is about tipping the scales one way when you have to, and then swinging them back the other way when you have the opportunity.

Sometimes I’ll need to work on something till 0200 in the morning – and that may mean that my family doesn’t get to see me, or I’ll miss my morning run – but that’s OK. That’s life. That’s the way it is. My performance is better, and I am far less stressed when I’m completely present and focused on the task at hand.

But when the deadline is over, I tip the scales back the other way – and invest in the other vital areas of my life and importantly, I never beat myself up about not achieving the impossibly fictitious standard of “balance”.

 

You’ve just written a new book “Riding Raw: A journey from empty to full”. The book is a very true and raw tale about finding fulfilment. Why is this so important in achieving success?

I believe there are two types of success in this world – head success and heart success.

Head success is about achieving the traditional measurements of success – the accomplished career, financial security, status and prestige, a lifestyle of opportunity…maybe a little power…it’s all the things that we’ve been taught from an early age to seek – believing they will make us happy.

And whilst head success is great – it’s absolutely fine to strive for head success, so long as it doesn’t define us – real happiness, real fulfilment comes from heart success.

Heart success is about being brave enough to step into the fullness of who you’re truly meant to be in this world. It’s about living a life of purpose and meaning and creating a life that makes a difference – a life that matters.

True success then is then finding the harmony between achievement and fulfilment in order to design a life of epic proportions!

 

Work/life balance is so important, especially for mental health. Having been the corporate heavy hitter, to the “adventrepeneur” – a term you coined in our early correspondents – what’s your advice for other women out there who are seeking to find this balance?

As I mentioned, I think work/life balance is pretty much an unattainable standard…and relentlessly striving for it creates unnecessary pressure and stress.

The trick in this world – particularly for our own well-being, is to create a life of meaning – a life that inspires, ignites and energises…and we do that by getting clear on what’s important.

I use the phrase “Adventurepreneur” to describe myself because, on my journey from corporate heavy hitter to entrepreneur, I realised that there was one thing that truly gave me joy. And that was adventure – be it racing motorbikes, climbing mountains, hiking glaciers…I realised that when I introduced elements of “adventure” into my world, my life took on a whole new perspective. Adventure completely fulfilled me.

And so, in my commitment to living a life of meaning, I’ve consciously created a lifestyle around my passion for adventure. I have set up businesses and taken on roles that give me space, the opportunity and the freedom to do what I love whilst still allowing me to engage in the “real” world!

Whilst I appreciate that I’m fortunate to be able to dedicate large amounts of time to follow my passions, we all need to find something that’s of real meaning to us and commit to carving out space to step into that place of joy on a regular basis.