A very Happy International Women's Day to you!
In celebration of women supporting women, we got together as a team to discuss why women (women leaders in particular) inspire us so much. We are lucky to have an amazing team that is filled with inspirational women. We have 3 outstanding women in our interview:
Sasha Wight, Founder and EX Lead
Jalyn Tan, Senior Employee Experience Consultant
Rahmani Nitiyudo, Marketing & Engagement Lead
You can access the interview here:
But if you prefer reading, here's what our awesome team had to say.
Q: Who inspires you?
Rahmani: I'm inspired by a lot of women every day. But I would have to say Greta Thunberg. She’s been an advocate for the younger generation in fighting climate change. At such a young age, she has the confidence and bravery to stand up for what she believes in. And she has the courage to stand up for herself against adults that bully her such as Donald Trump. She definitely puts them in their place. So I feel like her whole mission and vision and what she’s constantly doing on a daily basis with raising awareness for climate change is truly inspiring.
Jalyn: On the contrary, it is hard for me to pinpoint one person that inspires me the most. Because I've seen so many strong women over the years who has the juggle their family amidst busy work schedules. And at certain times, even the sacrifices they have to make to achieve a balance. So I think this is not an easy thing but it's something to be extremely proud of. So I am inspired by their drive to work harder every day.
Q: What characteristics do you admire in a leader?
Jalyn: For someone to be an inspiring leader, it has to be someone who walks the talk. Someone who really seeks to understand and assess the situation from different perspectives, be it yourself or counterparts. And really have their ears on the ground and really listen to things bottom-up as well.
Rahmani: For me, it's a leader who is empathetic or just shows that they have some empathy within them. Some leaders might not really show that side of them. But personally, I've seen a lot of leaders who talk to their juniors on a more human to human level. It is quite inspiring to see and it motivates me to become a leader who is also in that way.
Q: What advice would you give to women who are starting off their first roles?
Rahmani: I feel like I'm in the same spot. I find it challenging sometimes to think about where do I start, but I think the first thing is to just be brave. Coming into the workplace you might have people underestimating you, but you have to be brave enough to go through those hurdles and prove them wrong. At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words and you just need the confidence to prove that you're smart and you're worth it.
Jalyn: I think my advice, even a thing I would say to my younger self is to get started. Even though your first job might not be your dream job, I think it's about really building your soft skills through these exposures and the network as well. And it's only after you've started then you can have the experience to build a pathway for yourself.
We hope that this session has been inspiring for you. Don't forget to tune into our YouTube channel and upcoming blog posts for more exciting content where we interview inspiring female industry leaders from around the world!
