I’ve been a recruiter for more than two decades, and throughout that time I’ve had the great privilege of bearing witness to the professional and personal lives of hundreds of people.
I’ve seen raw ambition, hard-work, shifting priorities, incredible successes, adaptability and frustration all in equal amounts. But perhaps the most important thing I’ve seen is the difference between people who achieve their goals and those who do not.
As a female entrepreneur with a family, one of the things that intrigues me is the specific challenge faced by women in the workforce. In a survey among 450 people, we saw that half of PR and communications professionals in Asia Pacific were not actively seeking promotion and a third said they did not want to move into a leadership position. This finding begs the question: Why don’t more women aspire to take on leadership roles?
Answering this question and exploring ways I can help empower professional women motivates me on a daily basis. Three fundamental principals have guided my approach:
To achieve success, you have to see success
Last year, Prospect launched its inaugural mentorship programme. Industry leaders were partnered with professionals at all levels to provide guidance, perspective and support. But more importantly, the mentors taking part demonstrated that with hard work and determination senior leadership roles are attainable.
We were delighted to find that more than 85% of people who took part were likely to recommend the programme to others. Following on from this success, we look forward to launching the next mentoring programme in Q3, 2021.
Great rewards often require taking risks
Time after time I’ve seen highly skilled, experienced women unwilling to raise their hands and take on new opportunities that seem outside the box. While it’s obvious to me that these women are qualified and capable, something is holding them back from taking a risk that will likely advance their careers.
This year, Prospect is delighted to announce our new coaching service. We will work with individuals and corporations to identify and overcome barriers to professional success. Coaching will be provided on a one-on-one basis, small group workshops or seminars for corporations.
I’m excited to lead this new initiative and bring to the table my executive coaching certification with the Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership (IECL) along with more than 6 years’ experience of one-on-one coaching with executives in Asia.
With this addition, Prospect combines recruitment, mentoring and coaching to provide true partnership to develop and enhance careers.
Self-confidence is a superpower that can be learned
Confidence can make the difference between achieving career success and plateauing mid-level. No one is born with self-confidence, rather it is acquired by recognising and valuing your abilities and experience.
We’re kicking-off our new coaching service with The Female Confidence Booster Workshop. This half-day workshop has been created to give women the tools to build their confidence and achieve their professional and personal goals.
The workshop will enable participants to:
- Understand their strengths and how to use them effectively in the workplace
- Manage their inner critic in a way that will help facilitate growth
- Move out of their comfort zone and take risks
- Understand the importance of their environment and ‘tribe’
- Use confident language and have a voice in the boardroom
Register here to join me at one of the workshop sessions. There are only six places available per session, so book now to avoid disappointment.
For more information about Prospect or to discuss your career trajectory, please contact me directly.
Emma Dale
Co-Founder and Managing Director (Asia)
emma@prospectresourcing.com