International Women’s Day: Advice from Our Senior Leaders

Be Brave and Embrace Vulnerability

More than twenty years ago, Reading Room’s founder Margaret Manning gave Polly a simple piece of advice: be braver.

At the time, Polly admits she didn’t fully understand what that meant. But over the years, that message has become a guiding principle.

Going back about 20 years now, our founder Margaret Manning said to me: be braver. At the time I struggled with what that meant and over time I’ve tried to channel it regardless.

Recently we hosted an event with BIMA about Gen Z, and one of the panellists, a lady called Mariam Hussein, said the thing about Gen Z is “we don't care”. And she didn't mean that they aren't caring or and aren't invested. What she meant was they were really open to being vulnerable and to hearing lots of ‘No’s before they got to the ‘yes’ and being audacious.

So I think that’s what being brave is about. It’s something I try to channel daily. I haven’t always managed it day in and day out, but it’s advice I give to others as well.

Our vulnerability is a complete superpower. So yes, be brave.

— Polly Lygoe, MD of Reading Room

Embrace AI But Keep the Human Touch

As AI rapidly transforms how organisations work, Amanda encourages women not to step back from the conversation.

Don’t get left behind by AI. Embrace it, but also challenge it. Be the human between it and reality.

— Amanda Falshaw, AI Enablement Lead

Her advice highlights something essential: technology may evolve quickly, but human judgement and perspective remain critical.

Adaptability Is a Strength

Life rarely follows a fixed plan. For Emilie, learning to adapt has been one of the most valuable lessons in her career.

My advice to fellow women is not to be afraid of adaptation. Life changes quickly.

For example, I’m now a mother to twin girls. At first I didn’t think it was possible to do my job while also being a mum. I’m also going through a house renovation at the moment!

But I’ve managed to find a way to adapt by speaking to my colleagues at Reading Room, speaking to my boss, and finding a pattern that works.

Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid of change.

— Emilie Michlovsky, Head of Project Management

Remember How Capable You Are

Returning to work after maternity leave can be a challenging transition. Jade’s advice is a reminder that support networks matter.

It can be really difficult returning to work after being on maternity leave. If you’re struggling, talk to friends, family and colleagues.

And remember: you are capable of much more than you realise.

— Jade Larkin, Search Manager

Trust Your Instincts

Experience often gives us powerful instincts, but they can sometimes be difficult to articulate.

Rushell believes the key is learning how to translate those instincts into clear communication.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how important it is to trust your intuition.

We have instincts for a reason, but sometimes women can struggle to rationalise or explain those gut feelings.

Trust those instincts, but learn how to communicate the reasoning behind them. As your experience builds, you’ll develop a lot of knowledge that becomes almost subconscious.

Being able to articulate that learning gives you a stronger voice.

— Rushell Clarke, Client Partner

Release the Pressure to Be Perfect

For Aastha, one of the most important lessons is letting go of the pressure to be perfect.

As women we often hold ourselves to higher standards, but we don’t have to.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. No one is born perfect.

You don’t have to carry the burden of being perfect all the time. Make mistakes, learn from them, and keep moving forward.

— Aastha Shrivastava, Senior Drupal Developer

You Deserve to Be in the Room

Imposter syndrome is something many professionals experience, particularly early in their careers. Megan encourages embracing your value and trusting your voice.

My advice to my younger self and the women around me would be to remember that imposter syndrome is everywhere. Everyone questions themselves and sometimes feel like they don’t belong. I think that’s particularly true for women, and younger women especially.

But remember: because everyone’s feeling like that, you’re not the only one. You have a right to be there. There’s a reason that you’re there. You bring a unique perspective that your unique experiences have provided you with, and you deserve to be in that room. It doesn’t matter your gender, your age, or anything - your perspective brings value to the people around you.

— Megan Harvey, Communications and Marketing Lead