8th March marks a day of global recognition and empowerment – International Women’s Day. It’s more than a celebration; it’s a movement, a reminder that progress doesn’t happen by chance but through deliberate and collective effort. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” calls on us to push boundaries, reshape outdated perceptions, and take tangible steps toward creating a world where women thrive without limitations.
At Recognise Bank, we know that true progress is driven by voices that are heard, stories that are shared, and actions that follow. As part of our International Women’s Day celebrations, we encouraged our teams to share their personal learnings and stories – we posed two key questions to our team.
- What is one challenge you have overcome in your career?
- What advice would you give to your younger self?
Here are the insightful and inspiring responses we received.
What is one challenge you have overcome in your career?
- Imposter Syndrome.
- Overcoming class prejudice.
- I was the only female in a team of six. I put pressure on myself to be better than my male colleagues in every sense – better at getting deals in, better at writing reports, better at networking, better at hitting targets – and it was tiring and counterproductive. I overcame it by talking, having a conversation with the members of the team and my line manager at the time, and came to realise that I did not need to do this, as I was accepted for the person I was and not because I was a female.
- I’ve encountered moments that have signalled it was time to move on and grow. With each transition, I gained confidence, staying true to my character and personality as I progressed.
- I was working at a company that enabled me to deliver good results for my clients and the firm and drive my career growth, all the while battling a toxic internal environment within the firm. By building a reputation for revenue growth and high-quality delivery, I was able to use that to challenge those responsible for the culture and protect more junior staff members as best I could from the toxicity.
- Undertake a full time relationship manager role on a part time basis. I managed it working a lot of unpaid hours, when my young children were in nursery or asleep. I did it to help my ”mum guilt”.
- Gaining respect and building a strong reputation in the property market in what was (back in the day) a male dominated environment.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
- Believe in yourself, and others will believe in you. For over 25 years of my 30+ year career, I suffered from Imposter Syndrome. As I was promoted to more senior positions, the Imposter Syndrome became more intense until, thankfully, I was fortunate enough to meet a Leadership Coach, a lady called Pauline. She was amazing, truly brilliant. Over a period of six months, she helped me address my Imposter Syndrome through some simple techniques that helped me cope and ultimately silence it. The best advice I can give anyone who suffers from Imposter Syndrome is to remember: you are in the role you are in because someone believes you are capable and have the skills to do it. They know you can be and will be successful, which is why they put you into the position you are in. Believe in yourself; other people do.
- If you want to get noticed and promoted, get involved in solving ad hoc problems.
- Be wary of those with supreme confidence. They are usually quite uncreative. The greater the artist, the greater the self-doubt.
- In the first phase of your career, everyone senior to you is rooting for you. In the second phase, they are not. Try to identify where the shift in phases occurs and adapt.
- Trust that everything will work out in the end and that any setbacks and tough times are temporary.
- Throughout your life, you will encounter barriers and obstacles that will challenge you and push you to the limit. Trust yourself and never give up because your strength and determination will see doors open to fantastic opportunities, and the journey of your life will be amazing.
- Always be true to yourself. Don’t let others’ perceptions shape or change you.
- Have a plan. Perform in your current role but deliver for the role above you. Embrace difficult opportunities – even if you fail, you will still be ahead of where you were. You have a voice; use it.
- Don’t lose sleep over something that is outside your control and don’t stress about trying to achieve perfection!
- Don’t listen to your own self doubt, you can do it!
Accelerating Action for the Future
At Recognise Bank, we stand behind the call to “Accelerate Action.” By fostering conversations, supporting career growth, and empowering women to overcome challenges, we create an environment where everyone – regardless of gender – can succeed.
This International Women’s Day, let’s commit to accelerating progress, challenging biases, and championing each other’s successes. Together, we can create a more inclusive future where every woman’s achievements are recognised, and every opportunity is accessible.
