Where does she find the energy!

I was introduced to Lamé by our recent wilm&a contributor Karen Hands and speaker at our last wilm&a online event, who rightly foresaw that the two of us had a shared set of core values and desire to make a positive difference in the lives of women.

Lamé currently sits on the board of trustee for Uganda Conservation Foundation, a charity set up to support wildlife populations. She is also the co-chair of Lean-in Energy, Europe & Sub-Saharan Africa, and serves as a governor for NESCOT, a UK Further Education College. She has recently joined a FTSE 100 company, where she will be driving strategy and innovation within the Renewables and Energy Transition space.

 After meeting with Lamé, I felt re-energised, not only because she is an Energy Executive who is helping to address the underrepresentation of women in the Energy industry, but because we both stand for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We both believe in working with others to eliminate gender inequity within our respective spheres.

The two of us combined have over 40 years of experience in leadership roles, with Lamé specialising in the Energy Industry across – upstream, midstream, oil field services and renewables. While I, on the other hand, having worked across diverse sectors such as SaaS, Real Estate, NGO and my recent endeavour into Executive Education at Oxford University.  

We are both alumni of the Women in Leadership executive program, which emphasises self-development, self-awareness, and self-acceptance to understand one’s leadership style. The program has allowed our conversation to flow easily, and we have spoken about where women should focus their attention, especially during these precarious years with an ongoing pandemic. We talked about how women can reach personal heights, from filling the gaps to stretching themselves, collaborating, and elevating each other.  

 We also recognise how important it is for women in leadership roles to ensure they make room for other women to grow and celebrate their accomplishments. We have established online communities consisting of women from around the world, in different sectors, at various levels of leadership experience and with diverse aspirations.

 Having both had the opportunity to live and work in several geographies, which has enriched our leadership experiences. We have come together to support one another’s initiatives and show that there is room for us to succeed and collaborate. Lamé and I also exchanged thoughts on women seeking their subsequent leadership roles and why we believe we can come unstuck during these endeavours.

Lamé – “According to the 2019 McKinsey and Lean In org report, the biggest obstacle to women progressing at work is not the glass ceiling as is commonly believed, but the very first step of the corporate ladder, i.e., the first promotion, which the report termed the “broken rung”.

Another research found another reason women are not reaching more senior roles is due to what is known as the “leaky pipeline”, where organisations lose talent at their prime. Here is where we need to focus on supporting women in mid-careers and below by equipping them with the appropriate tools and strategies to help shape their career early enough to be more likely to thrive and stay within their industry. If they remain within their industry, then they can go through the pipeline and make it to the top echelons of organisations.”

Laila – “it also comes down to asking yourself, what does success looks like for you, meaning drawing a map of what you LOVE, what you are GOOD at, what the world NEEDS and what you can be PAID for. I took this framework from Kathryn Bishop’s recent book “Make your own map”. Understanding your obstacles and setting practical steps will help you navigate your way to the role you desire.

The key is also to be prepared! From researching the role to the negotiation process, be ready for the challenge.

Our closing advice?

 Wherever you are, networks like Lean In Energy and wilm&a are available with resources, support, and encouragement! No matter what industry you are in or where you are in your leadership journey, we all have lessons to share and motivation to give.

 We also shout out to our male colleagues and allies to engage and become mentors and sponsors to the women in their teams, organisations and beyond.

 We hope our collaboration will show the power of women coming together as a collective, working together to support each other in achieving their personal and professional goals and ambitions.

 Please subscribe and follow on instagram - join our global squad of women transforming leadership!