Rosemary Brook Arbiter, Jackie Elliot, Selena Callas andJackie Cooper – brought together pioneers of the profession alongside current agency leaders to reflect on building careers in PR and communications, and how leadership roles in the industry have evolved over the years.

While the conversation highlighted the significant progress made in addressing gender disparity in the sector, the panel was candid about the challenges faced in their early careers and the realities that still exist. Many female leaders continue to encounter micro-aggressions in the workplace, and the discussion also touched on the sacrifices many women have made to reach and sustain leadership roles. A consistent reflection from the panel was that you can rarely “have it all” in leadership roles as you’ll have to make sacrifices, and that at times it can be wise to lean out to protect yourtime rather than always feeling the pressure to ‘lean in’. However, it’scrucial to set boundaries to ensure you can attend the key school / childcare /caring responsibilities we all have to juggle outside of work as well.

The session offered several practical tips for those building careers in communications. Speakers emphasised the importance of being“the best human in the room” while staying ahead of AI and embracing technological change, and of always reading around your subject – particularly making sure you’re reading the same publications and news sources that the CEOs and Chairs of your clients are consuming. Confidence comes through knowledge: becoming a genuine expert in your market, reading around your subject matter and preparing thoroughly.

Other useful takeaways included:

-           The value of mentors and coaches to support withcareer development

-           Consider international opportunities as a way of diversifying your experience and professional outlook

-           Consider trustee or advisory roles to broaden strategic experience and build leadership skills

-           Surround yourself with people who will both challenge and champion you - this is essential for continued development and progression towards leadership roles and beyond.

On a personal level, I first stepped into a Board role before I had children, so I didn’t have to navigate the challenge of balancing childcare commitments with leadership responsibilities. And I’ve certainly found that particular balance more challenging since raising young children. But I’ll never forget the support I was given by my MD when being promoted from Director to Deputy Managing Director – I’d just found out I was expecting my first child when I was promoted. I did the typically female thing of trying to persuade him that it wasn’t the right time to be promoted as I was stepping out of the business and wouldn’t know whether I’d have the capacity to commit to a more senior leadership role on my return… However, his unwavering support and cheerleading of me gave me the confidence to take the risk, push myself and concentrate on ‘how’ I could make it work rather than worrying about the potential risks and talking myself out of the opportunity. Surrounding yourselfwith allies, owning your career development plan and accepting that you’ll sometimes have to make difficult decisions around where to prioritise your limited time and energy is key.  The points around leaning out and not being able to have it all (at particular points intime) certainly rang true for me  – there have been many instances of me feeling “mum guilt” when missing key events because I needed to prioritise a work commitment. But I make sure I’m available for the really important assemblies or school shows. And I know that my Board both supports this and needs the same level of trust and flexibility themselves –something I’m proud to offer to my female heavy SLT.

The reality is that you can’t take a senior leadership role and expect it to work 100% around your personal life – there will be times when the business must come first and you should expect to be present as a role model to demonstrate that, particularly at Director level and above.  And if that doesn’t sit comfortably, you need to be honest with yourself and your employer about what working pattern you can realistically accommodate.

I had the unfortunate experience of receiving a fairly serious health diagnosis last year, which required an operation and time out ofthe business for treatment. The silver lining from that scary and humbling experience was acquiring a laser-sharp clarity of what really matters, and to have the confidence to fiercely protect time for my family, coaching and wider personal commitments, whilst also recognising that my ambition remains and that the role of a business leader inevitably requires some personal sacrifice. I would whole heartedly recommend executive coaching to any current or prospective leader; the opportunity to access that unbiased perspective and to have perceptions challenged provides enormous professional value.

Thanks to the PRCA for lining up such a brilliant panel of inspiring women to share their experience, insights and practical career development tips, and encouraging me to take a moment to consider my own role as a female leader in our industry!