Page 21 - Gi flipbook March 2018

I get to see the people I work with
develop and grow and realise their
potential. If you can help someone who

has been doubting themselves and then
see them succeed; that’s brilliant

grassroots. Coming in to a senior not swear. The way I responded to
leadership role was almost easier in a that – and this is not something I
way, because I wasn’t tempted to get would recommend to anybody – was
too caught up in the details. to try and be more like them.
Conversely, I have had to learn a lot Twenty-five years ago, there was a
and trust the people around me to period when I tried to be ruder and
translate things into my language. It’s tell dirtier jokes. Nowadays, I don’t
been an interesting transition. think that’s how I would go about it,
but I was trying to make them feel at
What do you think you’ve brought to ease and just ‘fit in’ so they would
the role from your previous trust me to do the job.
background in electricity?
We are one business, one Any obstacles along the way?
transmission company, but gas and When I worked in the control room I
electricity operate so differently. The used to play rugby and I remember
electricity side of the business is, I coming in one time for an evening
would say, more advanced in terms shift and my team leader pulled me
of managing their systems and to one side. He said: “Have you been
perhaps exploiting those systems, so playing rugby again today?” “Yes,” I
I have been able to bring a lot of that said. “It’s quite a dangerous sport,” he
experience with me. I believe the time said, “just think how it would be
you learn best is when you make received if you were injured and then
mistakes, so you can then share couldn’t come in for your shift. It’s not
those experiences and lessons learnt going to do your career much good. I
to stop people from going down the really think you should consider
same routes. stopping.” I was livid! But I did, I
stopped, because I didn’t think he was
What attracted you to engineering giving me much option even though
when you were at school, as all the men did dangerous sports. As
opposed to, say, French or Art or my recompense, I set up a company
Business Studies? five-a-side football team. That was my
I was rubbish at French, although I liked way of getting my own back.
English. I think I was attracted to the
fact that it was a bit different. At that That’s quite a sad story, that you had to
age, I liked the idea of standing out and give up something that you cared
surprising people. I was a bit rebellious. about in order to preserve your
image?
As you have risen through the ranks Yes, and it’s difficult describing it to
at National Grid, what has been your people now because it was an era
experience as a woman in a male- when they thought of women as
dominated industry? Were your different, more fragile. I couldn’t
colleagues supportive? imagine having that kind of
You spent many years on the As a company they have been very conversation with anyone now.
electricity side of National Grid, how supportive, it’s a fantastic place to
have you ended up in gas work. Obviously along the way there If a woman came to you now looking
transmission? have been individuals, particularly in to get into a male-dominated
I had the opportunity to move over the control room and alongside the industry, what advice would you give
into gas transmission just over two operational guys, who didn’t know her? You wouldn’t recommend
years ago. It’s been brilliant for me what to do with me. I was the first trying to be one of the boys?
because all the things I learnt in woman engineer ever to work in the I think you need to make sure that
electricity came from the bottom up. control room – it even made the you can fit in, but the reason diversity
Before, I knew all the nuts and bolts. Birmingham Post – so I think a few of is so important is because you are
Coming into gas meant I knew a lot of them thought they would have to challenging each other. If you move
the same theory, but none of the treat me differently, i.e., behave and into an environment that’s being run

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IsabelleHaigh.indd 2 15/02/2018 15:51