Page 85 - 2018 Powerlist

It highlights the positive diversity make a meaningful contribution. helping you get to the top of your Public Sector & Third Sector
out there and provides an important profession?
platform for the sector to get its What do you say to critics who feel By committing to continuous
key messages and priorities out and no real change can take place. self-improvement. I am not derailed
engage and achieve. You are wrong and the evidence by negative criticism, of which there
that you are wrong is irrefutable. is a lot around for many of us; rather
What advice would you give to Look back and chart how things I see it as helpful data. I
young people thinking of taking roles have changed. At one time, not many acknowledge my flaws but I also
in the equality and diversity sector? decades ago, when a woman got recognise and acknowledge my
It is an incredibly interesting sector married organisations required them strengths and abilities. I have
that can develop and utilise a wide to resign and they had no choice but focused on what is wanted of me by
range of skills, doing important work to do to. There is no space to highlight organisations I have worked in and
that can allow you to make important a range of changes for different respected that they are paying me
and meaningful contributions as marginalised groups and individuals. to deliver this, not to focus on what
my organisation and role does. But However, progress can be tenuous and I would like to do – so a very good
if you don’t have tenacity and the unravel and the biases and prejudices work ethic and attitude has helped.
appropriate intrinsic motivation, it we all hold can surface, often I have developed self-confidence
will sap you. It is demanding unexpectedly and quickly – Brexit and competence and have been
emotionally and intellectually which is has shown that, as has the worsening proactive, reflected a lot and been
great but you need to develop economic inequality. I believe there driven by what I think is right. I
resilience to deal with the cynicism will always be a need for the diversity have observed and listened and
and challenges that are part of sector and for young people who want contributed, often spontaneously
working in the sector. I am personally to join and contribute. and too often not as wisely as I
inspired by young people who have a should but always congruently and
determination to join the sector and How did you overcome challenges, not based on self-interest.

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