“Smiling – Warm – Inspirational – Passion – Energy – Joy”

These are the words I wrote down while I was listening to Gail Kelly speak about her book “Live Lead Learn – My Stories of Life and Leadership”.

What a great talk this was! Gail’s messages really hit home for me. I spend so much of my work life having reflective conversations with senior leaders and I came away from hearing Gail with renewed enthusiasm and hope.
 

 

The main themes centred around:

Support – In order to be successful at every level, it’s crucial to get as much support around you as possible, both at home and at work. As she said, “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts”.

Positive Attitude – Gail talked about being a ‘glass half full’ person and the importance of choosing to have an optimistic approach to life and how you respond to situations. I particularly liked her sentence “Optimistic people often end up in lucky circumstances”.

Digging Deep – It’s crucial, particularly for young women in careers, to be brave and dig deep: they are so often fearful of failure. “If there’s support for you and opportunities come up, you don’t need to be 100% ready – dig deep and have a go. Think about what you could do if you were not afraid!”

Be Yourself – “Bring your own strengths and flourish at being you: play to your strengths.” I related strongly to this. How often have I coached people who are trying to emulate someone else rather than play to their own strengths and authenticity?

Work with and through People – Gail talked about the crucial importance of having the right team around you – and if you make a mistake in who you choose, don’t be afraid to ‘fix’ the issue as soon as possible.

Generosity of Spirit – bring this to the fore; be generous-spirited with everyone and treat people with respect. Be prepared to walk in their shoes and, as a leader, listen to them and make sure you’re not selfish or quick to judge. Gail talked about the vital importance of self-awareness, learning to observe yourself and reflect. She spoke of “creating a tiny ripple of kindness” everywhere.

Early Learnings – Gail spoke of what she’d learned about herself from living in South Africa: the ability to cope with change, resilience, accountability, diversity, the beauty of human beings, dignity and the power of each human being. She stressed the importance of aligning each person around their common goals.

Home Life – Gail was really open about the challenges of coping with motherhood (four children including triplets…) and a massive job. She seemed so completely genuine – it was as if she was talking personally to each member of the audience.

I came away feeling uplifted and inspired: I wish we could clone Gail and have more leaders like her at the top of organisations!