Advice for Students - Dare to dream

Dare to dream. Dare to dream. Very often, we think because we have to do all these things—that maybe many men have less responsibility for—we won’t be able to juggle it, so let’s not try. Very often we think there are all these more senior people—by age if not by experience—let me not put my hand up for something. And even if called upon, maybe I shouldn’t say yes. Very often I think we actually can do more than we think we can. I am not suggesting that we bite off more than we can chew, but actually when it comes down to it, we can chew and we can swallow too. And sometimes we are a little bit more reticent than we need to be.

If it is possible to have a mentor, somebody that you can speak with, to learn from and with, it really does help. I don’t think we have enough women role models in senior positions, and if we did have senior women, sometimes these are not people who spend time with younger people. I think that part of the responsibility of being a woman in a senior position is to try and give time to younger women.