‘You don’t need to be liked to be respected’: Advice for businesswomen from businesswomen
The internet is full of generic business advice for wannabe entrepreneurs, but what about the specifics of being a woman in business?
Ahead of International Women’s Day, we hear advice from female business owners and entrepreneurs from Help to Grow.
1. Lucy Collins: You don’t need to be liked to be respected
“For a long time, I shaped myself around other people’s ideas of leadership. The turning point came when I realised strong leadership begins with self-awareness. My advice is to stop performing and start leading in a way that reflects who you are. Push yourself, absolutely – but don’t override your own instincts in the process.
“I’ve seen that many women bring deep empathy to leadership, and that can be a real strength. But empathy needs boundaries. Carrying everyone else’s emotional load will eventually take a toll. When you compromise your own wellbeing for others, your effectiveness suffers and burnout becomes a real risk. This pressure can feel even heavier for women who are also balancing leadership with caring responsibilities at home.
“You don’t have to be confrontational to be clear. Difficult conversations can be handled calmly and with kindness, while still protecting your energy. And you don’t need to be liked by everyone to earn respect. Separating approval from leadership is often incredibly freeing.”
Lucy Collins is the owner and director at Web Usability
2. Rebecca Smith: Find a mentor and create a peer network
“For me, having a mentor was transformational. My mentor helped me to feel a lot more confident, and much clearer on how everything needed to move forward and how to enact change. We’ve been able to access real-world ecommerce and digital marketing expertise which has been fundamental to our digital transformation. We’re now growing faster than ever and investing in creating the foundations for future success and I have a strong peer network which makes the journey less lonely and helps with my own development.”
Rebecca Smith is the co-founder and creative director at Pruden & Smith
3. Claire Pattison: Get out of your bubble!
“Talking to people very different from you – whether through networking events or informal 121 check-ins with other leaders – can add rich perspective into what you need to do as a business. Just by having those conversations, you might encounter approaches or delivery methods you’ve simply not thought about before. Taking it up a level by working with a mentor who is dissimilar from you can be particularly effective.”
Claire Pattison is programme director for the Help to Grow: Management Course at the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
4. Louise Morgan: Don’t give into imposter syndrome
“For me personally, imposter syndrome is a deep-rooted feeling that my company has been built on luck rather than by design. Our growth doesn’t feel earned – it feels accidental. The key for small business leaders is to be able to identify this challenge in themselves and take advantage of support networks to overcome the threat of feeling like a fraud.
“I’m a great believer in collaboration not competition, and the conversations I’ve had with people who were probably technically competitors have been the most valuable. Sharing experiences makes you realise you’re not alone in your thoughts, and can bring as much inspiration as it does reassurance.
“Building peer networks through industry events and training initiatives like Help to Grow: Management was so important in providing me with a crucial external viewpoint and a more rounded reflection on my strengths and weaknesses.”
Louise Morgan is the founder and director of B2B communication agency TMPR
5. Anjali Ramachandran: Find people who advocate for you when you are not in the room
“Many people talk about the importance of mentorship to support women in business – and I agree it is a powerful tool, and one I’ve used throughout my career. But beyond having mentors, something that I have found to be crucial is creating advocates. The best opportunities come when there is someone who can put your hat in the ring when you’re not in the room. Having someone there to say ‘this woman is excellent – give her this opportunity’ can be transformative to your career.”
Anjali Ramachandran is director at Storythings and founder of Ada’s List, a network for women in tech
Business leaders can find out more about the Help to Grow: Management Course and sign up for the course in their area by visiting: www.smallbusinesscharter.org/help-to-grow-management
The Help to Grow: Management Course was launched by the government in July 2021 to boost SME productivity and growth. The 90 per cent government-funded, 12-week programme is delivered by over 60 Small Business Charter-accredited business schools, across the UK. More than 10,000 small business leaders have now completed the course – four-in-ten (39 per cent) of which are female leaders – more than double the 15 per cent of UK SMEs that are female-led.