INT 115: Where to Find Female Role Models

This week, the Int-HER-rupt podcast brings you a conversation between our host Linda Yates and women’s leadership expert Helen Appleby. They discuss some of the issues that face women in business, and how to find a role model or mentor who can guide you along your personal journey. Appleby has worked in six different countries, led a billion-dollar company, and is now an executive coach, author, and podcaster, sharing her journey with women all over the world.. Take a listen, and check our resources to connect with her - she just might be the role model you’re looking for.

Appleby’s Background

• She has worked for and been in leadership roles in several major businesses, including GlaxoSmithKline, where she led the $1 billion Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.
• She was performing well and attending courses to improve her skills, and began to notice that the challenges that women face in the industry are often different from the ones men face.
• Her book, The Unwritten Rules of Women’s Leadership, helps women to navigate their careers and meet their own definitions for success. She also now has a podcast, which continues the discussion.
• She is now an Executive Coach and Womens’ Leadership Trainer, helping women step into their power.

Superhero, Role Model, or Mentor?

• A role model is someone who can be quite distant from you, but who has achieved some of the same goals you have. You can learn from them by reading their work, listening to interviews, etc.
• A mentor is someone who is two steps ahead of you in your goals. Ideally, you can speak to them personally and ask them questions. This is someone you learn from, who is helping you grow.
• Yates and Appleby differentiate this from a superhero - this is someone who is so far ahead of you, the goals seem unattainable. It’s not helpful if the person you look up to is on a pedestal - role models and mentors should be relatable.

How do you find a role model or mentor?

1. Get clear about what you want in your career. Choose 3 ways you want to grow and develop.