By Rachael Ashfield, Women in Industry ambassador 2021
In this month’s column as Women in Industry Ambassador, I wanted to reflect on my secret to success – my team.
I truly believe that your success is only as good as the team structure, rapport and networks that you build, all of which lend themselves to the overall success of the company.
Hearing that I work for a highly technical automation company that sells complex automation and cloud solutions is not what people expect when they meet me at an event and ask what I do. Especially when I begin by explaining that I am in marketing. Eyebrows are quickly raised, and I know everyone wonders how I ended up here.
If I think back on my career, I too sometimes ask, “How did I get here?”
From the outside, it might seem like a slow rise to such a senior position, but the journey to head of the marketing division at ifm has been so quick in my eyes. My career has seen me travel pathways filled with triumph, hurdles, and yes, at times, disappointment. But throughout it all, I’ve had a supportive team around me.
While not everyone may have a ‘dream team’ when starting out, I believe you get out of teamwork what you put in. Whether a man or woman in any role within any industry, if you bring a level of energy and conviction of belief to your career journey, the hard work will pay off and successful results will follow.
Even better is when you have worked with a team for a period and have developed great synergies – this builds a solid foundation for success. Together you build excitement, engagement and a dynamic that people want to be a part of. Departments can see the rewards of their participation with you when they see the outcomes of the material you produce because of their contribution towards the end goal.
As long as you are passionate, believe in yourself and strive for your best possible outcomes, you will be assured of career success and job satisfaction. It may not be easy and will possibly be a bumpy road along the way, but remember to celebrate the small victories. It is easy to overlook all these important milestones when you are busy working hard for the career highs.
Luckily, Women in Industry is here to help you acknowledge these small wins. We are the supportive team you can count on to be cheering for your success, the network of like-minded women here to help build the excitement and engagement that will see you ooze confidence and work towards those big overarching career highlights.
Ultimately the foundation of success of women in any industry is the innate desire to achieve results and strive for success in your chosen field. Being able to participate, network and apply your own understanding of people and what drives them will build a strong supportive team to help both individuals and businesses succeed.
One day, your team might even nominate you for a Women in Industry award. Until then – nominate yourself. We’ll be here, ready to support you.
Nominations for the 2021 Women in Industry Awards are now open. To submit a nomination, click here.
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