You can’t determine where you start in life, but you can determine where you end up.
Baroness Karren Brady CBE is an English sporting executive, politician, television personality and businesswoman. She’s one of the most influential, high-profile and respected business leaders in the United Kingdom.
The current vice-chairman of West Ham United, she has previously served as Managing Director of Birmingham City, and is a well-known face in the UK and beyond thanks to her significant role as one of Alan Sugar’s most trusted advisors in The Apprentice.
2018 has been a year marked significantly by the addressal of the gender imbalance of power in society, but Karren has been championing raising women’s aspirations since she began in the game. She has spoken on how depressing she found it to go into schools where girls would reveal their only ambition was to be a WAG: “I’d say, why do you want to marry a footballer when you can own a football club?
Early in her Birmingham City career, she got on the team bus to hear a player quip: “I can see your tits from here.” Karren replied: “When I sell you to Crew, you won’t be able to see them from there, will you?” And she sold him. By the time she left the club to move to West Ham, 75% of its management staff was female.
As a preview to Karren’s presentation, below are three of her key takeaways on leadership.
- Good leaders are good communicators. Where are we going? How are we going to get there? Everyone in the company needs to know that, and they need to feel they have a sense of expectation.
- Women who have a family want to work in environments that are respectful, that pay well, and are open to their way of thinking. There are a lot of industries that women are not naturally attracted to, but change is coming as more women are beginning to realise there is no barrier to doing anything you want.
- Of all the titles I have, working mother is the one perhaps most suited to me because I love my kids and I love my work and I’m not prepared to give up either. Just remember, you will teach your children different things by working; the power of independence, of having your own thoughts, your own mind, your own ambition and your own path.
Join Karren Brady at Pendulum Summit
If you’re interested in hearing Karren Brady’s insights fleshed out and delved into, be sure not to miss her when she speaks at Pendulum Summit in Dublin this January. Pendulum Summit, the world’s leading business and self-empowerment summit appeals to aspiring individuals and business leaders who are constantly looking for ways to cultivate their clients and keep their core teams engaged, motivated and growing in this era of hyper competition. Our world-class speakers, learning and networking opportunities continue to grow year on year. An added bonus is that the event offers delegates CPD hours as part of their overall professional development.
