07/08/2026
Here’s a little something that may come as a surprise.
The skill that has created some of the biggest opportunities in my career is one I spent years avoiding.
Networking.
After 25 years working alongside sales teams and leading marketing for one of Australia’s largest media companies, building meaningful relationships was never the challenge.
Listening came naturally.
Creating connections came naturally.
Talking about my own achievements?
Not so much.
For a long time, I convinced myself I wasn’t the networking type.
What I’ve come to realise is that networking isn’t about self-promotion. It’s about connection.
It’s about being visible enough for others to understand the value you bring, so they can collaborate with you, learn from you, and create opportunities together.
It’s a lesson I see holding many talented women back.
Today, I intentionally invested my Learning & Development time in taking that skill to the next level.
I met graduates determined to carve out careers in technology and challenge the stereotypes that still exist.
I connected with talented people across design, engineering, technology, entrepreneurship, wellness, education and telecommunications.
And I filled my cup spending time with MarcelleBernard100 You M Powered and Shona BernardChandler colleagues, collaborators and leaders who remind me of what’s possible when like-minded people come together with a shared purpose.
Sometimes the most valuable investment in our development isn’t another course, book or podcast.
Sometimes it’s having the courage to pull up a chair, join the conversation, and allow others to experience the value you bring.
Because leadership doesn’t begin when someone gives us a title.
It begins the moment we become intentional about the relationships we build.