Inquisitive Listening – I used to be obsessed with embodying ‘Drive to Improve,’ and thought of my work’s value in insolation and that its quality would elevate that around it but as I’ve taken on greater responsibility and more of a leadership role, I’ve realised that our work doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The only way that you can improve the quality of everyone around you is by understanding the people around you – what are their strengths? What are the areas they want to develop? How can I be a part of that development? Where do they need attention or space? In knowing your team and the part you play in their success you ensure that your colleagues feel supported and challenged in equal measure, that their journey is their own but know that you’re there how and when they need. The only way to do that is to listen, not just to what they say but what they don’t, to be present in a conversation rather than waiting for your turn to speak and to contextualise that one conversation in all others you’ve been part of. It can be tiring, it’s emotionally and mentally taxing but all of the best development conversations and success I’ve been a part of have stemmed from that intention.

A strange balance of discipline, approachability, creativity and curiosity. One facet of my role is building up our junior team’s abilities, being a part of their training and development whilst still holding a high standard and therefore be both subjective and objective in equal measure. Whilst on the data and insights side of the role you need the discipline, technique and analytical skills to process large sets of data but the creativity to interpret it and turn a format approachable to the wider team and our clients. I need to exercise both an ability to see the wider scope of projects, so that I can know what the deliverables and timelines should be, how everyone should contribute and when, the checks and measures necessary for completion, but also the ability to get involved in the minutia of tasks to ensure quality. In short, there is a lot of balancing the micro and macro and whilst this can sometimes be disorienting, it is a challenge I very much enjoy.

Communications - my work is grounded in data but finds its value in discussion. Approachability and effectivity go hand in hand when it comes to data communications; you could have the most revolutionary findings but if no one else can understand them then they have no value. By working with these two factors in mind, I have been able to help our team, candidates and clients find the answers they are looking for whilst increasing their data fluency.