It’s International Women’s Day! We’re very fortunate at We Are Social to have so many brilliant women under our roof – in our UK team, 54% are women and, at a leadership level, 46% identify as women. Globally, women account for 41% of our senior leadership.
As part of our International Women’s Day celebrations, we asked our team to share some stories where they’ve been inspired or lifted up by the amazing women around them. Here’s some of our favourites.
Lucy Doubleday, UK Managing Partner
Earlier on there weren’t many senior women to look up to or to be supported by – I also had to deal with my fair share of sexism, from both men and women, as sadly the belief was that to be a senior woman, you needed to demonstrate some of the old school male behaviour. This didn’t deter me, in fact it made me stronger, and I learnt the types of cultures and people that I can thrive in. I’m proud to still be in the industry, and I hope I’m proving to other women that it’s possible to be a working mum, without a university degree, and succeeding in doing what I love. I think inspiration comes from the people you work with and the teams you work in, which is why I’m proud that at We Are Social we have so many incredible women at all levels in the agency, and some great male allies. I hope that as an industry, we continue to support women at all levels.
Who run the world Lidl editorial? GIRLS. Yep, at We Are Social, I’m in a team with amazing women at every level – and MAN do I feel lucky. Not only do my wonderful colleagues show drive, determination, creativity and charisma on the daily, but they’re also the most encouraging, supportive people you could ever meet.
I’ve been blessed with brilliant bosses from the get-go. Working in the creative industry means collaboration and mentorship is essential, so being guided by a manager with such invaluable experience has allowed me to learn, adapt and feel empowered to make the best decisions and create the best work. I’ve gleaned nuggets of wisdom from women in every corner of my career. In moments of low confidence, one former female manager always used to say, ‘Dazzle them with data’. In other words, ‘You know what you’re talking about, so use that knowledge and wow people’. It’s always stuck with me!
I can truly credit where I am today to working with some of the best gals going. Watching women boss it will never not be inspiring.
Ever since I joined We Are Social ten years ago I have been surrounded by strong and inspiring women. It wasn’t until my fifth year that I was managed by one. In many ways, we were very similar – we hadn’t gone to university, we’d taken a similar path to where we were and, at times, we suffered from imposter syndrome.
Confidence was (and is) something that I’ve struggled with – confidence in my abilities and the feeling I wasn’t ‘worthy’ of the role I was in. My manager got this and also saw my potential to become a leader. Her coaching style of management really helped me to better understand myself, she gave me opportunities to challenge myself and grow and reminded me that I was worthy and good at what I did.
I’ll be forever thankful for the support and mentorship that she gave me in (and out) of work.
Today, I am part of the global leadership team, leading how we drive a positive culture across our growing business and leading a team of three inspiring women whom I hope I can lift up and give the same growth opportunities that my manager did.
As the original leopard print queen, Shania Twain once said, ‘Let’s go girls!’.
Growing up, I have always admired powerful female figures, from the likes of Dolly Parton with her fearless ways, to the Spice Girls and their outgoing sense of charisma. I was drawn to the level of confidence they’ve always displayed.
As a member of the People and Culture team at We Are Social, I have been utterly blown away by the boss women I am constantly supported, inspired and mentored by. I see on the daily this constant energy and determination to generate a sense of togetherness and innovation. To be a part of an environment which hosts this level of energy is truly something special.
The greatest advice a member of the team once gave me was to be ‘unapologetically yourself and celebrate your wins’. Words like this build trust and a sense of belonging. I am truly grateful to be working alongside such a cohort of stunning female figures, who provide their unique perspectives and strengths in this workplace. As Shania would say, that does impress me much!
