“Challenges, the gift of opportunity”

1. Olivia Garfield BT group director, strategy, policy & portfolio “Challenges, the gift of opportunity”

2. What do I plan to cover today? An introduction into me and my career Typical challenges people can expect to face along the way Leadership and its twin; people management How do you create winning teams Top tips for happy working, which is inextricably linked to successful working

3. Who am I? • Olivia Garfield, aged 34 • Career woman • Mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend • A consummate multi-tasker! • You can have it all, but you have to be super-organised!

4. What has been my career map? • Cambridge, Modern & Medieval Languages • Accenture: 5 years fantastic • Joined BT as General Manager, Desk Based Sales • Service Director • Managing Director Sales • Group Director, Strategy, Policy & Portfolio

5. What did this feel like in reality? • Accenture aged 21: glamorous, exciting, all encompassing • BT aged 27: starting out: apprehensive, empowering, a bit lonely • BT aged 29, promoted to Director: under the spotlight, the odd one out but the world is my oyster • BT aged 31: promoted to Managing Director: lost without operations, questioning my capability but confident with time would be ok!

6. Typical challenges people face along the way? • Do you look like you can perform such a senior role? • Do you fit the expected mould for your discipline: • Service, Sales, Legal, HR, Regulation etc • Work / Life balance trade off • How do you get out of a rut? • ... Or get operational experience? • .... Or get the next promotion? Remember the world is your oyster

7. How can challenges become opportunities (1)? • Every experience is a perfect learning opportunity: • People pay amazing money for an MBA which is a fraction of the benefit of on the job learning • If you can turn around a personality clash, the sense of satisfaction is enormous and typically that person becomes a loyal ally • Out of tough times, come stronger teams • Cultural challenges create more rounded, better adjusted individuals

8. How can challenges become opportunities (2)? • Time is a great healer, experience is a great calmer • Hindsight is a wonderful tool ... we could all replay meetings and wish we had acted differently ... but our experiences form us and make us who we are • A bad boss can inspire you to be a great boss – average interactions tend to be forgotten • The most difficult problems often generate the most creative solutions • Commeth the hour, commeth the woman

9. How can challenges become opportunities (3)? • Lack of belief from someone senior can form a motivation to prove someone wrong • Unassailable challenge can force you to re-assess/re-evaluate and take a new route • Taking time out can feel like taking a career step backwards, but actually can re-invigorate your commitment, encourage a different perspective and force some direct career conversations

10. What is a Leader:Leaders make change happen • Lead by example– not just ‘what’ you do, but ‘how’ • Engage all of your people • Outperform at all times and help others do the same • Operate at pace • Create a winning team

11. Determined efforts to explain your strategy and the part everyone plays in its delivery Clarity as to what is required in their jobs Investment in training, coaching, mentoring and welfare management Helping managers to succeed through training and toolkits Increased productivity Rising standards Rigorous performance management Leaders set high standards and help people achieve them? In the modern world we all demand a lot from our people Good leadership means personally help them to deliver

12. Leaders should all make a 2 way contract so the working ground is clear • I always state what people can expect from me: • Commitment to run the business professionally • Commitment to an open and safe environment • Commitment to recognise high performance • Commitment to open, honest feedback • Commitment to open minded review of new idea • Commitment to be passionate about our organisation • Commitment to create a winning team

13. In return the leader ask for a handshake... • As an example, I ask for a small number of consistent requests • Honest feedback on how it feels to work as part of my team • Honest debate on new ideas, but then loyal execution once we have agreed a strategy • Responsiveness • Commitment to properly nurture staff • Strong engagement pan the company as all organisations need friends! • Fun factor!

14. Leaders need to behave consistently Building a winning team through consistent leadership Concept of creating your personal brand

15. Leaders need to bring global strategy into local context ... • BT Italia • “BT Italia is the main Italian provider of communication services and solutions wholly dedicated to the corporate,SME and public sectors” BT in LatamBT operates in 22 Latin American countries with integrated operations and approximately 1,000 employees throughout the region “BT is today the leading alternative in the Spanish enterprise data transmission market with over 20 per cent market share” Leaders need to have 2 way communication channels, that are picking up the rumours as well as explaining the press comments ...

16. Top tips for Happy Working for your teams • Make sure your people feel empowered • Give your people opportunity and responsibility • Praise and constructively criticize • Appropriately incentivize, through understanding what makes each person in your team tick • Honesty + integrity = trust • Leading by example doesn’t mean micro managing

17. Respect your boss 7 Top tips for your own professional happiness Don’t be afraid to push for your own success Be comfortable with your work parameters Like the work “you” Set yourself goals, and review your own progress Don’t be afraid of change Balanced working relationships

18. Looking to the future