Women in Platforms

It was such a privilege to be invited to speak at the Women in Platforms virtual meeting this week. Thank you so much to Kate Phillips Justine Pattullo and Sarah Douglas for inviting me.

One of the themes we explored was how we, as women, are shaped and influenced by the norms of the profession we work within - norms that still carry the legacy of masculinity, expertise, transactions and sales.

Together we recognised how often we, as women, feel the need to contort ourselves to fit into those norms - unsure how to be different and also valued for those differences.

Some shared that, early in their careers, they’d shadowed successful advisers - usually confident, extroverted older men - and it left them feeling that a career in advice simply wasn’t “for them.”

So they chose paraplanning or operations roles instead.

Years later, many now see that they’d have made brilliant advisers if they'd been encouraged differently.

It’s a powerful reminder that if we want a truly diverse profession, we need to support authenticity and difference.

We need to broaden our idea of what a successful adviser looks and sounds like.

We need to let go of our narrow focus on technical expertise and give parity of esteem to the relational intelligence and soft skills that expand the possibilities of who we can be, how we can add value, and what great advice really looks like.

Because otherwise, we don’t just limit client outcomes, we limit the profession itself.