Lessons in Leadership

Tell us your Deloitte journey

I joined in 1998 and became a Partner in 2013. I lead a team in the south-east who work with clients to develop incentive arrangements for their employees globally. I also have leadership responsibilities for the national Incentives & Reward Consulting practice. My clients range from small private companies to large FSTE100 institutions, and include a number of overseas parented companies – particularly from the US.

What does good leadership mean to you?

I believe that caring about others is central to good leadership. It has to matter to you personally: how your team are performing, how they’re developing, how they’re progressing. Finding the time to invest in my team is my biggest priority. It takes the whole team to come together to be a success. I try and create an environment for every one of them to be the best they can. It’s about more than what the leader does – it’s about what every member of the team does.  I think the worst thing you can do is focus only on yourself, that’s when you stop being a leader.

How do you empower your team?

Historically it’s been the Partners who bring in new business. Because the Reading client base is so diverse, I’ve empowered my team to take a more active role in winning and leading work. This not only enables us to grow the business more effectively with a broader portfolio of clients, it allows the team to build deeper relationships and get closer to the client’s issues. It also means that when it comes to building a business case for promotion, they’re far more able to do that than if they’d been waiting for work to fall into their lap.

What support have you had to help develop your leadership skills?

The biggest influence by far has been making the time to find a good mentor. I was lucky that a Partner in our group invested time in me before I made Partner myself.  I still go to him now to bounce ideas off him if I’m unsure about something, and just watching and mirroring his approach helps me get better every day. You never have to do it all on your own here. It’s great to know that we’re all in it together; we’re much stronger that way and it’s healthier for everyone too.

Inspired by her story? Find your opportunities in Tax: Deloitte Careers UK.