Returning to our desks after the Christmas break, many of us may have been questioning our priorities for the year, or our career direction well beyond that.
We have careers advice this month to support you if you’re looking around or just wanting to feel better about what you’ve got. ‘Steps to reach your personal goals’, ‘How to lead a happy life’, ‘Excel and exercise’ and ‘The rewards of non-executive directorships’ are just some of the ideas on offer.
One of our interviewees this month, Sissel Heiberg FCCA, who left her native Norway 20 years ago to study for a master’s in the UK, didn’t have a grand plan but still ended up with a demanding 10-year career in internal audit with Deutsche Bank. It was here that she gradually developed an interest in ‘quiet leadership’ – so much so that she has written a book about it. In it, she invites introverts to embrace their characteristic qualities – reflection, self-awareness, calmness, empathy, humility, and the ability to listen and observe – and argues that if organisations start to value these qualities, ‘we will increase the expectation on all leaders and elevate leadership across the board’.
Another inspirational member interviewed in AB this month is Chandni Sony FCCA, who is building a rewarding career at EY despite being visually impaired. The tax practitioner has had to overcome multiple challenges but deploys tech to support her day-to-day needs – as well as well-developed listening and memory skills. ‘Once you accept it, it becomes a lot easier,’ she says. ‘Until you accept yourself, nobody else can accept you.’
If you’re looking for a sense of doing good and giving back, you might consider the field of development banking. We take a look at the skills needed and the rewards of working in the sector.
In other news, while the public sector continues to suffer the slings and arrows – see, for example, our article on SEND services, including positive insights on how these could be rethought – a cautious welcome has been given to the government’s plans to pool the sector’s pension funds. Read about what this could mean for the public finances and fund management.
Further information
See the other regional editions of AB:
