Women at Allica Bank share what they believe success looks like, in support of #IWD2021

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Women working for Allica Bank have themselves achieved some amazing things outside and inside of work. So, we wanted to mark the occasion by asking them to share what they believe are values and behaviours they attribute to their success – professionally or otherwise.

Here’s what they said.

Swapna Alladi, Senior Infrastructure Automation Engineer 

Success to me is constant learning and competing with yourself, and influencing the people around you.  Hard work, positivity, empathy, confidence and self-organisation are key attributes for any successful woman to balance work and life.

Serena Charters, Compliance Manager

The keys values that I attribute to success in life and work are:

1. Kindness – just be nice to others, and others will be nice to you.
2. Tolerance – accept other’s differences, and they will accept yours.
3. Focus on the now – I’m a true believer in focusing your time and efforts on the now, and without even knowing it you’ll be building solid foundations for the future. 

What does success mean to me? Waking up every day and enjoying work (trust me it happens!) and in time, being an inspiration to others.

Keshvi Radia, Product Owner

To me, success in life and work revolves around making a positive difference to the people around you – be that your family, friends, colleagues, customers, or even complete strangers. The values and behaviours I would attribute to this centre around putting other people first, and really trying to understand their worldview: compassion, empathy, kindness and open-mindedness.

Louise Read, Executive Assistant to the CEO

I believe the values/behaviours attributed to success in life or work are to truly believe in what you are doing and care about the impact you have. 

Also, you should continually challenge yourself and look to develop – if you are too comfortable, you are not developing yourself, your career, or company.

That’s why I like working at Allica. While it can be challenging, it feels that I am constantly growing both myself and the business, which is a great feeling!

Martha Jenkinson, Credit Risk Analyst

Women’s rights outside of and within the workplace have improved in recent decades, but there are still vast improvements to be made. Don’t feel you have to compromise your values or ‘fit the mould’ to succeed. Encourage the uncomfortable conversations and voice your opinions on equality, equity and diversity. Don’t censor yourself for the sake of others’ sensibilities. Continuing the conversation helps to ensure continued progress.

Anitha Panchalingam, Customer Service Advisor

Success starts with keeping your thoughts positive. Positive thoughts become your words, and your words become your behaviour. Keeping your behaviour positive results in your behaviour becoming your habits. That then makes your habits positive, because your habits become your values.

Finally, your values being positive leaves your values becoming your destiny. Overall, a positive mind can lead to success in any workplace or life in general.

Sue Carruthers, Collections & Recovery Manager

For me, respect and empathy are the main values and behaviours that I attribute to success, both in my work and personal life. Be genuine. Don’t deceive or cheat. Be open. Listen. Help. Say “Hello!”. Smile. You never know, you might make someone’s day.

Do not step over something if you can move that obstacle for yourself or someone else. Take accountability.

One last thing I really believe in: people won’t remember what you say, but they will remember how you made them feel. BE NICE.

Christina Rogers, Underwriter

The world of finance and the roles of women in banking has changed so much in the past few years. It was not too long ago that women were only employed in banks to be secretaries, and if they married or had children they were expected to resign. They were paid differently, and treated differently, and it was unheard of a woman being given any sort of responsibility, the ability to make decisions or to have a career!

Thankfully things have moved on since then, and the hope and the desire is that everyone is given the same opportunities in life to be the best that they can be and be rewarded and acknowledged for doing so.

I have seen these changes happen but we are still not there yet. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure we are all treated the same, given the same opportunities, and to build each other up instead of knocking each other down.

I like to think that I work for a company, with people and colleagues who respect each other and help each other do well!

Nicola Tunney, Head of Operations

There are four values and behaviours that I think I vital for anyone to be successful in what they do:

• Ask questions, make sure you really understand and never assume
• Listen
• Be honest and be kind – to yourself and to others
• Whatever your thing is, own it

Garima Yadav, Lead End User Support Engineer

For me, success is doing what you believe and achieving balance between your professional and personal goals.

My professional goal is to keep learning and growing by maintaining my financial independence.

My personal goal is to stay healthy and inspire parents to invest in young girls’ education.

Jennifer Read, Operational Risk Manager

Recognise the positive benefits we are offered as women that men don’t always receive and be grateful for them.

Feminism isn’t negative.

Don’t be gaslighted – by men or women.

Trust in your instincts.

“It takes a village…” (metaphorically and literally) – build a network of friends who you can listen to and who listen to you.

Chloe Fenton, Head of Marketing

To me, success is not how much money you make or a job title, it’s a feeling of completeness and happiness in your life and work. To feel like I have success in my life and work there are behaviours I hold myself to, and also try to surround myself with people with similar values, and these are:

• Be kind
• Listen
• Don’t be afraid to challenge
• Look for the good
• Don’t always accept the norm

Irina Balmus, Accounts Payable

I personally follow some values that apply to having success both in life and at work too.

Honesty, integrity, love, passion, and a growth mindset.

Chloe Hawker, Recruitment Partner

For me, the key behaviours for success – whether it be in life or work – are drive, optimism, passion and, most importantly, patience!

You can find out more about International Women’s Day here.