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Catriona McAllister, of CBO Projects, talks about how to make your mark in business
THERE is much to celebrate in the business sector, with plenty of new leaders who are gamechangers, glass-ceiling breakers and who are making an important mark on their industries.
Catriona McAllister is one such person. After a successful career in senior and leadership roles in Scotland’s sports sector, she brought her pioneering management and transformation skills to Jersey, heading up Jersey Sport as its chief executive.
At the end of last year, she announced that she was leaving the world of sport for the world of business, as the new director and head of Jersey for leading business and digital change consultancy company CBO Projects.
“The crossovers between the two roles are more similar than some people may think,” she says. “Challenges, finding solutions and managing and implementing change are constant fixtures in both.”
Catriona has always made sure she has been seen as a pioneer and leader because of who she is; it’s her values, skills and attitude which help set her apart.
“When it comes to striving forwards, you focus on your strengths and what you have to add to the discussion, then, generally, that is what is noticed,” she says.
Leadership often means having to deal with a diverse range of people, and navigating those waters can bring both wonderful teamship and interesting challenges.
“As a woman in business, unpick what might be behind the perception and not jump to the conclusion that it’s a gender issue,” she advises. “There may be many reasons for a clash or difficulty with a work colleague. In my experience, it’s seldom gender-related and more often character-related. I’ve always focused on making sure my contribution to the room adds value and is relevant, and I think the skill of reading the room is vitally important.”
Qualities like this, Catriona thinks, are beneficial for everyone’s success, and are the strengths that will take you from A to B in the workplace.
“While I acknowledge people’s differences, I don’t necessarily think the qualities women can bring to business are any different than those of their male counterparts,” she adds. “I think the benefits that people can bring to the workplace are individualised and come from their skills, experiences, qualifications, upbringing, values and morals. How that individual has got where they are is the deciding factor on the toolbox of skills and character that they have to offer.”
But Catriona agrees that there can be some aspects which businesses can take heed from, to support women, and parents or carers in general, to help them succeed.
“Flexible working certainly helps women to find a balance between their caregiving responsibilities and their careers,” she says. “Businesses should continue to support this flexibility as well as law changes allowing the caregiving responsibilities to be more evenly split where two parents exist.”
Thankfully, CBO is a business that is known for its supportive atmosphere and wellbeing initatives. Catriona ensures that flexibility and automnomy is simply a part of CBO’s ethos, offered to all its staff.
“At CBO, we’re building and strengthening the leaders of the future in the project, digital and change management sectors,” she explains. “We give them the space and support to do that. That makes us a pretty special business, and one I can’t wait to take forward with an exciting new team here in Jersey.”
Find out more about CBO Projects at cboprojects.com.
