Jill Pringle, Director/founder, Focused Propositions

JillPringle_660x395

Not everyone will like you and that’s okay.

An avid Star Trek fan, who’s determined and driven, Jill was born with severe hip displaysia and didn’t walk until she was three. As a natural introvert, for years Jill told herself she was not a people person because she was not the life and soul of the party. To overcome this, she got involved in group activities that interested her personally and pushed herself to say ‘yes’ more.

In her teens, she sang and travelled with a girls’ choir which, she says, broadened her perspectives and horizons. She also recognised it was okay to have much needed ‘alone’ time to think and centre herself as that is how she creates best.

A music graduate and classical singer from Sheffield, Jill went back to university to study marketing after work experience, she then spent 25 years building her career in marketing. Having reached Director/board level, reporting the CEO and leading marketing departments Jill founded her own company.

Part of her journey as an entrepreneur has meant she has had to learn to value herself and push herself forward, rather than someone else’s product.

 

Top Tips

  • The best way to get a promotion is to do your current job really well. It’s good to model the behaviours in the next role you want, or take on extra projects, but never at the expense of what’s expected of you right now.
  • Powerful communicators have conviction and check for understanding along the way. Barak Obama shows consideration and respect for himself and others yet doesn’t hide his opinions.
  • If you want people to listen to you, try to listen first and ask questions.  When you do share tell stories and choose to talk about things you’re honestly passionate about.
  • EQ is an essential attribute for a leader. One of the most valuable aspects is recognising your own impact on a situation and that others might perceive your actions differently than you intended.
  • Diversity is important in teams, hiring a lot of people of the same type can be limiting.

 

You can be a role model without realising

“I left a role as Marketing Director in a company where I’d progressed through the ranks and when I resigned I was the only woman on the senior management team. A young woman who I hardly knew emailed me after it was announced and said, ‘you can’t leave, you’re our role model’. It genuinely shocked me – it had never occurred to me that’s how I was perceived. It was humbling.”

ARTICLES FOR YOU

Not a member yet?

Meet your goals and develop your skills on the everywomanNetwork. Join 1000s of other members today.

FREE NEWSLETTER

Not a member? If you would like to hear about our latest content, news and updates, sign up to our monthly update newsletter.