Exclusive Interview: Gina Buckney – Managing Director of ‘Your People Your Power’

Author of ‘Journals for Life’ and founder of the ‘Your People are Your Power’ Programme, Gina Buckney is a powerful corporate speaker. She tours the nation to discuss the value of diverse teams, with previous engagements including the NatWest Women in Business Leadership.

As a public speaker, Gina talks on several vital topics including workplace inclusion, team management and how to support your remote staff – discover her leading advice in the exclusive clip below:

Learn about Gina’s outstanding insight into diversity and inclusion in our latest exclusive interview.

Q: You spent the majority of your professional career in male-dominated sectors; from this experience, why is diversity and inclusion important?

“I’ve worked in male-dominated businesses for my whole life. I’ve worked in engineering and I’ve worked in technology. The computer science industry is predominantly male orientated, and I’ve worked in teams where there have only been three women out of hundreds of people.

“A lot of these industries are unfortunately male-dominated, and I don’t know why that is. We need more women in [technology] because, and I don’t want to come here on my soapbox as a woman, but it is about equality. You need a mix of men and women because we both bring different skills and also a range of backgrounds.

“Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are critical because if everyone in your team has the same background, same mindset, the same gender, you have the same thoughts on the same outcomes.

“And you might miss things that someone with a completely different perspective can bring. That’s why diversity and inclusion is such a big thing because it helps us do business better – there’s no point in having a team of people who look exactly like you.

“For example, I’m outspoken, I’m an extrovert, I’m a ‘doer’. So I like to just crack on and do things very quickly, as fast as I can. You know, I’m a delivery expert. That’s what I’ve done my whole life, so I need someone to balance that out. I need someone analytical, a deep thinker who will go, ‘hold on a minute, let’s just stop and think about this’.

“Talking about the female and the male aspect, then, and this is not for everyone, but typically women bring more empathy into a role. We are emotionally intelligent, which is a huge topic at the minute that people are now starting to understand in more detail when it comes to leadership in teams.

“We know if someone’s having an off day, we can spot it. Women can spot someone when they’re down and give them that empathy, and maybe save them from going off sick.

“As a female working in a male-dominated environment, I was able to bring a different perspective. I honestly feel like that’s why I excelled in some of those roles because they didn’t have many women in those positions.”

Q: You speak on Women in Business Leadership; do you think enough is being done to empower female leaders, and if not, what else needs to change?

“I think this is difficult because I don’t want to get into a big gender debate over a certain number of leaders in certain positions.

“I can only talk about the organisations I’ve been part of, and actually, I’ve excelled, I’ve risen to the top of those businesses. So, I think this is down to the individual.

“Don’t let it hold you back. If you’re an individual that thinks there are no women at the top and ‘I’m not going to get there’, forge your way and start shouting about your abilities, don’t take no for an answer. You have to go and ask for that promotion and make sure you are seen and heard.

“It’s yours for the taking, but you’ve got to step up and say: ‘this is me and this is who I am’.”

Book Gina Buckney

To enquire about Gina Buckney for your event or corporate function, simply contact us via agent@diversity-inclusion-speakers.com or call a booking agent on 0203 9816 297. View our full roster of diversity and inclusion speakers today.