• Collaboration Room

      

Recommended Resources

  • Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor: The New Way to Fast-Track Your Career
    Who’s pulling for you? Who’s got your back? Who’s putting your hat in the ring? Odds are this person is not a mentor but a sponsor. Mentors can build your self-esteem and provide a sounding board—but they’re not your ticket to the top.

    If you’re interested in fast-tracking your career, what you need is a sponsor—a senior-level champion who believes in your potential and is willing to advocate for you as you pursue that next raise or promotion.     Sylvia Ann Hewlett
  • Win Win: When Business Works for Women, It Works for Everyone
    Getting men involved in the conversation about how life is in organisations for women, this book is a great summary of how women adapt to a working life designed for and by men. And is a rallying cry for men and women to really see what is happening and change accordingly.     Joanne Lipman John Murray (22 Feb. 2018)
  • How women rise
    An accessible and powerful guide to career progression for women looking at the 12 habits that undermine women’s success - from Failing to Enlist Allies to Letting Your Radar Distract You.     Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith Random House Business (12 April 2018)
  • Article - Penny de Valk You’re More Biased Than You Think JANE PORTER
  • Article - Penny de Valk How (Un)ethical Are You? Mahzarin R. BanajiMax H. BazermanDolly Chugh
  • Article - Penny de Valk Four Ways Women Stunt Their Careers Unintentionally Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath, and Mary Davis Holt
  • Article - Penny de Valk HBR Sept 2010 Why Men Still Get More Promotions Than Women Herminia Ibarra, Nancy M. Carter, Christine Silva
  • Article - Penny de Valk Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers Herminia Ibarra, Robin J. Ely, Deborah M. Kolb
  • Article - Penny de Valk Women in the Workplace: A Research Roundup Herminia Ibarra
  • Article - Penny de Valk The Authenticity Paradox Herminia Ibarra
  • What works for women at work What Works for Women at Work
    Williams and Dempsey (mother and daughter) distil decades of research to identify four patterns of behaviour that create obstacles to women’s advancement. And give pragmatic and well tested advice on how navigate them.
    Joan C. Williams, Rachel Dempsey NYU Press; Workbook ed. edition (9 Jan. 2018)
  • Drop the ball
    Tiffany Dufu’s engaging and practical book shows us how to embrace imperfection and prioritise our success in the face of overwhelming work and home obligations. Focussing on what’s going on at home and how we can negotiate that, she tells an inspiring story about how to use techniques from the Four Go-Tos to using the village to thrive.     Tiffany Dufu Penguin Life (22 Feb. 2018)
  • Video - Penny de Valk Charlotte Beers at TEDxWomen 2012
    Charlotte Beers talks about her career in advertising and business, and the experiences that shaped her leadership skills. She has served as CEO for Tatham-Laird & Kudner and Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, and was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2009.     Charlotte Beers TEDx Talks
  • Video - Penny de Valk Power and Influence Deborah Gruenfeld Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • The Confidence Code The Confidence Code
    An accessible and generous read Kay and Shipman take a sweeping view of women and their lack of self assurance drawing extensively on research and interviews to genuinely enquire into its' causes and effects. The book also includes macro and micro confidence building habits - both do's and don'ts!     Katty Kay & Claire Shipman HarperBusiness; International ed. edition (2 July 2015)
  • Why Don't Women Ask? Why Don’t Women Ask?
    Babcock and Laschever contend women need to negotiate now more than ever but they don't ask - for promotions, for recognition, for more help at home. Exploring the anxiety around negotiating they create helpful frameworks acknowledging the dual goals in negotiations - issue related goals and relationship goals.     Linda Babcock & Sara Laschever Piatkus; New Ed edition (4 Sept. 2008)
  • Resilient: Find your inner strength Resilient: Find your inner strength
    Rick Hanson brings an understanding of the plasticity of our brains with a deep understanding of how our minds can influence that. Steeped in neuroscience and psychology the book is rich with wisdom and daily practices that can grow and hard wire inner strengths as our best resources for resilient wellbeing     Rick Hanson Rider (29 Mar. 2018)
  • The Strengths Book: Discover How to be Fulfilled in Your Work and in Life (Concise Advice) The Strengths Book: Discover How to be Fulfilled in Your Work and in Life (Concise Advice)
    Sally Bibb has written an uplifting can-do book on strengths and how to identify them and make them work for us. Practical and accessible this book can be used at home and in organisations to fuel real learning, moving away from an energy sapping deficit mindset and instead focussing on what is possible.     Sally Bibb LID Publishing (26 Oct. 2017)
  • Women & Power: A Manifesto Women & Power: A Manifesto
    Mary Beard's classicist yet deeply contemporary view of how history has treated powerful women is a compelling and provocative read. All the more so by the personal reflections of her own experience as a high profile women of international acclaim.     Professor Mary Beard Profile Books; Main edition (2 Nov. 2017)
  • Pushback: How Smart Women Ask--and Stand Up--for What They Want Pushback: How Smart Women Ask–and Stand Up–for What They Want
    A book full of tools to help with negotiating when it can feel so intimidating. Women initiate negotiations 4 times less than men yet self-advocacy is critical to their success. A real skill builder, Rezvani challenges old assumptions and tentative approaches, from confronting an issue head-on without damaging a relationship, through to how to negotiate your own career advancement.     Selena Rezani John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (19 April 2012)
  • Women Who Think Too Much: How to break free of overthinking and reclaim your life Women Who Think Too Much: How to break free of overthinking and reclaim your life
    Nolen-Hoeksema makes a strong case for the negative consequences of overthinking. Seeing women caught in their negative thoughts and emotions, what she calls a disease of 'morbid meditation' that women suffer from much more than men. And she shows how it doesn't have to be that way, outlining strategies to not allow our negative emotions rule our lives and undermine our efforts.     Susan Nolen-Hoeksema Piatkus; New Ed edition (29 Jan. 2004)
  • Mindset - Updated Edition: Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential Mindset – Updated Edition: Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential
    Carol Dweck explores the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset and the huge consequences of that mindset shift to our lives and careers. Individuals who believe their talents can be developed have a growth mindset and achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset, as they put their energy into learning. Working with our fixed mindset triggers to stay in the growth zone is hard work but reaps real rewards for our success and fulfillment.     Dr Carol Dweck Robinson (12 Jan. 2017)
  • Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
    Dr Brene Brown's insight and wisdom encourages us to be bigger than our anxiety and fear. That in fact protecting ourselves from vulnerability, telling ourselves we are in control, diminishes us. Leaning into discomfort and ambiguity we will be rewarded with living wholeheartedly and courageously.     Brene Brown Penguin Life (3 Dec. 2015)
  • Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges
    Amy Cuddy's Ted talk on Power Poses made a huge impact with women doing Wonderwoman poses in the bathrooms worldwide. This book looks at powerlessness and its' opposite presence. The book shows us how we can stop worrying about the impression we are making and change the impression we are making on ourselves, teaching us how to be more self assured in high stress moments.     Amy Cuddy Orion (28 Jan. 2016)
  • Clash!: How to Thrive in a Multicultural World Clash!: How to Thrive in a Multicultural World
    A beautifully researched and synthesised view of the binary nature of our changing world and cultures. The chapter on Gender Cultures, teasing out the mindsets and behaviours in male independence and female interdependence, is a helpful lens through which to see our default mechanisms - millennia in the making.     Hazel Rose Markus and Alana Conner Plume Books; Reprint edition (24 Jun. 2014)
  • The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won't Learn in Business School  The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in Business School 
    Rezvani distills extensive research and experience into this book full of concise and pragmatic advice for women early in their leadership careers, but relevant for all. From on the job rules to networking, negotiation, office politics and work/life balance.     Selena Rezvani Praeger (22 Dec. 2009)
  • Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader
    Turning on its' head the notion of 'think first and then act', Ibarra has rich and practical advice on how to become a high impact leader. Redefine your job, diversify your network and be more playful with your self-concept. This will increase your 'outsight' which will help inform what kind of work is important, how you should invest your time, what relationships are important, and who you want to become.     Herminia Ibarra Harvard Business Review Press; 01 edition (10 Feb. 2015)
  • Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career
    Herminia Ibarra challenges conventional approaches to careers and identity transitions. A book that speaks broadly to how we develop our leadership identities and how our working selves evolve. Pragmatic and reassuring, grounded in an apprenticeship model that requires us to act and do stuff while insisting on the benefits of experimenting and lingering to ensure we arrive truly reinvented with a sense of self renewal.     Herminia Ibarra Harvard Business Review Press (1 Jan. 2004)
  • The Politics of Promotion: How High-Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead The Politics of Promotion: How High-Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead
    Bonnie Marcus confronts our failure to see self promotion as a leadership skill that we have a responsibility to become skilled at, for our teams and our organisations. Acutely aware of the potential landmines in the political landscape she gives extensive practical advice on how to navigate those with integrity and authenticity.     Bonnie Marcus John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (24 April 2015)
  • Break Your Own Rules - How to Change the Patterns of Thinking that Block Women’s Path to Power Break Your Own Rules – How to Change the Patterns of Thinking that Block Women’s Path to Power
    Based on extensive research and their experience of coaching and training over 5,000 women Flynn, Heath and Holt capture 6 faulty assumptions many women make that can get in the way of their success. (Focus on Others, Seek Approval, Be Modest, Work Harder, Play it Safe, It's all or nothing). They then turn them on their head and give practical advice on making the new rules work for you. Great insight and examples of how we can 'get out of our own way'.     Jill Flynn and Kathryn Heath John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (21 Oct. 2011)
  • The Influence Effect The Influence Effect
    Faison, Holt and Flynn explore the challenge of navigating politics and women's deep ambivalence about office politics. The book reviews the challenges from how men and women define politics through to how women are judged harshly when engaging in office politics. Then they give their Big Five strategies from influence loops to scenario thinking designed for senior women to amplify their influence, acknowledging that what works for men wont work for women.     Diana Faison, Mary Davis Holt, Jill Flynn Berrett-Koehler Publishers (30 Oct. 2017)

  • “Penny for me is a stand out role model of women in leadership. She fought for my career, believed in me and showed firsthand what being a powerful woman in business can look like. For this especially I am eternally grateful.”

     Celine Floyd, Director of Leadership Assessment Capp & Co Ltd

  • “Penny was a catalyst for significant change, redefining the strategy and structure, developing the senior team to achieve their best through her coaching style and driving a more commercial approach. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with such an inspirational, innovative and insightful leader.”

     Gaynor Lewis. Head of Commercial Development. ILM

  • “Penny is without hesitation one of the best CEOs I have worked with. …She is results focussed driven and challenging combined with an engaging style, an incredible sense of warmth and a clear passion for business.”

     Sara Barrie – Sara Barrie & Associates

  • “Penny is one of the most accomplished professionals I have had the privilege of working for and with…She has a real focus on results but creates an environment/culture that allows people to be their best”

     Stephen Randall Partner Melior HR

  • “Superb at managing stakeholders, calm in a crisis and always with her sense of humour close to the surface, Penny is one of the best CEOs I’ve ever worked with and I’d have no hesitation in recommending anyone take the opportunity to work with her if they get the chance”

     Kerry Simmons Marketing Director LHH

  • “Penny was my boss and inspiration for over three years…With Penny you want to work hard and be your best. And work hard we did, but we also had a great deal of fun and satisfaction in making a difference at ILM under Penny’s leadership”

     Helen Oldfield, Sales and Marketing Director, MRS

  • “She has a strong focus on customer experience and cutting through ‘stuff’ to deliver results. I can’t think of anyone better placed to provide first class advice on business and personal growth”

     Hilary Hall, Chief Executive, National Hairdressers Federation

  • “Penny is without doubt one of the most impressive senior professionals working in the people space. Her presence, intellect and stature dictate that Penny is a leading light in her field, bringing both a commercial and deeply wise approach to business. She has other rare qualities for a senior executive, genuine charm, authenticity and humility. It is always a happy experience when one gets the chance to work with Penny and a fabulous opportunity to learn.”

     John Renz, Director at Executive Action

  • “Penny was (and remains to this day) an inspiration to me and so many others. Working with her is a highlight of my career, and one that I sincerely hope happens again!”

     Rob Sayers-Brown, Customer Relationship Manager at Eliesha Training Ltd

  • “Penny is simply outstanding in the capacity of coach and mentor. She has a warm personality which coupled with her sharp business acumen, professionalism and generosity in the way she invests in others professional growth is something which I have rarely seen in leaders who have held positions such as Penny has.”

     Caroline Mellor, Global HR Director, Transformation and Effectiveness at Dentsu Aegis Network