This is my story...

Words / Seb Murray

Leaders are encouraged to be authentic, to bring their whole selves to work. So, how honest should you be when you share your own backstory?

Chris Cummings has a striking personal brand. His corporate biography speaks honestly about his working-class roots. This, you feel, is a leader of genuine humility.

And beneath the words, there’s another message: that Cummings, CEO of the Investment Association, has not benefited from any hereditary privilege. His career success is largely down to his own efforts.

Cummings’ approach is useful on several levels. Yes, there are real lessons here about how to forge a compelling personal brand, but his honesty will surely also help to tackle wider issues about how we address socio-economic imbalances in the workforce.

Many managers and leaders would feel uncomfortable sharing personal details. They may fear that revealing their background, especially any socio-economic challenges they have faced, might harm their career prospects. But this can have negative effects. “If you don’t see people thriving who look and sound like you, it can be hard to imagine a long-term future in that industry,” says Cummings.

These issues run deep, explains Louise Ashley, senior lecturer in organisation studies at Royal Holloway, University of London. “Class is associated with stigma and shame – and that can give people strong perceived reasons to hide their background.”

The answer is for more leaders to adopt Cummings’ approach. Leaders are the public faces of their organisations and can set an example by sharing their stories. “It’s only when people become quite senior and occupy positions of power that they feel able to open up,” says Ashley. The impact can be powerful, creating role models and helping to create a culture in which employees don’t feel they need to conform to a uniform image.

Serge da Motta Veiga, professor of human resource management at France’s EDHEC Business School, believes this is beginning to happen. “Leaders are being more open about who they are, sharing personal stories and struggles.”

He says this is in tune with the pandemic era, where leadership traits such as compassion, communication and empathy have come to the fore. “Saying I wasn’t given this on a platter, these are the hurdles I had to overcome to get where I am – I think people will be drawn to that.”

So, what’s next?

Your executive biography is the first glimpse people will get of your personality and values. They’re often very bland. But more and more leaders are revamping them, with a scope that goes well beyond a list of professional achievements.

Cummings is showing the way. “It’s time we shed all the taboos and feel comfortable bringing our whole selves to work, talking openly about our backgrounds, our upbringing, the journeys we have taken in our careers and any obstacles we may have faced,” he says.

So, what’s the best approach to take? Max Whicher, co-founder of Spin Brands, says it’s important that your personal leadership story has positivity. “You don’t want to dwell on how tough your life has been – it should be aspirational,” he says. “Focus on how you overcame the challenges.” He encourages leaders to talk about their values, goals and extra-curricular achievements and, where possible, to tie their own story to their company’s goals.

The biggest mistake is not staying humble, says Whicher. “What you don’t want to do is come across like you’re bragging about your success. It’s not about ‘I didn’t have much and now look at me’ or ‘If I can do it, anybody can’. It’s more about recognising your good fortune in difficult circumstances.”

And please be honest. Sam Friedman at the London School of Economics knows this area well. He’s written books such as The Class Ceiling: Why it pays to be privileged. His research has found that people from privileged backgrounds often “misidentify” their origins in order to demonstrate their success “against the odds”.

Da Motta Veiga encourages people not to attribute all their success to intrinsic factors and instead to recognise the role played by education, role models and connections. The message that you’re trying to communicate is that “you don’t want to only hire people who share your pedigree,” he says. “The future of leadership won’t be all old white men who went to Oxbridge – it’ll be many people who had to work their backsides off to get there.”

FIVE LEADERSHIP JOURNEYS

Let’s look in detail at how modern leaders are telling their own stories...

Chris Cummings

Chris Cummings

CEO at the UK Investment Association

“I am a white Yorkshireman – born and bred! I attended a ‘bog standard’ comprehensive school and then went to Newcastle University to read Philosophy & Politics. I was the first person in my family to go to University – only possible because of getting a full grant.”

This comes across as a really “interesting journey,” says Max Whicher of Spin Brands. “You get a feeling of humble beginnings and a good work ethic.”

Mitesh Sheth

Mitesh Sheth

Former CEO of financial consultants Redington

“I am a proud British Indian, a practicing Hindu, a Vegan and I don’t drink alcohol. Growing up, my parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet as immigrants to the UK from Africa, as did their parents when they emigrated from India. I went to a state school in Crawley, then got into LSE to study Actuarial Science. After graduating, I spent a year reconnecting with my roots in India […] I am passionate about developing agile and inclusive cultures, where diverse talent can innovate and collaborate to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all.”

We love Mitesh’s story. It’s got personal details about his lifestyle, work ethic and childhood. Max Whicher admires how it also includes “values, goals and aspirations”.

Ann Carter-Gray

Ann Carter-Gray

Head of estates at the Cabinet Office

“When I was a child, my family became homeless and lived in a caravan for nine years. My parents had bought a tiny piece of land, so they created a smallholding. It took those nine years to work their way through the planning system and save sufficient money before we could build a home on it. That’s what sparked my interest in land holding and planning regulations”

What a compelling journey this is. Whicher calls it a “captivating introduction” and loves how Ann’s backstory connects to her current role.

Sir Peter Lampl

Sir Peter Lampl

Founder of education charity The Sutton Trust

“Sir Peter Lampl was brought up in Wakefield in Yorkshire on a council estate, the son of a Czech refugee who came to Britain in 1938, and qualified as an engineer by studying part-time at night school. He went to Reigate Grammar School, at that time a direct grant school […] and then won a place at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. This was an agreeable one in the eye [of] the physics teacher who had told him at Reigate ‘The only way you’ll ever go to Oxford, my boy, is on the bus’.”

This story is told in the third person and, says Max Whicher, has “a great balance of personal and professional.” It conveys Sir Peter’s achievements and initial motivation in a really powerful way.

Ben Gold

Ben Gold

Head of investment, XPS Pensions Group

“I am a white British male from a Jewish background, although I am not religious at all. I grew up in Essex where my parents were not wealthy, and I went to state school. I worked throughout secondary school from the age of 11, doing jobs including washing cars, mowing lawns, a paper round, washing up in pubs and restaurants, supermarket cashier and working in a butcher’s shop, driven by my desire to pay my own way. I was the first in my family to go to university, studying Maths and Statistics at Leeds University […] I want to see everyone thrive and meet their true potential, and this can only be done in an inclusive and diverse culture. I am also a passionate believer that everyone should have an equal opportunity regardless of background or privilege.”

Ben’s willingness to work hard to get what he wants shines through in his story. He’s honest about his motivations. Max Whicher admires how it touches on Ben’s personal values.