by Anna Broughton, NS Group

EMPOWERING WOMEN TO STAND TALL

by Anna Broughton

Director, NS Group & NAWIC Chapter Major Event Committee Member and 2020 Arup Business & Leadership Award Winner (WA) I moved to Australia through a work transfer in 2006 and in 2007 I was invited to interview for a position at NS Group with then Founder Neill Stevens. Despite interviewing for a different role, Neill saw the potential I had to succeed as a project manager. I am privileged and proud to work in a company that rewards based on merit and promotes staff regardless of gender. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunities that have been made available to me and, so far, I have been able to overcome any barrier through determination and hard work. Sadly, maybe I am one of the lucky ones. That is why I use my experience and position to encourage and empower others by demonstrating what a woman can achieve in our industry. Ultimately, I want to be part of the change that sees women in construction and leadership positions become the norm and not the exception. There are many ways we can stimulate greater female participation in maledominated industries such as ours. Some effective initiatives include highlighting possible career paths earlier to students during their school-aged years, sharing stories of inspirational and successful women across the industry and supporting individuals through workplace development and mentoring initiatives. Whilst my company is involved in all of the above, I have also made a personal commitment to champion gender equality in the workplace through industry committees and speaking opportunities. However, I believe mentoring is perhaps the most powerful – and underestimated – means to make a tangible impact. Mentoring not only benefits individuals, it also allows for an indirect flow-on effect over time through nurturing more successful women into our industry who will, in turn, become role models themselves and mentors to future generations.

Since the Australian Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published its inaugural Gender Equality Scorecard from data collected in 2013-14, the proportion of women working in the construction industry has seen a measly 2% increase from 16.1% to 18.1% in the latest 20192020 report. During the same period, the composition of females in management roles in this industry has crept upwards from 10.8% to 13%. Clearly, the challenge of achieving gender diversity in construction continues to be significant. As a proud mother to a son and daughter, Harrison and Grace, I want them to grow up believing they can become anyone they choose and achieve anything humanly possible. My wish is that they will be afforded the same opportunities, free of any artificial barriers, to explore their purpose and reach their full potential. Hopefully, this comes true in my lifetime and I am committed to playing a role in making sure that it happens. With my other hat on as a Director at NS Group, and as part of a wider network of industry peers, tackling the gender diversity issue is high on my agenda as we continue working towards equalising the playing field for women. Gender equality is also the reason why I decided to get involved with NAWIC’s WA Chapter as a Committee Member because of the association’s ability to champion women in our industry across Australia.

A FORCE FOR CHANGE

I have been blessed with wonderful role models in my life and throughout my career. Growing up in Ireland, my late father worked in construction and instilled a work ethic that meant you kept going until the job was done. You dug deep and then dug deeper still, not because someone asked but because you took pride in your work.

“For me, watching a mentee become more confident, setting the bar higher for themselves and taking charge of their career are the most satisfying rewards.”

learned through my own journey and that others could benefit from my experiences. It also gave me the confidence to believe in my abilities as a mentor. The following year, I continued as an AIPM mentor and was matched with a more senior professional within our industry. I keep in touch with these mentees and relish hearing about their subsequent journeys and successes. I have also participated in the Property Council of Australia’s 500 Women in Property program as a sponsor. In this role, I expanded the network of my paired participant through facilitating introductions and opening doors to new events and opportunities. This year, I joined the NAWIC Chapter Mentoring Program (WA) and have been matched with an amazing woman who has newly taken on a leadership position within her company. Her company has recognised the value of her trade background and the gravitas of the NAWIC Award for Excellence (WA) she received in 2020. My mentee is entering an exciting stage in her career and it has provided excellent insight into how one of our team members feels when they get a promotion. It has helped me understand how I might better assist them with a transition to management and set them up for success. I am delighted that I can draw upon my career to help her navigate her new role and responsibilities.

THE REWARDS OF PAYING IT FORWARD

I genuinely believe in the value of mentoring because women sometimes need to hear relatable experiences, shared wisdom and words of encouragement to realise their worth. As mentors, we have the power to give people a balanced and positive perspective over their inner voices, often laden with negative thoughts which hold them back. We can tell them that they are good enough, spark the courage to grow and shine and help them aim for more than they ever thought possible. For me, watching a mentee become more confident, setting the bar higher for themselves and taking charge of their career are the most satisfying rewards. In 2020, I was extremely humbled to win the national AIPM Mentor of the Year Award. I was nominated by a mentee who felt she had received so much value through her mentoring experience with me. The award came as a complete, but very happy, surprise. Mentoring is a two-way exchange that benefits both parties: mentees learn from their mentors’ knowledge, experience, and achievements and mentors have the chance to give back whilst reflecting on their careers and workplaces. The value mentors get from the experience far outweighs the one-hour time commitment each month. I am a firm believer in lifelong learning as it opens so many avenues for growth and new opportunities, both personally and professionally. I would highly encourage all senior professionals to consider being a mentor because mentoring enables a unique opportunity to learn through a shared and tailored experience that often results in a long-term connection.

BUILDING CAPACITY THROUGH MENTORING

Various managers have taken me under their wing to enhance on-the-job learning through informal mentoring throughout my working life. I have leaned on specialist mentors and coaches to hone my strengths and develop strategies to achieve my career ambitions. Even today, I have a mentor outside of the company who is helping me to understand how to be a more effective director responsible for overseeing national company operations. My first official mentoring role was through the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) in 2019. The student mentoring program was a good entry point for me as a new mentor, despite the 10 years of experience I already held, and it made me realise how much I had