Over 150 professional women across the Channel Islands came together at EY’s recent leadership events to build strategies for intentional confidence and long-term resilience and ultimately set up for success in the workplace and beyond.
The sessions formed part of EY’s ongoing commitment to accelerating gender parity and creating inclusive environments where women can thrive.
The events were led by accredited life, business and career coach, Sheryl Findlay, who shared her inspiring personal story of transforming her life after experiencing profound grief and more recently receiving a devastating cancer diagnosis. She explained how, with the support of professionals who helped her prioritise her mental and physical wellbeing, these experiences shaped a renewed purpose to support others through her coaching.
Drawing on these insights, Sheryl guided attendees through practical tools to help gain clarity with their goals and create strategies for sustainable success for the year ahead and beyond. Themes included cultivating confidence, developing an authentic personal brand and building long-term resilience. Throughout the interactive sessions, attendees were encouraged to share their reflections on their strengths and the challenges they face, enabling honest and powerful conversations designed to drive and instigate positive change for people to achieve their full potential and not be held back by self-limiting beliefs.
Margo Blondel (main picture), EY’s Channel Islands Marketing and Business Development Director and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion champion, who hosted the sessions, explains why EY is so passionate about spearheading these conversations and creating spaces for women to come together: “We were delighted to bring EY Alumni, Sheryl, over to the Channel Islands to share valuable strategies with female and future leaders across the islands. Creating supportive spaces and time for women to build their network and equipping them with the tools they need to reach their full potential and support others achieve theirs is important to us as a firm.
“The topics discussed during the sessions are not challenges faced only by women. They are experiences that many people encounter at different stages of their lives and careers. The insights shared were designed to equip attendees with practical frameworks they can use to support, mentor and coach their teams, regardless of gender. The peer discussions also offered the chance to learn from others’ experiences and approaches. By nurturing a strong network of women who aspire to grow, and by creating opportunities for people to access mentors beyond their own organisations, we can help individuals build confidence, broaden perspectives and achieve more in both their personal and professional lives, which can only be positive for our island communities.”
Sheryl began by sharing the importance of cultivating confidence, and how our ability to harness this will have a profound impact on how we see and experience every aspect of our lives: “Often, confidence is seen as something you either have or you don’t, but that’s not true. Confidence can be developed, and with the right support and belief, it can transform how you show up both in and out of work. To build confidence, we must let go of the pursuit of perfection and instead strive for excellence. When we realise the value we bring and trust in our abilities, our confidence grows, and our contribution will increase in all the spaces we put ourselves in.”
Sheryl also highlighted the vital role of prioritising wellbeing in building resilience and sustaining longterm personal and professional success: “As we progress through our careers, pressure and expectations naturally increase. While pressure can motivate us, it’s crucial we are equipped with tools to manage and harness it effectively. The key to building resilience is to prioritise our physical and mental wellbeing and focus on the things in our lives we can control. When we consistently prioritise our wellbeing, we are better equipped to bounce back from the adversity and embrace the challenges and changes that come our way. In a world that is rapidly changing and evolving, nurturing our resilience has never been more important for long-lasting success.”
Margo concluded: “After hearing Sheryl’s inspiring insights, it was important to us that the momentum continues long after these events. The phrase that Sheryl used that resonated with me was that we must build a life by design, not by default. We need to be bold, intentional and deliberate about how we show up. All the attendees were asked to make personal pledges for what they would do differently. I can’t wait to hear about the difference they make to building their resilience and achieving their goals. The events were a powerful reminder that each of us can take meaningful action, however small, to move forward with intention, strengthen our resilience and build fulfilling lives that we are passionate about. No one is on this journey alone. By staying connected, we can build a supportive community that lifts one another up and keeps us accountable to the commitments we make.
“This is just the beginning. EY will continue to create opportunities, connections and programmes that champion women and help accelerate progress towards greater gender parity across our islands.”
