SHINE’ing the Spotlight on… Danielle Dobson
Danielle has always been super curious, and someone who asks a lot of questions and loves to explore.
As a CPA with extensive corporate experience, Danielle has covered everything from private practice to multinationals and lived and worked in 5 different countries. Identifying the high levels of stress and overwhelm experienced personally and by others, Danielle wanted to make a difference. She pivoted from corporate and has been serving clients in the wellbeing space for the past 7 years.
Danielle is a mother of three young boys, flying solo. Her greatest achievement is staying sane during a year of living dangerously in Beijing when they were younger.
Danielle, tell us about Code Conversations and why you decided to set up?
Code Conversations™ works with high potential women to break down the code they are currently operating under – releasing them from the conditioning of their own code and stepping into the high performing individuals they are capable of being.
Code Conversations™ was born out of the 2 year grounded theory research project I conducted on women who lead at work and lead at home (lead parents). My aim was to better understand how being a parent influenced their leadership approach and how being a leader influenced how they parented. Rather than focusing on two separate worlds, I wanted to see what works well across all areas and what strengths they bring and build in both.
As a result of the interviews and deeper research (while compiling the book) I was able to develop a framework and a methodology to help women create their own solutions, unique to their individual context.
We focus on women as they have a crucial role to play in all levels of leadership right now and into the future. What my research revealed was that women in organisations who are also parents and/or carers typically bring highly sought-after skills such as empathy, perspective, critical thinking, adaptability, prioritisation and creativity. These women and their strengths are a huge asset to organisations. It is our mission to ensure they are supported, nurtured and utilised.
You’ve recently launched a book – what made you write this and tell us what it’s all about?
What I discovered after interviewing over 50 women in leadership roles (and a few good men) was life-changing. The insights, best practices, strategies and stories were too good to keep to myself and I knew if I could find an effective way to share all I had learned then it would offer an alternative to the work/life, either/or approach and the constant need for women to juggle.
The adventure has morphed into a mission and rather than pitching a book, I am offering a better world for the many exhausted women who are grappling to make sense of their lives and know that there is a better alternative.
Breaking the Gender Code: How women can use what they already have to get what they actually want; unpacks why we feel the constant pressure to keep all of the balls in the air and why we think we have to. It looks at how the cultural myths created and reinforced over millennia underpin our expectations today and aren’t serving us.
But most importantly it deconstructs how to do it differently; just why we don’t need more of anything – that we can simply use what we already have, to get what we actually want.
What leadership traits do you feel are most important for success?
What stood out time and again during the course of my research – and beyond – was that the leaders who seem to be achieving their version of success, fundamentally care about other people and show it. They have perspective, empathy, are great at critical thinking, are adaptable, they think about the greater good and what is sustainable (rather than being driven by short term ego thinking). They also realise they play a part in nurturing future generations and they make decisions from this place. They are generally also at peace with who they are and have a sense of personal security and grounded confidence.
I actually devised an anatomy of an exceptional leader based on all I researched and implemented. I call it the 7 Wonders of Women Leaders:
Care, Clarity, Collaboration, Courage, Contribution, Creativity, Curiosity
With all of the wonders being wrapped up with the biggest C of all – connection
What career or personal achievement are you most proud of?
Career-wise – creating my business (which I launched in March this year) and launching my book (launched this month). It has been a life-time in the making and has provided the perfect opportunity to consolidate all of my prior experiences professionally and personally. It has been a process of bringing all of who I am to every part of the adventure. It has stretched me and at times it has been difficult to keep going but it is part of my mission to help women relieve the pressure and create their own, unique world.
Personally – transitioning out of a marriage relationship and into a respectful partnership. Also raising 3 boys between 9 and 13 single-handedly without going insane (yet).
Can you share three top tips with us that will help people to thrive and adapt in the current work environment?
1) Acceptance of where you are and what is happening around you (and inside you). Fighting the situation and people in it is an energy drain or a waste of energy that could be re-directed to something more creative.
2) Understanding that you have all of the internal resources you need right now and it is a matter of accessing them and bringing them to the surface. It is not a matter of creating something new or trying to improve the developmental gaps.
3) Use compassion toward yourself and others when things feel hard. Often our own expectations are the hardest ones to measure up to. As a result we put a huge amount of pressure on ourselves to do and be everything. In those times, it is key to remember you are doing the best you can with the internal and external resources you have. And also, so is everyone else in your world.
And what’s next on the agenda for Danielle Dobson?
Reaching as many women as I can with the message that a third world is possible for them. It doesn’t have to be either/or and the constant sense of juggling can stop. Being a women and having caring responsibilities is a powerful career asset and using what you already have, strengths, skills, experiences, you can create what you actually want. Not what society or the internal messaging tells you that you should have.
Exciting steps are: speaking, podcast guesting, facilitating workshops and working one on one with women who are driven to make a difference.
Favourite book and why?
Gone with the Wind – I read it on holiday in Savannah (most of it because it is a huge book) while living in the US. I love how we learn so much about history through the eyes of the people living it. The book gave me a unique insight into the lives and perspectives of people before, during and after a period in time long gone and we can learn about ourselves in the process. My favorite book character of all time is Scarlett O’Hara. l love her resilience, strength and determination to never give up despite the odds being stacked against her. She is a person who does not like to be put into a box and all through her life, violates all sorts of societal and gender codes to achieve what she wants.
What’s one thing that you do for yourself every day?
My morning routine – I get up early so I can start the day on my own terms (I was sick of the human alarm clocks being in charge) and run through my morning practice I learned while living in Beijing. It consists of a cup of hot water (with lemon and ginger), qi gong and exercise. It provides me with a solid foundation for the day and a way to give to myself before I give to the world.
What mantra do you live by?
I am exactly where I need to be right now. I love this as it has acceptance, self-compassion, patience, permission and allows me to take a breath.
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