Sarah Walker: CEO of Cisco UK & Ireland, How being a mum changed my outlook on leadership
My Duvet Flip by Jack Parsons
Jack Parsons
4.2 • 5 Ratings
🗓️ 19 September 2024
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Check out the latest careers at easyJet:
Episode Guest
In this inspiring episode of My Duvet Flip, Sarah shares her incredible journey from technology enthusiast to executive powerhouse, balancing her roles as a leader, mentor, and advocate for diversity. As the executive sponsor for Women of Cisco, Chair of the Board for Greater Manchester Academies Trust, and Non-Executive Director at Liverpool Women's Hospital, Sarah’s passion for driving positive change is unmatched.
Discover her views on the impact of technology on society, the importance of giving back to communities, and how she’s actively shaping the future for the next generation. Sarah also opens up about her personal journey—being a proud mum and wife—while breaking new ground in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Get ready to be inspired by her insights on leadership, innovation, and making a real difference in the world!
Episode Timestamps
00:00 Trailer
02:55 The Journey of Transferable Skills
06:11 Balancing Competition and Teamwork
08:55 The Value of Early Work Experiences
12:04 The Importance of Self-Awareness
15:04 Navigating Modern Realities and Self-Identity
17:58 Effective Communication in the Workplace
21:01 Overcoming Gender Bias in Tech
23:58 The Role of Allies in Diversity and Inclusion
26:46 Commitment and Lifelong Learning
30:06 The Future of Technology and AI
32:46 Career Progression: Beyond Job Titles
35:50 Finding Your Motivation and Purpose
Episode Partner
easyJet streamlines affordable travel for all, with every role crucial in connecting millions via Europe's top airline network. With an innovative culture, easyJet empowers you to shape travel's future.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Give yourself the space to learn and understand who you are, what you stand for and what inspires and motivates you. |
| 0:06.6 | Do chase a job title, chase personal growth. |
| 0:09.1 | The job titles will ultimately come and be ambitious and curious and push yourself. |
| 0:13.5 | Brilliant. |
| 0:14.7 | Hi, I'm Sarah Walker. |
| 0:17.8 | I'm the Chief Executive for Cisco, UK and Ireland. |
| 0:20.6 | Gloverly we employ over 80,000 people. |
| 0:23.6 | And this is my do-ve-flip. |
| 0:24.6 | Having that experience on your CV, did it help you? |
| 0:27.6 | When we talk about transferable skills, you don't realise the skills that you amassed through |
| 0:31.6 | all these strange jobs, it might not be the dream job, but they're ways of getting you out there and learning things as you go. I know how to talk to customers. I know how to listen to them. So I started desk sales, |
| 0:41.6 | trying to sell mobile phones to small and medium businesses. And it was the hardest job |
| 0:46.1 | I've ever done because nobody believed that mobile technology would take off. |
| 0:49.4 | What's the future of technology now, in your opinion? AI is front and centre, but it's probably |
| 0:54.0 | a more considered risk and threat as well. |
| 0:56.0 | So, you know, ensuring that we've got the ethics, |
| 0:58.0 | correct, that we've got the security and the guardrails around the use of AI. |
| 1:02.0 | Why do you think everyone's back in AI? |
| 1:05.0 | That is a very big question. |
| 1:07.0 | What's your duvet flip? What gets you out of bed in the morning to flip the duvet? |
| 1:10.0 | So... Who's... |
| 1:11.6 | ...that you're gonna' |
... |
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