Strong Woman by Karren Brady

Author:Karren Brady
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2012-05-24T16:00:00+00:00

Learning to lead and building a career is one thing. Learning to parent is quite another – but they were two challenges I faced at the same time. Because once Paul and I were together, I wanted to get pregnant quickly, which meant having my babies as I was still climbing the ladder.

Nonetheless, my plan had always been to have children and, I hoped, in my twenties, so I would be young enough to enjoy their company when they were older. I knew that there would never be an ‘ideal time’ when I was working, which meant that if I waited I might put it off for ever. And it’s true: many of my friends have waited for that mythical perfect moment, which, sadly for them, has never come around. As it turned out, I was 27 when I had Sophia, my eldest, and I’ve never looked back.

I didn’t worry that children would be any sort of impediment to my career. I just thought, I’m going to have my family and I’ll have to make it work. Of course it didn’t turn out to be quite as simple as that, but I believe some women think about it too much, and still end up compromising their careers. Perhaps they don’t take promotions, thinking that they may have children and the burden would be too much. In my experience, there is never an ideal time and worrying about when will often mean you leave it too late and miss out. If you think about things for ever, you can come up with as many reasons not to do something as to do it, so you have to just go for it.

But be under no illusions: it is very, very hard to have a career and a family. As I have said, until I met Paul the plan was that I would have children on my own so I could be in complete control – of course – but now I look back and think, Thank God I didn’t do that! I take my hat off to single working mothers, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to cope on your own with the stresses of working and family.

Famously, when Sophia was born in May 1996, I took just three days off work. I had her on the Friday and I was back at work on the Monday. I regret that, but at the time I felt I had no choice. People criticise me for it, but it wasn’t as though I was thinking, I know, I’ll drop a couple of kids and march off to the office. Maternity-leave provision was minimal in those days and attitudes were very different. Flexible working didn’t exist as it does now – I hadn’t even heard of it as a concept, let alone an actual choice that was open to me.

There was the psychological fear, too, that many new mothers with careers still suffer from: if I step away, I’m going to lose momentum, I’m going to lose my job.

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