Melanie Raymond can recall the day she decided to stop trying to make other people look good, and step up and simply do good herself.
A former media adviser and speechwriter, Raymond was appalled by the standard of political oratory and leadership she witnessed at a particular local meeting. She quickly and impulsively decided she was done using her expertise to help other people get in front of an audience and articulate a vision. It was time to articulate something herself.
Now the chair of a number of not-for-profit boards, including Youth Projects, supporting disadvantaged youths in Melbourne, Raymond believes making a deliberate decision to step up offered a springboard into an influential leadership career.
“I was allocated an electorate I am sure the male leadership thought I could not win, against a long term incumbent, and won 64% of the primary vote,” Raymond says.
“And then it was me up front; leading meetings, policy, establishing directions. And the best part being, I hope, a better voice for my local community.”
Raymond served as a councilor in the Melbourne city of Moreland for three years until 2002. Since then, she has chaired, advised and acted as a director on a wide range of predominantly Melbourne-based organisations including the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Victorian Liquor Licensing Council, Carlton Redevelopment Liaison Committee, City of Melbourne and Good Cycles
While the councilor role offered an initial springboard into such work, she believes the next turning point came after “just another corporate lunch”, when she made the bold move to engage a very senior corporate governance leader in conversation.
“When he asked after what I was doing, I am not sure what propelled me, but for once I told my story differently. I said ‘I think I am one of the most senior women in (that particular sector at the time)’ and described the roles I had. I posed my work in terms of the authority, and the seniority those roles carried.”
The conversation lead to new opportunities, with Raymond crediting her next appointment back to him, and ultimately many of the senior roles that came her way back to that one conversation.
“What is important is learning to convey what you are doing and not being vague or too modest,” Raymond says. “It was an unusual moment for me to do that, but it was ‘now or never’.”
Raymond is a finalist in the NAB Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards in the not-for-profit category.
The short facts on Melanie Raymond’s story
Born. England (Sri Lankan heritage)
Childhood? Island off the cost of West Africa, Bonthe, Sri Lanka, London & Coburg
Leadership qualifications? Formally? Harvard University Executive Program (scholarship); MA (Hons) political leadership (local government councillor) Company Directors Course AICD, corporate leadership as a CEO and Chairman of multiple Boards.
High school career ambition? Drummer in a pop group for a while but I was told that “girls don’t play drums”. But I pointed to Karen Carpenter. So I won that one and had lessons. I also wanted to be journalist, psychologist or judge.
And your first, ever job? Weekend work as a sales assistant in scarves and gloves, Myer Bourke St; cleaner in a nursing home, electorate officer for local politician
Who and what do you lead? I lead several organisations as Board chair and hope that what I actually lead is contemporary, proactive governance and thought leadership. I am Chairman of a large NFP, Youth Projects which has about 80 staff in the very frontline of street homelessness, substance abuse, youth unemployment and mental health. I have been CEO on multiple occasions, I have also been leading a whole of government collaborative investment project, Opportunities for Carlton, I chair the NFP Committee of the AICD in Victoria, am on the Board of a social enterprise Good Cycles, have just finished a two terms on a philanthropic trust. What I hope I lead is professionalism, collaboration, opportunity, shared investment and impact.
How do you stay informed? I am almost exclusively using online sources now for my news. I read The Age and AFR; Intellectually I am grateful for some international sites that feed the brain on innovation & collaboration, such as The Line and CLES (Centre for Local Economic Strategies). I also have sites like Women’s Agenda and Destroy the Joint daily to my inbox too, as they are debating current news.
And manage your wellbeing? I lean heavily on a network of trusted friends. We look out for each other, personally and professionally, whether by phone or in person. My son, at 16, is an honest critic, and a daily reality check. My partner is the most honest, learned and loyal person you could ever meet. But early morning time, every day, in my vegetable patch is restful and calming and unlike anything else that I do. My welling has never been stronger since my turnaround in self confidence and satisfaction with who I am and what I can
What is the first thing you do in the morning? Caffeine. I am a “procaffeinator” — a person who tends not to start anything until they have had a cup of coffee.
An average day in the life… No two days are the same but lately it often involves fielding media calls, catch up meetings with CEOs and management teams, coffee with people looking for advice on Board appointments, thinking about food, pre meeting preparation, and asking someone questions they don’t want me to ask.
Leadership ‘superpower’? I’ve had to take advice on this. My colleagues say it is capacity to juggle and finish a large and diverse work load. It’s also connectivity i.e. having a very wide network that I am able to utilise for collaboration, and bringing together unlikely partners. They say being generous with time also helps: listening, and sharing knowledge. I believe listening is underrated, but so very important. It’s also carrying authority, confidence and making my accountability explicit.
What do you believe needs to change in order to better support women at work – particularly in your industry? In the NFP sector women dominate the workforce but not the leadership positions. The larger the organisation, the less likely a woman will be chair or serving as a director. Salaries are low for the skilled work performed, and we need to re-value “the caring professions” to reflect the contribution made. This will have major economic impact given the scale of the problem, but it is critical to workforce development for a growing sector. The statistics on equal pay have barely progressed in decades.
I am certain we need to tackle more uncomfortable truths about the public and private spheres of women’s lives. Women continue to do the bulk of the household work, child rearing and emotional housework, in relationships where both parties work. We need to tackle a rising backlash about feminism. It’s the force that has propelled so many advances, but now, whenever we want to talk about advances for women, or use the F word, there is very vicious interference from largely uninformed people howling us down. We must protect the right to fight for women’s rights.
Advice to your 18-year-old self? Don’t listen to your internal voice that could hold back your confidence and self worth. Be authentic. Value what you do, surround yourself with good people and don’t stand in the shadows. Most of all, really hard work and risk taking will pay off in the long run. If you are someone who is the first to complain, “but that’s not my job” when something new needs doing, you will be holding back your chance to learn and grow.
Melanie Raymond’s story is the latest of our 100 Stories Project, in which we’re asking women about a turning point that’s shifted her leadership career. Telling 100 stories from January 1 2015, the project showcases the diverse range of leadership careers available, as well as some of the brilliant achievements and fascinating career paths of women. It also demonstrates how planned and unexpected forks in the road can take you places you never thought possible.
Got an idea? Get in contact. Check out more on our 100 Stories Project here.
Other women featured in this series include:
Angela Ferguson: The woman designing the future of work (Google included)
Jo-Ann Hicks: eBay’s leading woman on the risks that made her digital career
Annabelle Daniel: ‘I’m the unlikely combination of CEO and single parent
Sarah Liu: Multiple job titles and variety: Life as a ‘slashie’
Lindy Stephens: When the power shifts, women should make the most of it
Kate Morris: Why I gave up law to become an online entrepreneur
Jacque Comery: Leading a team of 12 on an Antarctic base