October 26, 2024

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Catherine Granger: The First In-line to Make Way for Women

Author:

Overview:

  • Finding your calling and sticking to it will pave the way for you.
  • Diversity adds an accelerator to your personal as well as business growth curve.
  • Never be afraid to ask, speak, and pursue.
  • Exploring AI, technology, engineering, and related disciplines with a practical focus is necessary for the future.

1. What inspired you to start your own venture and ultimately work with major brands such as Amazon and Nestle?

I always wanted to be self-employed. I started a small consulting firm in Scotland that was involved in engineering and Lean Six Sigma, which are management methods. I also worked as a freelance contractor for companies such as BP and Shell which were all male-dominated. I quickly understood that I could not realistically compete against giants like McKinsey. So I followed a new approach. Since in the initial times’ HR departments had a lot of power, my mechanism was to get in conversation with them and offer them a day rate, along with asking them to give me a two-week evaluation. Based on that, I would write them a report on where I could save them money. Be it hemorrhaging money in the supply chain, obsolete goods, or infrastructural adjustments. And that’s pretty much how I started to grow and work alongside multinationals.

Catherine Granger The First In-line to Make Way for Women

2. What are some key obstacles that you faced or continue to face as an entrepreneur and how have you tackled them?

When I stepped into professional life, I observed that women were rarely asked for an opinion on matters. It was like being seen and not heard. As a listener with an interest in psychology, I started observing people. I would create a psychological profile of the individuals I was dealing with to make an assessment of what ticks them and what intrigues them to give myself some margin. Ironically, even after 25 – 30 years, I’ve felt that this dilemma remains, and to deal with it, I have created a method of always supporting my ideas with facts and data. Having worked on Lean Six Sigma previously has provided me with the edge in statistical analysis. 

3. How has working in different countries and diverse cultures contributed to your professional development?

I have never been the one who overthinks and procrastinates too much about a situation. I see everything in life as an opportunity. I remember when my husband and I got divorced and I was moving to Dubai with my kids to start my business. Submitting a supporting letter from my ex-husband, getting a business license, and wearing an Abaya were all quite new experiences for me. I don’t believe in building preconceived ideas about places or situations, so going to the Middle East and visiting Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Syria were fabulous experiences. In about three years of my tenure, I learned Arabic, and my career accelerated immensely. Being one of the first Western ladies to have worked among such diverse countries in the area I was in, I got insights and learnings from an accumulation of 121 nationalities.

4. What does success mean to you professionally and personally?

If I were asked in the past, I would’ve said money because I was in the survival stage and I wanted to provide all the assistance to my children. Now I believe that the meaning of success changes with the different phases of our lives. Success for me now means independence, the autonomy to decide on which clients I would like to take or reject, or maybe an exciting project I’m starting. At some point, it is breaking the glass ceiling, and sometimes a bit of adventure and learning new things would encapsulate what accomplishment entails for me. For all the versions of Catherine, success meant a lot of different things.

Catherine Granger with Family member -The First In-line to Make Way for Women

5. What key differences have you observed in approaches to gender equality across various cultures?

I have observed that  DEI is more like a checklist item for organizations across cultures. Women are often deprived of opportunities, regardless of whether they are capable and competent.  I’ve observed that the ideology of equality, diversity, and inclusion is not more than just lip service, even among global giants, as it looks good for the public image. Regardless of all the commotion regarding all these values, I think we still have to strive to get a seat at the table.

6.What are some learnings and insights that you have gathered from multinational companies that you incorporate into your current entrepreneurial venture?

Unlike our expectations, multinational companies can be very chaotic and have a lot of hierarchy in place, which makes it quite difficult to introduce change. Although a number of good changes have been incorporated since the advent of DEI, in order to break through these barriers, we need to invest a lot of time and be able to stand up and draw the line between right and wrong. That is what I’ve believed and practiced as well, because until and unless you tell people that a certain type of behavior is not justifiable, they won’t stop or change their ways. 

Catherine Granger with Family members -The First In-line to Make Way for Women

7. What opportunities or challenges do you anticipate for organizations in the coming years?

I believe there’s a lack of skills to fully leverage AI solutions. Organizations such as the Abu Dhabi Innovation Board and many others are having discussions around artificial intelligence and its components, but I feel we are lacking in aspects of practical implementation. This is something that we can and need to work out. I’ve observed more and more women going into AI, technology, and STEM—which is a positive sign. We need to continue to support and convince each other and our children, especially girls,  to explore disciplines such as engineering and technology because we are capable of doing everything and anything.

8. How do you prevent burnout and what is your idea of fun?

I am an animal lover, and I’ve been rescuing animals for 25 years from all over the world to my farm in Scotland, and that place is like my sanctuary. Apart from that, I swim daily. When I am swimming, I am able to reset and switch off everything in my surroundings and feel nothing. I believe that taking care of your mental and physical health is crucial because not only do you get to relax but you may also find new perspectives to deal with the problems and goals.

9. What advice would you offer to aspiring female leaders looking to make an impact in traditionally male-dominated industries like technology and AI?

My advice would be to never be scared to speak and pursue things you want.  I am someone who is very intrigued by the world and is always keen to learn more. That’s what got me to start working in engineering. If someone tells me no, I regroup and try again and again; it’s hard for me to give up. Another piece of advice would be to avoid group thinking because it kills all the curiosity and innovation an organization can offer. I can say from experience that diversity leads to success. 

Conclusion:

Catherine’s life is full of learning and insights. From following your passion to fearlessly diving into male-dominated fields, taking a stand for yourself and others, and believing in the beauty and strength of diversity, her journey offers some extremely valuable lessons.

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