When Sheryl O'Brien was appointed CEO of an insurance provider company, she was elated.
She had pushed her way through the glass ceiling and had managed to build a strong career for herself through hard work and ambition.
On a Monday she was offered the job, becoming the first female and first external person to be appointed CEO in that company's history.
By Friday – some four days later – Sheryl discovered she was pregnant.
For five years she had been trying to fall pregnant with her husband. Years earlier, Sheryl had gone through breast cancer so she and her husband had never been certain that carrying a baby would be a medical possibility. So when Sheryl realised she was expecting a baby at 42, she was overjoyed.
Soon that elation turned to overwhelm – because in her mind, Sheryl couldn't see how she could be a CEO and pregnant.
"I was full of self doubt initially. But my husband, who is my biggest advocate, said 'absolutely, you can do it, we can figure it out'. That gave me the determination to try and challenge the status quo – no matter how daunting it was."
But when Sheryl delivered the news to the board, she didn't feel as supported as she had hoped.
"I was left to figure it out. I went to them with a plan and explained how I could manage it all. They supported my proposal to 'give it a go'. But I literally had to make it work myself," Sheryl explained to Mamamia.
"I had to ask myself 'how does this look daily, weekly and monthly?' Plus, I was definitely working harder to make sure I wasn't dropping the ball and championing all women in leadership positions. It felt like I had to prove something – from both pressure on myself, but mostly from external forces."
But for Sheryl, that pressure ignited a fire in her. She wanted to show them that she could do it. And not only that, but she could pave the way for other women and future mums in executive roles.
Sheryl gave birth to her daughter Bella, and it was, fortunately, a safe delivery with no complications.
But three weeks after giving birth, Sheryl returned to the boardroom.
It was a decision she felt she had little control over, having to make executive decisions with little support from the board – her fellow colleagues.
"There were some challenges in the business and I literally had to step back into the boardroom and leave my newborn at home with my husband. That's when it dawned on me how difficult this was going to be," Sheryl said to Mamamia.
Of course, when you're in a position of power like CEO, tough decisions have to be made. There are sacrifices. And Sheryl had the responsibility to keep the livelihoods of her 250+ staff in mind.
These are all factors of the job that Sheryl knew when she took on the role. She just wishes there had been more communication, collaboration and support structures in place, that build up working mums rather than tearing them down.
Because women shouldn't have to choose between having a family and a career.
Now Sheryl is the CEO of another organisation, Tech2. And the experiences she had in her previous role, have helped her to make positive differences today.
"If there's an appointment, a dance recital, a swimming lesson, I'm more flexible now and able to attend. And I encourage all of my team to do the same if they're parents and don't want to miss out on a special moment," she said.
"Even now some of the dads are coming up to me and asking 'I would really like to take my daughter to dance at 3pm on a Monday. Is that okay?' And I'm all for it – they can make up the work time later."
Now, Sheryl's daughter Bella is four and a half, and doing great. As for their parenting structure, Sheryl's husband owns a business, and with Sheryl having her own career, they make it work.
Watch: Some of our favourite celebrities on parenting. Post continues below.
"We are very equal in our parenting. So in Bella's early days, we had a nanny three days a week, I worked from home one day and my husband did one too. And we continue to make it work today," Sheryl said.
Being a new mother and a CEO simultaneously without much help from her work team was challenging. But somehow, Sheryl managed to thrive, and in the process, create a pathway for females and mothers to not have to go through what she did.
Now, Sheryl is an advocate for flexible working and paid maternity leave. And she encourages all business leaders and executives to do the same.
Marcia Griffin, Syndicate Chair of The CEO Institute, noted to Mamamia that among the institute's members, only 20 per cent are female – and they want that to change.
"Although this is higher than previous years, there is still a long way to go. Feedback we consistently hear from female leaders is that with motherhood you either have to stop work altogether or drop work commitments in order to be able to handle both. This causes so many women to take a giant step back in their career progression," Marcia explained.
"Our goal is to get our female representation of CEOs over 50 per cent and this is achievable because we know how capable mothers are, but we need employer buy-in."
This is a sentiment Sheryl feels passionately about. Because she doesn't want any person to feel as though they have to choose between parenthood and a career.
"We need more women in the workplace. We need a diversity of opinions and perspectives. We have the men who can help support women – we just need to create a work environment and culture that gives people permission to have a voice to speak out about what's important to them," she said.
"Being a female CEO can be quite lonely – initially I felt a bit of imposter syndrome but I now know I am qualified and worthy. And I want other female leaders to know that of themselves too."
As Sheryl explained, it's a woman's lived experience of being a parent that should be regarded as an asset – not a burden. And now as a CEO and a mum, she wouldn't ever put the pressure on women around her to return to work three weeks after giving birth. Because she knows what that pressure feels like.
"Mothers will make the best CEOs because they absolutely learn how to juggle multiple balls, can cut through the noise, and know how to be time efficient and organised. Being a female and a parent used to be seen as a hindrance in the workplace. Now it's time for the dialogue to shift – because they are incredible."
Feature Image: Supplied.
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