'Stop overediting yourself': Oldham-born business leader's message to women feeling pressure to fit in

An Oldham-born business leader has urged women to stop changing themselves to fit expectations at work, saying they can be ambitious, vulnerable and compassionate while still being respected as leaders.

Dr Claire Handby, who has spent more than 25 years working across construction, infrastructure and consultancy, believes people should have the confidence to challenge traditional expectations of what a successful leader should look like.

Speaking exclusively to Female Motivational Speakers Agency, she said: "Define your own version of leadership. You don't have to adopt somebody else's model of what a successful leader needs to look like."

"You need to be brave and define it for yourself first. Know your superpowers."

Handby, who has held senior roles at Deloitte, EY and KPMG, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Salford in 2018 and is a Visiting Professor at the university.

Reflecting on the pressures people face when trying to establish themselves in leadership positions, she encouraged women to recognise the qualities that make them different.

"Your difference may be precisely what creates your advantage," she said.

"Be grounded in who you are and not what you are. Stop overediting yourself."

She believes being an effective leader requires the confidence to express personal views without becoming overly concerned about how others might react.

"Don't mistake authenticity for perfection," she said.

"You can be ambitious, vulnerable, decisive, compassionate, and still be a credible leader."

'Resilience isn't about endlessly pushing harder'

Handby also spoke about the pressures facing people in senior positions and why knowing when to stop can be just as valuable as knowing when to push forward.

Having worked on major business transformation programmes throughout her career, she believes self-awareness plays a significant role in how leaders respond to difficult situations.

"They create clarity under pressure and they can distinguish between what genuinely matters and what is simply noise," she explained.

"They protect their capacity. Resilience isn't about endlessly pushing harder. It's about knowing to pause, to reset, recharge."

She also encouraged people to recognise when they need support from colleagues.

"They also ask for help. They know that sometimes they're surrounded by people who know things that they don't know and they're not afraid to reach out to them."

For Handby, dealing with uncertainty also requires accepting that the next step might not always be obvious.

"Stop waiting for certainty," she said.

"In this changing world, clarity often comes from embracing change and taking action daily."

"It's in the doing that we create momentum rather than waiting for all the answers before we start."

She added that sometimes moving forward requires recognising when an existing approach is no longer working.

"Sometimes the greatest opportunity is recognising that an old strategy isn't working anymore."

'The bots can't do that'

Handby also discussed the growing role of artificial intelligence in business and the qualities she believes people will continue to bring to leadership.

While acknowledging AI's ability to process large amounts of information, she argued that human judgement, relationships and empathy remain essential.

"AI can process extraordinary amounts of information, but as humans we're still needed to decide what matters and why," she said.

She also pointed to the importance of trust and genuine connections when leading others.

"It's fundamental to leadership, to influence, and collaboration."

"The bots can't do that."

Handby believes courage, creativity and the ability to make difficult decisions will remain important as technology develops.

"The AI is a support. It's not the driver."

'Own your next chapter'

Looking ahead, Handby encouraged people who feel uncertain about their careers to think carefully about what they want from the next stage of their lives.

"Find where you personally thrive and lean in," she said.

Rather than allowing other people's expectations to determine their future, she believes individuals should consider the impact they want to have and whether their current work reflects those ambitions.

"If it doesn't, be honest and go for the change," she said.

"Your alignment, contentment, and joy depends on it."

This exclusive interview with Dr Claire Handby was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.