About Sue Pigdon

Rather than this be a list of achievements, I’m going to use this space to tell you about me. Go to my Linked-In profile to see the leadership roles I have held and my technical skills. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-pigdon/

I’m going to tell you a story instead.

When I sat in Accounting 101 many years ago, it didn’t take me long to realise that my brain was far better at words than numbers. Words, language and behaviour were for me, far more interesting. Rather than swap to an Arts degree, I stayed with Economics, fascinated by the works of Peter Druker, Edward de Bono and later Stephen Covey, Cheryl Conner and Lee Cockerell to name but a few.

After a few entry level jobs writing company reports, I decided that if I ever wanted to be good at marketing I needed to have some experience at the cold face of sales. Wonderful experience but essentially sales is a numbers game. Back to words.

I landed a great role as company journalist for Myer Stores. A few years into that role, re-structuring, probably one of the only constants throughout my career, saw me move into a much larger role managing internal communications for Myer. A joy to turn up to work every-day, and thanks to the coaching and support of my boss Kate Arnold. She taught me the value of courage in decision making and staying true to your values. Ah values, something I really value.

My introduction to Kmart was daunting. As the youngest direct report to the Managing Director I had to attend the regular Monday morning meeting. His team and the next level down in the buying team, 18 people, or should I say men, around the table and me. I sat there thinking wow affirmative action has not come too far here, and I am happy to report my appointment was the tipping point to many other women being given the opportunity to move into more senior roles, particularly in the ‘real’ jobs in buying and store operations.

As we came out of the meeting the wonderful John Jukes, who had sponsored me into the role admitted he had just got a glimmer of what it must be like to be a woman in business in the late 80’s. I raise this because I hear so much about women needing to be mentored and that’s valid, but, more than that, they need to be sponsored. Having someone prepared to advocate for them at the table is quite different to mentoring.

One of the things I am most proud of and an initiative still going, is the Kmart Wishing Tree. By now this program must have raised multi-millions of gifts for disadvantaged people and it all started with a magazine story. It was strategically an important program at the height of “rampant consumerism” and was a success on many levels. Janice Mascini and I took the germ of an idea and shaped in into an initiative that broke new ground in the fledgling corporate social responsibility space.

Cheryl Johnstone is someone I also want to acknowledge.  Another pioneer and courageous person who was prepared to test new ways of working that allowed women (largely) to continue to work in satisfying and more senior roles while combining their desire to be hands on in the nurturing of their young children. When Cheryl asked me if I’d be interested in job-sharing, with a little embarrassment, I had to ask what that was exactly. Some four years later, my fabulous job-share partner Veronica McGowan and I were promoted to a senior government relations role across the then Coles Myer Group.

Our job share demonstrated a more flexible and creative way of working and was embraced in many other areas of the business. One year at annual review time I looked back at all Veronica and I had achieved and realised even if I had worked an 80 hour week every week, I’d never have got thought that much. Two brains for the price of one in a strategic role was great value.

There have been lots of other people along my journey who have given wise counsel, backed me or who have challenged and tested me. I’ve learnt you need both. Colleague and client alike.  

The saying fortune favours the brave rings very true for me. It is why we need to get out of our comfort zone. That is where you learn. So I continue to strive to be brave, both for myself and my clients.