Gemma Hiett

I'm Gemma and I train lawyers in developing their soft skills. (Soft, but not always easy). I liken it to a car. The engine is your technical horse power. But an engine alone is not going anywhere. Your soft skills are all the bits you build around the engine that gives you somewhere to sit and something to steer with. If you want a high-performance car, you need the high-spec engine, but you also need some really high-spec interiors and this is what I do.

I've been working in talent and leadership development roles in large multinational organisations for over 15 years. I now work in a global law firm, heading up the Leadership & Learning team for the EMEA region.

In this role, I create and run learning programmes for lawyers at all stages of their career, from junior lawyers all the way through to partners. In particular, I work extensively with senior lawyers as they navigate the transition to partner and I run the annual assessment centre that all lawyers must pass before making partner.

What bothers me is that we are still not promoting equal numbers of men and women to partner.

So, during the day, I lead a 12 month female leadership development programme designed to increase the number of female lawyers promoted to partner. And at night, I'm writing a book for bright ambitious female lawyers who want to make partnership but need to know the steps along the way, steps that don't involve overwhelm or burnout... or becoming 'more male' (whatever that means).

(If I succeed with writing this first book, my second book will be for organisations who want to promote more female lawyers but don't know what to do to make this happen).

I have an undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from Cambridge University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources Management and a Masters in Organisational Change. Basically to say, I have written a lot of dissertations but never attempted a book!

I am also a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation and trained in using a range of psychometric and 360 feedback tools.