Dr Monique Beedles
Harvard Business School Scholarship Winner
Monique took on her first board role over 10 years ago and has consistently developed her portfolio to include private companies, a statutory authority, a university board and not-for-profit organisations. Monique was recently appointed Chair of St Peters Lutheran College, a Brisbane independent school.
Having completed the AICD Company Directors Course and the Chairman's course, Monique is accredited to deliver AICD programs on Strategy and Risk. As a complement to her board roles, Monique runs a Strategy consulting practice, Teak Yew, and works with some of Australia’s leading organisations as they think ahead to the future.
Monique was the winner of the Women in Technology Executive Award for 2010, in recognition of her commitment to building a portfolio as a company director. More recently, Monique was a recipient of one of the St George Bank FEW Harvard International Scholarships to attend Harvard Business School's Women's Leadership Forum in 2012.
How did you get involved with WOB?
I met Ruth Medd in early 2008 when the first conference was being planned. I was the first registrant for each of the three WOB conferences!
WOB is a wonderful support network. The advice provided in the events and programs is practical and effective. Most importantly it is a network of women with similar interest and aspirations. At every WOB event I meet women who inspire me.
You were recently awarded one of two St George Bank Fostering Executive Women (FEW) International Scholarships for the Harvard Business School.
I will attend the Women's Leadership Forum at the Harvard Business School in May next year. It is an intensive residential program for leading women from around the world. It's a fantastic opportunity to learn in a challenging and dynamic environment and to meet other successful women from diverse backgrounds.
To be eligible for the scholarship you first have to be selected for the FEW Mentor program, which is a highly competitive process available to alumni of QUT postgraduate business courses. The application for the scholarship then involved a written application and written references from your mentor and another professional referee. Short listed candidates were then interviewed by a panel of five judges.
How will this help your career?
As a business owner and independent director, there's no natural person to turn to for advice on my own career. I think the Harvard experience will be a great opportunity to reflect on my own strengths and weaknesses and to examine my future priorities. Other women I know who've completed the program have said it made a significant impact on their careers.
What value do you find in mentoring?
I think that mentoring is invaluable for all professionals. It's important to start early in your career. Formal mentoring programs are excellent, but informal mentoring can also be a rich learning experience. Most people will have more than one mentor during their career and different mentors will contribute to different aspects of your life. Mentors help you to reflect on your journey and can offer timely advice to help you take the next step.
What board roles do you hold?
I'm currently the Chairman at St Peters Lutheran College, an independent school in Brisbane. I'm also a Director of the St Peters Lutheran College Foundation, which is a public company limited by guarantee. I'm a member of the Girl Guides Queensland Board and the Faculty Academic Board for Creative Industries at QUT. I'm also a Director of my own company and one other small private company.
My first board was the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Qld branch Council and I have also been a member of the Clinical Advisory Committee for the Health Quality and Complaints Commission in Queensland, which is an independent statutory authority. I have held various other committee memberships which all helped to develop skills, experience and networks that have been helpful to me in my current board roles.
What paved your way to these?
I took on my first board role at the age of 25, so directorships have always been a part of my career. It was a desire to actively participate in decision making that was important to me in taking on these early roles. The reward of seeing my work make an impact on these organisations has encouraged me to continue.
What steps did you take in your career to achieve this?
I couldn't fulfill my current board roles if I were in a typical 9-5 job. Running my own business means having the flexibility to meet my board commitments, and also to focus my professional development in my desired areas of interest.
What have you learnt along the way to the NED goal?
The most important thing I learnt was from Ruth Medd, who told me that if you want a be a Director, you have to tell people. It seems obvious, but it's important. Or course, it's also important who you tell and how you go about telling them. These are the subtleties that you learn from experience.
Is there a successful business person or director you look up to?
Cherrell Hirst. As a general practitioner, Cherrell doesn't come from the finance/law background that is traditional for company directors. She has developed a successful career as a director outside the medical field and is highly respected.
What one piece of advice would you give to a young professional who’s just starting out?
Don't wait till you retire to start thinking about your board career.
What have been your biggest challenges as a director?
The biggest challenges are always the people. At board level you need to deal with many stakeholders, who often have competing interests. Especially as a Chairman, it's essential to be diplomatic and to use good judgement. It's true of any leadership role, that technical skills are important, but it is your people skills that make the difference.
What are the biggest rewards?
The biggest reward is seeing the vision for the organisation come to life through its strategy.
Your medium and long term goals?
As my next steps, I'd like to look towards additional paid board roles, either in a GOC, or a private or listed company. In terms of industries, I'd like to look to resources or technology industries, where I can contribute my skills and experience in these areas. In the long term, I'd like to maintain a balance between my board roles and my consulting work.
What's enjoyable outside work?
I love to write. Although my recent book Pivot Point is career related, I also write magazine articles, history, fiction and poetry.
