One of the first projects I led after joining the Global Transformation team was a global rate card remodel. The objective was to update our asset costs to better reflect operational realities and competitor pricing. The challenge? The project required alignment across a diverse group of senior stakeholders—from Australia to the US West Coast—each facing unique market pressures. The topic was commercially sensitive, and initial meetings were dominated by resistance, with stakeholders focusing on edge cases and reasons the change wouldn’t work.

When I joined, the group was fragmented and progress had stalled. My task was to bring focus, build consensus, and lead the group to a unified solution. It was a daunting environment: I was one of the youngest in the room, the only woman, and I had to assert leadership among a group of highly experienced and vocal senior stakeholders.

I began by setting clear project goals and milestones, followed by a structured project plan with defined ownership areas. I introduced focused workshops, each designed to resolve specific blockers. Every session began with a reminder of our shared objective and the commercial opportunity we were aiming to unlock. I ensured we reviewed previous actions to maintain momentum and accountability.
During discussions, I remained assertive in keeping the group on track—welcoming new ideas but parking off-topic issues for separate sessions. I meticulously documented decisions and next steps to maintain clarity and transparency. My approach balanced firmness with respect, ensuring all voices were heard while keeping the project moving forward.

Through structured leadership and assertive facilitation, I guided the group to consensus. We successfully implemented the revised global rate card on time, unlocking an additional £1.5 million in profit. I earned significant respect for leading such a complex and high-stakes initiative, and for transforming a divided group into a collaborative one.