Key Takeaways

• Learn how to own your unique value proposition by reframing your expertise and grounding yourself in the specific impact you bring to senior leadership discussions, as demonstrated by Sandra with her manufacturing and scaling expertise.
• Discover the power of preparation as your foundation for confidence, using Sandra’s approach of knowing your facts, anticipating objections, and landing key points before entering high-stakes meetings.
• Understand how to separate feelings from facts when advocating for important initiatives, using Erin’s framework of anchoring passionate ideas in business-critical data and measurable outcomes.
• Explore Daniela’s strategy for building pre-meeting advocacy by socialising ideas with peers and securing support before presenting controversial or challenging positions in group settings.
• Apply the risk versus benefit framework for deciding when to speak up, focusing on mission-critical impact rather than personal comfort, especially in board-level and executive team discussions.
• Gain practical approaches to salary and promotion negotiations by treating them as business cases, knowing your market value, understanding company criteria, and timing requests strategically within organisational cycles.
• Take away Erin’s career business plan approach, mapping out your North Star and building strategic alliances and sponsorships that propel advancement in life sciences leadership roles.
• Uncover techniques for managing imposter syndrome at every career level by practising gratitude for opportunities, grounding yourself in earned achievements, and reframing setbacks as redirections rather than failures.
• Identify how to build confidence through competence using Daniela’s method of exercising your brain to remember successful outcomes and positive achievements rather than dwelling on mistakes.

Snippets

• “If you don’t ask, you don’t obtain.” (2025, Daniela Sica)
• “Don’t wait until you’re 100% ready. Confidence comes really just from the action.” (2025, Sandra Poole)
• “Treat your career like a business plan.” (2025, Erin Federman)

Timestamps & Topics

• 00:19:23 — Intro: Overview of Lift Up mission and today’s leadership voice focus
• 00:22:15 — Guest Introductions: Sandra’s journey from chemical engineer to COO and board director
• 00:24:45 — Erin’s Background: Global commercial leadership across medical device and pharmaceutical sectors
• 00:27:20 — Daniela’s Story: 30-year career progression from lab analyst to CEO and independent consultant
• 00:31:00 — Confidence Testing Moments: Early career experiences that challenged leadership presence
• 00:41:03 — Risk vs Benefit Framework: Strategic decision-making for when to speak up in senior meetings
• 00:48:43 — Pay and Recognition: Proven strategies for advocating for promotions and salary increases
• 00:55:23 — Imposter Syndrome: Managing self-doubt and building authentic confidence at every career level
• 01:05:46 — Audience Q&A: Addressing concerns about boss disapproval and forum dynamics
• 01:09:34 — Advice to Younger Selves: Final wisdom on career planning, confidence building, and taking action

Resources

• Follow Sandra Poole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-poole/
• Follow Erin Federman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinfederman/
• Follow Daniela Sica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-sica-6511a9a/
• Follow Louise Williams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lifesciencesexecutivesearchretainedstaffingtalentsolutionsmanagingdirector/
• Join Lift Up: https://fraserdove.com/lift-up-women-life-sciences/
• Follow Lift Up: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/lift-up-women-in-life-sciences/

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Feedback?

Have questions or feedback about the broadcast or want to feature as a guest? Email us at hello@liftup.fraserdove.com