Network Ireland Cork President reflects on a positive year

ONE of the most powerful things about being President of Network Cork is that you hold the position for a year, before you the reins on once again.

So says outgoing president Ingrid Seim, who is speaking from a place of great respect for the women’s business networking organisation which marked 40 years in Cork this year.

“One of the beautiful things about Network, I think, is that as president you get to ‘mind’ the organisation for just a year, and you put your all into it for that time, and hopefully improve it, then you step aside and hand it over to the next custodian. Because it’s such a temporary thing, you’re always aware that it’s something much bigger than you, and I think it’s part of the reason why Network is so strong,” said Ingrid.

Originally from Norway she is, in fact, Network Cork’s first non-Irish president and her year at the helm was everything she thought it would be – and more.

In some ways, when I think back to January, when I took over the position, it seems like so long ago, but in other ways the year has absolutely flown by.

“It was such a positive time and such a privilege to lead the organisation.”

Her theme for the year was to enable to feel like they belonged to something bigger than themselves, and to be part of a wider conversation.

“The idea was to help make change on a personal level, but also for women in business on a much bigger level,” she said.

“My vision was for to not only get access to that level of discussion, but to enable and empower them to be an active voice in the discussion themselves and help shape the future.”

A self-employed, single mum-of-three who has her own coaching business, we wonder how Ingrid ‘did it all’?

“I didn’t!” she laughed.

“My children are aged 15, 12 and nine and the logistics were sometimes challenging,” she its.

“But we live how we live, and in general I think it’s important that work environments and situations can accommodate all sorts of family life and acknowledge that one size doesn’t fit all. 

It is definitely something we try to always bring attention to in Network, helping women forge a path and a career that works for them.

It was a year of personal growth for Ingrid, and she said she became more discerning at recognising what deserved her attention, and what didn’t.

“After a while, I became quicker at course correcting and knowing if I was going in a direction that served me,” she said.

“For sure, there were super busy periods that I simply had to get through, but from experience I knew when I needed to stop before that became a more permanent reality.”

Ingrid is alluding to her experience of burn-out that she’s shared previously with The Echo.

In the space of 24 months, her mother was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, she moved house, changed jobs, gave birth to her youngest child, and saw her relationship break down. Ultimately, that traumatic experience resulted in her setting up her own business where she now helps people before they get to that crisis point.

I definitely don’t look back at that time and wish it never happened because I wouldn’t be where I am today otherwise. The importance is in the learning.

“I’m now in a place where I can make informed and mindful decisions about what I can take on and what I can’t,” she said.

But she very much acknowledges that everyone’s circumstances are unique, and insists she doesn’t want to sound preachy: “It’s not just about changing your mindset. We need structures in place such as affordable and accessible childcare to make that happen.

“Too much already falls on women’s shoulders, and that includes trying to find that place called work/life balance. It can’t be one other thing for women to fix.

We need the of the wider structures, and we can’t just each other because no one else is – that isn’t what Network is about.

Over the past 12 months, she’s realised just how powerful the of women can be.

“I’ve seen how much can came from conversations, and I’m proud to have helped provide a forum for that to happen, and to help nurture connections, just not in a transactional way, but in a ive environment, a place where friendships and genuine relationships can happen – because that’s the ethos of Network, it’s a place where you’re really looked after.”

A high point of the year for Ingrid was an event she hosted with Mná@UCC on St Brigid’s Day, where author and journalist Mary Ann Sieghart made her Irish-speaking debut, and spoke about her work on gender bias.

“She’s the author of The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, and What We Can Do About It and the event was so eye-opening and informative; it was a game-changing conversation where she showed how society is biased by default to give men more authority,” said Ingrid.

“Another significant occasion was our Women, Business and Policy event in Cork City Hall, where Minister Simon Coveney took time to listen to what our had to say in of what’s needed for women to really thrive in business.”

The Network Cork AGM takes place early next month. Now that she’s ‘out the gap’, so to speak, what is she looking forward to spending more time on?

“For starters, I’m going back to Norway for Christmas to see my family and I’m really looking forward to that. It will be similar to how we’d celebrate here - no spiced beef, though! We’ll also take time to my late mum who was a big inspiration to me.

I also like to read, and have hardly had time to open a book this year, so that’s another thing I will look forward to having more time for.

“I may also have promised my children that we are getting a dog! But really, I’m just looking forward to being more spontaneous and being able to avail of all the wonderful things that are happening in the city at any one time.”

Ingrid isn’t one for new year resolutions in the traditional sense but she will take time to ‘reset’ in January and carve out her post-presidency role.

“I always try to have a vision for where I want to go. And it’s always something positive in of what will enrich my life and those around me.”

What’s her message to the incoming president?

“Enjoy the year! And while we are always building on what came before us, it is important to also bring your own personality and values to the role. That is what is going to keep driving us forward.”