IWD 2021: Nikki Wood - Empowering Women in Innovation

As part of International Women’s Day, we interview Nikki Wood on her role at Engain, her views on women in business and what a more gender-balanced world-view means to her.

Tell us about your role.

I am the Owner/Managing Director of environmental and ecological planning consultancy, Engain. We started in 2003 and provide environmental advice on international and UK major projects and planning applications to corporates, governments and private interests. We work across professions including civil engineering, architecture, masterplanning, estate management, and specialist areas such as renewable energy.

What do you enjoy most about your job?  

I love the responsibility and diversity of our work: the challenges of building a great team to deliver complex, sometimes politically charged, information under time pressures, with clarity and sensitivity, and ultimately for the improvement of society and understanding of our environment. 

And what are the most challenging aspects? 

Sometimes we have a seasonal lull in our work and sometimes we are overloaded with deadlines. Balancing the needs of our clients with a dedicated professional team can be challenging. I feel we have attracted really supportive professionals to work with us and their dedication and determination is awe inspiring. A diverse team really works well with such workflow fluxes.

What 3 things do you think you need to progress as a woman in business?

1. Respect for oneself and one’s colleagues
2. Know ones’ personal strengths, or some would say one’s purpose, and work to those
3. Be oneself, and let others be themselves. It can be so easy to criticise behaviours – my experience has taught me to listen, to have patience, and stick to the plan.

What are the biggest challenges the future generation of women in business face?

I think getting into the boardroom has been a struggle, but not all of the big ideas or big decisions are now made in the boardroom. Technology really does open up a lot of opportunities across all genders. However, juggling a family and the demands of a career can be exhausting (and exhilarating) for women and men too.

I think women can set extremely high expectations of themselves at home and in the workplace, so self-knowledge and reality checks about what matters most is important throughout key stages of our lives. Having a great mentor can really help with big life decisions.

What can the next generation bring to business that previous generations may not have?

The next generations are probably better adapted and perhaps more creative with how to live a flexible and meaningful life. I feel we have blindly developed a reliance on worldwide consumerism, and I have some concern that it will be difficult to change these engrained attitudes. A young mind is more flexible and open to different perspectives on the worlds’ issues. 

What does a more gender-balanced world-view mean for you?

It means respect and appreciation across our diverse skills and experience.

How can we enable more women to take a place at the board-room table?

As I have already mentioned above, I’m not sure the future is in the boardroom. It may take a little while but attitudes to how we work, how we inform each other, and what we create are all radically changing shape. And I feel that women are becoming more central to big decisions whether they sit at the top table or not.

Enabling women to become involved is two-way – encourage the individual through mentoring and performance, and enlighten the boardroom to value their people and their skills. Any business that isn’t doing that is missing a trick. 

I think it’s also important that we showcase women who are successful in all walks of life, not just the boardroom, and share how we can be successful together. Education and openness is really key to enthuse women to break down perceived barriers and challenge their fears. 

How can businesses evolve to be more gender-balanced?

I feel that having a clear purpose and shared values at the heart of a business is critical to evolving a better gender and age balance. Taking a 360 degree assessment of people in the business and understanding how they contribute and can be affective in their roles has been hugely important in my business for our shared success.

I have learnt that a diversity of characters as well as experience really lends to creativity, motivation and innovation. 

What advice would you give to young women and men starting out in business today in context of promoting a more diverse world-view?

My advice would be two-fold: don’t be shy to offer new thoughts and ideas; and equally listen and absorb what others have to say. We all matter, and we are all experiencing this life together.

What women inspire you and why?

The most inspirational woman I know is my Mum – she is huge-hearted, wise, fun, patient, independent and creative. She truly knows herself, she is a big softie and doesn’t take any rubbish. I hope I grow into my Mum’s shoes.