Learnings from the itSMF UK Women in ITSM Event

Last week I attended the Women in ITSM event hosted by itSMF UK in Overton. It was a powerful reminder of how fortunate I am to work alongside so many talented and inspiring women—both across our industry and within my own organisation. Throughout the day, I had the opportunity to hear a range of perspectives, as colleagues and peers shared both their successes and the challenges they have navigated in their careers. It was an insightful and energising experience, and these are some of the key reflections I took away from the day. 

1. Lots of women have struggles that are invisible in the workplace and it’s on us to make things better for those coming up behind us. Sarah Morgan of Luceat Coaching ran a session about neurodiversity in the workplace. She explained how neurodivergent girls and women often experience a significant gap between how they feel internally and how others perceive them. From a young age, many receive far more negative feedback than their neurotypical peers—sometimes tens of thousands more by the age of 12—which can wire them to avoid criticism at all costs. This can lead to masking, people-pleasing, overworking, and perfectionism as coping mechanisms. The key is awareness: once we have the language to understand these experiences, we can use it to support the women coming up behind us and help create workplaces where they can thrive. 

2. Your personal brand is your professional reputation.  Sue Carey from My Brighter Life ran a session on personal branding. She spoke about how a clear and consistent reputation helps ensure your work, expertise, and impact are recognised. Creating a strong personal brand starts with defining your brand statement: “I am known for… who helps… achieve…”. This simple structure clarifies the value you bring and the impact you create for others. From there, take practical steps to reinforce that brand—audit your current reputation, align your digital presence with how you want to be perceived, and narrate your impact by clearly communicating the outcomes of your work. Look for opportunities to increase your visibility, whether that’s volunteering for a high-profile initiative or speaking up before you feel completely ready. Ultimately, everyinteraction reinforces or reshapes how you are known, so your brand is built consistently through the actions you take each day 

3. Women are still under-represented in tech roles. Chelcie West, of Chelsea Football Club spoke about how we can use our energy to inspire the next generation of women in her session. She spoke passionately about the research highlighting a persistent gap in the technology pipeline for women. According to PwC, girls are less likely than boys to study STEM subjects at school and university and are also less likely to consider careers in technology. Data from BCS shows that 94% of girls drop computing by the age of 14, with the lack of visible female role models cited as a major barrier. If current trends continue, BCS estimated in 2023 that it could take 283 years before women hold an equal share of roles in the IT workforce—underscoring the importance of representation, encouragement, and support for the next generation. 

4. Different leadership styles can complement each other; Amie Smith of Formula 1 talked about how finding strength in what we may once have seen as weaknesses is a powerful step in leadership. Ultimately, youdon’t need to prove yourself to anyone else—the only person you need to prove yourself to is yourself. Along the way, support can often come from unexpected places; an ally stands beside you, while a champion actively advocates for your progress. As leadership continues to evolve, there is growing recognition of different leadership styles: traditionally masculine-coded approaches often emphasise speed, control, and short-term results, while more female-coded leadership tends to prioritise trust, inclusion, collaboration, and long-term performance. By fostering women’s networks, championing diversity in recruitment, and leading by example, we can help shape a more inclusive and balanced future for leadership. 

5. Change is inevitable. It’s how we deal with it that counts. Val Wilson from BT spoke about how to deal with the sense of pressure that change creates. She likened change to a storm and when storms feel insurmountable then anchors are essential. Three anchors can help keep us grounded during periods of transformation: our values—what we stand for; our people—those we stand with, from the people we care about most to our allies, champions, and new colleagues we work alongside; and our purpose—why we stand at all. Embracing change is often necessary for growth, both for organisations and for the opportunities they create. And while storms can feel overwhelming, they don’t last forever; when the winds pick up and things feel uncertain, that’s the moment to put your anchors down 

6.  Confidence does not mean having complete certainty .The final session was headed up by Vicky Hunter from PeopleCert. Vicky talked about how confidence does not mean having complete certainty; it comes from understanding how you think and the principles that guide your decisions. The ITIL Guiding Principles offer a powerful lens for navigating complexity. When we focus on value, the pressure to impress fades and decisions become clearer. Starting where you are reminds us that progress doesn’t require perfection—only the experience, judgement, and perspective we already bring. By progressing iteratively with feedback, we give ourselves permission to move forward, pause, reflect, and adjust. Collaborating and promoting visibility ensures the right voices and insights shape better outcomes, while thinking and working holistically helps us understand how decisions connect and ripple across systems. Keeping things simple and practical builds clarity and control, and finally, optimising and automating encourages us to direct our energy where it matters most. Together, these principles provide a steady foundation for confident decision-making, even when the path ahead is not entirely certain. 

So those were my learnings from the event.  What do you think? Please let me know in the comments, drop me an email at vawns.murphy@i3works.co.uk , look me up on LinkedIn or find me on X; I’m @vawns.