"The 30-Day Assertiveness Challenge gave me the structured approach I respond to as an engineer, but for communication. Now I hear myself - and others - clearly, and I'm ready for my seat at other tables."

Working hard but still getting overlooked

As a Chartered engineer and Product Manager, I was doing everything "right." I hit my targets, delivered quality work across the entire product development cycle, and had solid experience in manufacturing, quality assurance, and medical device development. But despite consistently performing well, I felt stuck.

I knew "I was working hard and not vocalising my value add." While I was heads-down focusing on the work, others around me - often my male colleagues - were getting promoted, landing opportunities, and advancing their careers. They seemed to naturally take space in important conversations.

I knew something needed to change, but I didn't really know how to tackle it.

I wasn't actively looking for a course, but when I met Christina at a Women's Engineering Society evening where she gave a taster of what she teaches, something clicked. "I learnt more and was more engaged in the first 10 minutes than I usually am at those types of sessions," I remember thinking. Her understanding teaching approach created exactly the type of environment I respond to.

Learning communication structures that actually work to authentically stand up for myself

The biggest change came from the structured approach Christina teaches. "Being an engineer, I think we respond very well to structure". The biggest thing I've taken away are all the little structures that Christina taught and how to bend them to different scenarios.

These frameworks are helping me handle everything from disagreements to saying no, dealing with interruptions - all while staying professional.

But what really surprised me was developing a new level of awareness about how I - and others - communicate.

The awareness that changed everything

"I now hear myself undermining myself. And I hear other people undermining themselves - I hear other women doing it and it's heartbreaking."

This awareness was huge for me. I started noticing when I said "sorry" for things I didn't need to apologise for, or how I'd start sentences with "I think..." instead of just stating what I knew.

Even more interesting: "There's a couple of people I work with that I used to find quite abrasive and now I just think they're assertive." This shift made me less angry and more curious about how confident people actually communicate.

Getting ready for bigger conversations

I'm still practicing - sometimes I catch myself using the structures, other times I'm just noticing when I could have. But both feel like progress.

Why this learning format works

What surprised me was how much I could learn in just 5-minute daily sessions. "I think people would be surprised what they could learn in that limited amount of time.”

Who is this programme for

If you find yourself saying "sorry" when you join calls late, or "I'm not sure what you think, but..." before sharing your suggestions - definitely, definitely, definitely do the course.

But it's also valuable for understanding team dynamics. You start seeing patterns in how people communicate and influence each other.

The challenge didn't just teach me to speak up - it taught me to notice what was really going on. And with that awareness comes the confidence to go after the opportunities I want.

"Being an engineer, I think we respond very well to structure. The biggest thing I've taken away are all the little structures that Christina taught and how to bend them to different scenarios."