Looking forward, the biggest changes to Cushman &
Wakfield in the post Covid era will be .... that our
offices will increasingly be seen as collaborative space, to
reinforce culture, bring people and ideas together, rather than
just space to clock in and out of. More flexibility. Other salient
issues have also come to the fore and impacted our organisation,
particularly sustainability. We've pledged to reach net zero
emissions across our value chain by 2050. I've been selected to
join the 2050 Scotland Young Leaders Development Programme on
climate change to learn more about this issue. It is fantastic that
we have COP26 in our city.
The future vision for Cushman & Wakfield in Glasgow
is .... continuing to attract the best clients, the best
talent, interesting projects, whilst promoting an inclusive culture
and sustainable practices, to make an impact.
The three best things about working in Glasgow are
.... the three Ps: the people, parks and the projects the
city attracts. Lots of big named businesses are choosing to locate
or relocate to Glasgow.
My favourite part of Glasgow is .... the west
end, with an abundance of coffee shops, situated next to leafy
residential areas, in close proximity to wonderful green parks and
a stone's throw away from the city centre, with an array of great
shops and eateries. Buchanan Street is one of the busiest, most
desirable retail streets in the UK. Yet, it is the city's slogan,
'People Make Glasgow', that best sums it up for me.
The most satisfying thing about my job is ....
helping businesses achieve their strategic business objectives
through real estate. I have saved clients millions in their
property liabilities. Hearing the feedback from clients once I have
secured a deal is great.
Property is a great career choice because ....
the industry is multi-faceted and there are several different
departments and sectors to get into and much to learn about.
Property is a dominant force in our society.
On the biggest challenge I have faced in my career to
date .... we've all faced varying degrees of challenges
but what I've learned is to not see challenges but only
opportunities.
The businessperson I most admire is .... my
parents (I couldn't choose one over the other!) for their work
ethic, strength and kindness. I admire businesspeople who are
innovative, think outside the box and choose to lead with kindness
and compassion.
Outside of work, I am passionate about ....
charity work, raising awareness about worthy causes, and writing
and illustrating. Through my Harriot McDougall children's books
series I have partnered with Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity
and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, London. I've raised
thousands for NHS children's hospitals and donated hundreds of
books. I will soon be launching my new children's book entitled
"Harriot McDougall: My Little Book of Happy Thoughts' promoting a
positive mindset and good mental wellbeing, as well as continuing
to write my teenage fantasy fiction novel.
www.harriotmcdougallbooks.com
My approach to achieving work life balance is
.... With the 24-hour work culture, social media and
always feeling on the go I realise that it is simply important to
take time out to do something that you can immerse yourself in and
forget about work, be that spending time with family/friends or
time to chillax. I'm part of our Inspire Work Life Balance group
and with National Work Life week approaching I'll be thinking up
ideas to encourage this amongst colleagues. I'd previously
organised chair massages, which went down well!
First ever job? In a café
Favourite boxset? FRIENDS, I just wish there
were new episodes.
Favourite band? I like a range of music
depending on what I'm doing, Maroon 5 to name one band, recently
lots of Ed Sheeran for illustrating and Chopin for work emails!
Sunshine or snow? Sunshine. Although sunshine
on a snowy day is beautiful.
And, finally, what three words best sum you up?
Versatile. Creative. Driven.