In this episode, Anna and Stuart are joined by special guest Ruth Denyer to unpack a listener’s powerful question:
 
"Dear Aunty Treacle, over the last 12 months I have been working on a project to bring efficiency to the way we do safety on my site. In an ideal world, I would now see this rolled out over all our projects, but I am struggling with getting the balance right between promoting it as my idea and not wanting to come across as arrogant or like I’m craving recognition. Ultimately, I think this work could make a difference, so I want to be successful – but as a woman in a male-dominated environment, I want to make sure I don’t undersell myself. Can you give me some advice please?" Together, they get into the messy middle of visibility and humility, and why promoting your work doesn’t have to mean promoting yourself in a way that feels uncomfortable. Expect reflections on confidence, ego, gender dynamics, and how to let your work speak for you, without letting it get lost. There’s also practical advice on handling trust dynamics in organisations, building allyship, and speaking about team efforts with honesty and clarity.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why the ick around self-promotion is real and common
• The difference between confidence and ego
• How to speak about your work with integrity
• Building visibility without losing humility
• The power of team language: using “we” over “I”
• Socialising your ideas through others
• How gender and environment can shape how we show up
• Creating a “success folder” to boost self-belief
• Why trust and intent are the foundations of influence

This episode also features crowdsourced advice from our community, because when it comes to sticky situations like this, there’s never just one right answer.

Special guest: Ruth Denyer – Safety and risk leader in the creative industries, with a long track record of speaking up, sharing insight, and helping others lead with purpose and perspective.

Want to get involved?

Got a sticky situation you'd love us to unpack?

Drop us a note at ask@auntytreacle.com – you might hear it featured in a future episode.

Next Episode Teaser:

Setting Up for Success – with Gareth Evans. What are the small things you can do early on to build confidence, credibility and momentum in a new role or challenge? 

Aunty Treacle is proudly supported by HSE Global Series – a platform committed to advancing global conversations in health, safety and environment. Learn more at HSEGlobalSeries.com