Lorraine Heggessey

thumb|Lorraine Heggessey accepts the Peabody Award, June 2007 (5) Lorraine Heggessey Lorraine Sylvia Heggessey (born 16 November 1956) is a British television producer and executive. From 2000 until 2005, she was the first woman to be Controller of BBC One, the primary television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation. She has also served as the Chief Executive of the production company Talkback Thames. Until October 2019 Heggessey was the Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation. Quotes You have to be able to live with uncertainty. You really have to dig in and persist because every deal gets tough. But to me it is all about the people that I am working with. I didn’t set this up to work with people I don’t want to work with. I set it up to work with people that I want to work with.” Authenticity is crucial - you need to embody the values and behaviours that you want your business to espouse. I believe you have to be 'present' and visible. Your team needs to know you're in and that they have your support. You should be there for them in a crisis rather than create a culture of blame and fear. You cannot overestimate the importance of COMMUNICATION. Most people don't communicate anywhere near enough. Deal with the matter swiftly and decisively. Any prevarication only makes the crisis bigger, particularly once the press get hold of it. "Life's too short not to do something you love doing and if you love your job you will probably do it well." "Being part of a ‘club’ or network is something women need to get serious about. Networks aren’t just a ‘nice to have.’ They offer support – critical no matter what level you’re at – and they also make businesses sense." "Once you are in a job you can build a team around you that will complement your skills." "When in doubt just smile and smile and say nothing." "Think about how to stand out as a candidate in your own right, not just a 'woman' coming through on the 'woman on boards' agenda – how to compete with the best men out there without making it about gender." "Women often hold themselves back because they don't think they tick all the boxes. You need to be self aware enough to realise whether those boxes actually all need ticking – you will always learn a lot on the job." Careers advice: How TV veteran Lorraine Heggessey made it to the top. February 8, 2012 “I never felt that there was any barrier to me as a woman, and I always felt that there were people encouraging me.” "Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.” “Don’t circumscribe your own ambition – go for it – you might not get it – but go for it.” "If you force yourself to be a square peg in a round hole you’re never going to be that happy." "Life is too short to push yourself to do jobs you think you ought to – just do jobs that make you happy, because if you’re happy the likelihood is you will do your job well and be successful.” "There’s never a right or wrong time to do it – your career will work around you having children.” 5 Minutes with… Lorraine Heggessey, Chief Executive, Boom Pictures. March 8, 2013 “Do I protect my life or my modesty? No contest.” From The Standard Publication on Lorraine Heggessey forced to make another difficult executive decision. August 22, 2013 “I am very proud to have created and built Boom Pictures into one of the fastest growing indies by attracting some of the best talent in the industry." Lorraine Heggessey leaves Boom Pictures June 24, 2014 “Crises never go away, they only get bigger." An article on Lorraine Heggessey by The Royal Television Society December 16, 2015 External links Category:Living people Category:Television producers Category:Businesswomen from England Category:1956 births Category:Women born in the 1950s