A Letter To The Women I’ve Learned From: It’s Twitter’s Emily Foat

We’re very proud that B&T’s Women in Media Awards presented by Are Media are on for the 7th consecutive year. The awards gala is on Friday 19th August so hurry and get your tickets!

It’s a program that continues to recognise the exceptional women achieving outstanding success in their fields, and the invaluable contribution they are making to the industry with their leadership, innovation and courage.

And this year, we’re celebrating the Women in Media Awards with some exceptional women in a mini-series entitled: Letter to the Women I’ve Learned From. 

It’s about… well, exactly what you think it is!

Today we’re very lucky to have Emily Foat, Head of Agency Development at Twitter. Take it away, Emily…

To all the inspiring women at Twitter,

I’m humbled to reflect on what you’ve taught me, your strengths, and your achievements.  

As a Canadian-Australian who grew up in the Gold Coast, lived in Montreal and Dubai, before coming down to Sydney, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet all kinds of women, who shaped my thinking, my career, and my life. 

This is particularly true at Twitter, where I’ve had the pleasure of working with many hard-working, intelligent, and amazing women.

Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned from you all. 

Women are diverse

There are a number of talented women who work at Twitter. From all walks of life. Across all ages, nationalities, and sexualities. Working across different spheres, from product design and development to partnerships and marketing.

Every one of us brings an entire lifetime’s worth of experiences into our role. We bring different perspectives, knowledge, and skills to ideation, problem-solving, and innovation.

Our diversity is one of our biggest strengths. 

Women are leaders

One of the great things about working at Twitter is all the strong women in senior roles. 

Your leadership has taught me that empathy and compassion are not weaknesses. They’re our strengths. They allow us to bring the best out of each other. 

Your ambition has shown other women that we’re worthy of reaching for the stars. 

Women are resilient

To the mothers and parents at Twitter, and across the broader media landscape, the past few years have put our resilience to the ultimate test. 

During the pandemic, too often the burden fell on working mothers to take charge with homeschooling the kids, while still excelling in our careers.

As a mum of two, with a daughter and a son, I know how much work goes into balancing work and personal life commitments — and the discomfort you feel about having to divide your attention. 

Am I delivering enough at work? Am I being attentive enough to the kids’ schooling as they learn their times tables at the kitchen table? 

That’s why it’s been so important for me to connect with other mums as the Twitter Parents lead for Australia, a business resource group supporting working parents to achieve a better work-life balance. 

I’m proud of us for reaching within ourselves to find the strength and determination to pull through, with the help of a strong support network. 

Women are authentic

There’s nothing more empowering than the freedom to bring our authentic and unfettered selves to work. 

We’re all multi-faceted. I’m a mum, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a colleague, a leader. I bring all of myself to work because it influences the way I work and the type of colleague I am. 

One person who’s shown me the real value of that is Sarah Personette, Chief Customer Officer at Twitter.

Sarah embodies a warmth that feels welcoming, empathy that empowers honesty, authenticity that inspires us to bring our true selves to work, and compassion that makes us feel comfortable in her presence.

To the women who aspire to leadership, I urge you to follow her example. Bring every part of you — the strong, the weak, the happy, the sad, the excited, the scared, the loving, the stressed, the funny, the serious, and everything else. 

Women excel 

As women, sometimes we denigrate our strengths. We often feel pressured to please everyone and allow others to claim glory in situations where we’ve done all the hard work. 

The wonderful Lauren Simpson, Marketing Manager at Twitter Australia, has taught me the art of saying no. It’s far better to take on fewer projects, prioritise your attention, and do exceptional work, than to take on too much and do a mediocre job. 

Trying to be superhuman doesn’t necessarily deliver the best results. 

And as women, we need to claim our fair share of the credit. That starts with giving ourselves recognition. 

Even if it feels uncomfortable at first, we need to stand up for the recognition we deserve. To the quiet achievers out there, remember that no one can promote you better than you. 

Women innovate

I especially admire Gen Z women at Twitter bringing new perspectives on media consumption, technology, and the world at large.

You inspire me with your energy, and the speed with which you absorb new information. Having grown up in a digital world, you’re able to change and adapt fast.

But most of all, you apply a different lens to your work, seeing the bigger picture and the broader social context.

Women elevate women

Most of all, at Twitter, women are committed to building each other up.

Many of us have shared experiences from previous jobs — like the constant calculations we’ve made around when to speak up, the unpaid emotional labour, and a lack of recognition.

Sometimes, it can feel tough breaking through barriers. But, just know that each time you do is not just a victory for you, but other women in the years to come.

Because empowered women give the next generation a strong foundation to stand on. 

And as the women at Twitter show, when we build women up, we build our businesses up too. 

So, I want to thank all the women who stood by me through thick and thin, lifted me up when I was down, and poured positivity over my life.

Yours sincerely,

Emily Foat

This year’s Women in Media Awards  will be held on Friday 19 August 2022 at The Venue, Alexandria. Grab your tickets to the event HERE!

A quick reminder that voting is still open for the People’s Choice category, but only until 5 pm (AEST) on TODAY. Click HERE to have your say!

If you’d like more information about this year’s Women in Media Awards, head to the website.

Finally, a huge thank you to Are Media and the rest of our incredible sponsors for making this event possible.