We talk to CLARE BROMILOW, Public Relations and Communications at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay about the fire in her soul and how she garners inspiration from females everywhere.
As Director of Public Relations and Communications at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay you are able to empower so many females throughout the hotel industry. Tell us why this is so important to you and your role.
I am a firm believer that, with the right amount of discipline and focus, people will inevitably endeavor to reach the potential they truly believe they have, and achieve what they set out to, regardless of one’s gender, ethnicity, social background or religion. All great achievements start with believing in yourself. At Four Seasons, we celebrate character and individual charisma, empowering people to become the best version of themselves by providing them with a platform that allows them to be their true and authentic selves. I want nothing more than to see my fellow female colleagues and women across all industries reach their utmost potential by striving to manifest their own personal goals. Often, when others have already paved the path ahead for us, it becomes easier to see the possibilities that are within our reach, and if I am in a position where I can be an encouragement and mentor to others then I will do whatever I can to help support the women around me.
We are all for lifting other women up and fixing each other’s crowns, how do you embrace this mantra?
It takes a certain balance of grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and confidence to navigate our way through a largely male dominated world as a woman. There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish, as long as we work with each other rather than against each other. To live a happy, fulfilled and meaningful life is to have a purpose. Each and every one of us has the power to make a difference, big or small. When one is lucky enough to be in a position of privilege, be that socially, economically, professionally, or otherwise, I believe it is our duty to lift others up and encourage them to see what they are truly capable of.
Tell us what female empowerment means to you.
Empowering women is to teach and show them how to stand up for themselves by leading by example. Society has achieved great progress, and come a long way from where it was before in terms of women’s rights, however there is still progress to be made, and this will only be achieved through the collective efforts and the examples we set day by day. Recently, I was flicking through a magazine with a headline along the lines of “Top 100 Leaders in Bahrain” and felt proud to see so many women holding management positions across many sectors. To me, that is the embodiment of female empowerment – a country that not only supports and encourages females to achieve their very highest potential, but celebrates and acknowledges them in equal measure to their male counterparts.
Every woman deserves to be spotlighted for greatness, name someone who has impacted your approach to life, and strengthened your position as a strong female in Bahrain. What did they do to help you through your personal journey?
Women are leaders everywhere you look—from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household – and each and every one of them serves as a personal inspiration to me in a different way.
I have taken a great interest in Samantha Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and the previous U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. One of her many achievements was her role as a key figure during Barack Obama’s administration and during her younger years serving as a war correspondent. I find her accomplishments and success exceedingly inspirational.
Importantly, she was brave and resolute in addressing issues relating to women’s rights, refugees, and human rights during her time as U.S. Ambassador. She continues to dedicate her life to the people in need, so that those without a voice can be heard. No easy feat for a mother of two.
Knowledge is power. What challenge have you overcome as a female and how did this mould your approach to everyday life? Exposure to deeply embedded gender stereotypes from a very young age, profoundly shapes our self-perception and attitude towards what we think our role in relationships and our participation in the world of work should be. I believe it is our duty to continuously challenge these perceptions and assumptions for a more gender-equal society, as history has already shown us that women can achieve astounding things when given the opportunity. Inevitably, due to my own exposure to these stereotypes, I’ve been dancing on an invisible, complex line throughout both my personal and professional life on how I believe a woman should behave. When we behave in ways which are not ‘stereotypically female’, or express ourselves in ways that we are not commonly portrayed to do, there is a tendency to be mislabeled and judged. I challenge women to go against the tide; be disruptive, stand tall and stand proud. But most importantly, always be kind, especially to one another.
@islandtangg
“I believe it is our duty to continuously challenge these perceptions and assumptions for a more gender-equal society, as history has already shown us that women can achieve astounding things when given the opportunity.”