A day in the life of...
"I like to ‘eat my frog’ first"
Dawn Lauder, head of association sales at the Scottish Event Campus
What does your perfect day at work look like?
A perfect day would start with an oat milk americano, my to-do list, and sunshine. That said, the best kind of days are the ones where I feel I’m able to make a difference (gushy, I know, but true!) – either with my team or colleagues to solve a problem or push the envelope a bit further, or when I get to meet with clients.
I’m a people person, so spending time with clients, learning about their association and congress, and then demonstrating how SEC can support their future goals and objectives makes me happy—I feel like I’ve achieved something.
How do you respond when your day gets off to a bad start?
As noted earlier, I’m a people person who loves coffee and fresh air, so if I have a bad start, I go outside for five minutes (ideally with a coffee) to take a minute. I’m very human, so I don’t like it when things go wrong, but a bit of perspective and 16 years’ experience in association sales tells me there’s always a solution.
I work with a great bunch of people across the venue, people I know will help me find the best way forward, so I’d seek out someone to help. Bad days happen, so for me it’s about regrouping and moving on.
Do you have any work rituals?
You mean above the coffee and the neat ‘to-do’ list?! If it’s a day at my desk, I like to ‘eat my frog’ first – which is to do the hardest, most complicated or challenging task first – just to get it behind me! See the ‘Eat That Frog’ book by Brian Tracy – it’s awesome.
When I’ve got a site visit, I’ll always wear something with pockets so that I’m not trying to juggle carrying everything, and if I’m travelling for work, I’ll keep my AirPods and a battery pack to hand for video calls back home with my daughter.
'What’s your work Spotify playlists?
If I have to focus on a challenging task, I’ll listen to a focus playlist on Spotify, something with binaural beats or gamma brain waves – they help me shut out the noise (inside and outside my head) and allow me to concentrate on the job at hand. We have a great office playlist, though, it’s super varied.
How do you unwind?
I love books, so reading or browsing book shops is a fave. I enjoy being outside, and particularly like seeing the changing of the seasons.
During the pandemic, when everything felt very unpredictable, there was something comforting about seeing the natural world be so predictable. Likewise, getting outside among the hills (hello Highlands!) gives me perspective. These mountains have been around for 400 million years and they’re still there; there’s something grounding about that for me.
More than anything, spending time with my nine-year-old daughter (ideally in a bookshop, café, or outside) is a great way to unwind. It’s such a privilege to see the world through her eyes, and she reminds me of what’s important.
How do you stay focused?
I don’t! My mind is like a Rolodex of thoughts, ideas, questions, and lists. But to get focused, I get everything out of my head and onto paper to organise what needs to be done, and I quite like using the pomodoro technique to get myself in the zone!
How many meetings do you have every day?
Recently I’ve been trying to manage my diary so that the majority of my meetings are packed into one or two days. It’s not always possible, but as someone who is easily distracted, starting and stopping tasks can be disruptive. When I do this, I usually manage to carve out a day of no meetings where I can get focused and get tasks done.
Delegator or doer?
Both. I think my natural disposition is to ‘do’, but I’ve learned that other people benefit from new experiences, so because I want to give the team I work with the opportunity to learn, I’m trying to get better at delegating.
Working from home - triumph or disaster?
I think real success is found in equilibrium, and that too much of any one thing usually isn’t good for you – be that cakes, cheese, or your work-life balance. My view is that working from home has helped people find a better way of managing their work and life commitments, which in turn makes them happier.
There are also real benefits to be found in having a diverse team, and if the option to WFH helps someone return or stay in the workforce, then I’m all for trying to make that happen. I also think a team functions better when they’re physically together as a team, the less experienced members learn from their more experienced colleagues, and the more experienced team members are exposed to new ideas.
As humans, we’re sociable creatures, and I think it’s easier to develop strong working relationships in person. Time working in the office brings these benefits. So, it’s all about balance and making sure the needs of individuals, the team, and the business are in harmony.
What song gets you motivated no matter what?
Let’s go Crazy, Prince. I love the Purple Rain album.
What’s your dream job?
If I could do anything then I’d open a book and cafe where dogs are welcome - all my favourite things together in the one place. Slightly more rooted in reality, I’d love to work for an association.
Dawn Lauder
Dawn Lauder is the head of association sales at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.
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