Col. Dame Kelly Holmes: how to champion yourself and others at work

How much further could you go with the right champion in your corner? On Tuesday, 14th March, Robert Half hosted an inspiring discussion with British icon and athlete Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes. The event explored workplace allyship in celebration of Women's History Month, International Women's Day, and the second anniversary of Robert Half UK's Global Women's Employee Network (GWEN).

Col. Dame Kelly Holmes MBE (mil) joined the British Army at 17 and served for nearly ten years as a qualified HGV driver and Physical Training Instructor; she was awarded an MBE in 1998 in recognition of her services. Kelly is a champion athlete, winning multiple medals at Commonwealth Games, European and World Championships and Olympic Games, throughout her career, including her ground-breaking double gold win at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Kelly shares practical advice and an inspirational vision rooted in her unique achievements. Learn how to champion yourself and others through Kelly's inspiring stories and lessons learned through her athletic, military, and voluntary roles.

What does it mean to be a workplace ally?

Kelly’s key ally in her athletic journey

Kelly has experienced the power a champion can have. Her school PE teacher, Debbie Page, was the first person to identify and nurture her life-long passion for sports. Years later, 'Miss Page' was the first person Kelly called after her gold medal win.

“If it wasn't for her, I seriously don't know who I would have been because it really was her that made me. She literally said to me, ‘you can be really good. You have the ability, you have the talent, but you're not believing in yourself’,” says Kelly.

“She was the one that encouraged me to start running in school. I've never forgotten her. I always believe that one person can make a huge difference in somebody's life.”

Providing support as a workplace champion

Kelly’s first champion had such a profound impact on her life that she decided to become a mentor for other young female athletes. Kelly formed deep connections with her mentees, putting them through training to unearth their grit, passion, and determination.

“For me, allyship is bringing people together, giving yourself to them, letting them work, challenging them, but letting them realise why you're pushing them as well,” she says.

“If somebody says to me, ‘I've got your back, I'm going to push you to get there. But I want to see how you react to it then I'll work with you’, that to me is a great champion.”

What it means to ‘step up’ at work

“If you don't realise your privilege, you're not being an ally to somebody else because you assume they have the same as you,” says Kelly.

“A man can assume he’s happy in the workplace with his colleagues being women, but when it gets to the tough decisions and the decisions where the man's getting more, that guy's got to step up. He's got to realise that the females in his workplace aren’t getting equal opportunities or the time in the boardroom to speak. That's a champion and true allyship.”

Learning to advocate for yourself

Use your voice

Self-belief significantly affects how well you can advocate for yourself in the workplace. Kelly believes that a show of grit, ambition, and determination can speak volumes in a professional setting. For her, learning to speak up is imperative.

"Go in [to a job interview] with a focused, directive position. If you pat yourself on the back and you remember where you've come from, you can elevate your confidence by going in there and challenging them," she says. "If you go in there with a 'this is where I'm at. I want you to give me the chance and if it's not now, when is it?' You put yourself into the mix."

Failing, adapting, and trying again

After being rejected for a role as Physical Training Instructor in the military, Kelly dedicated her spare time to undertaking every coaching and umpiring qualification available. She acted on interviewer feedback and eventually fought her way to the top of the ranking for that role, securing the position with flying colours. From her perspective, rejection and failure are catalysts for meaningful growth.

“If you get a pit in your stomach when you're let down [for a role], it's because you really wanted it, and that’s okay,” she says. “If you really want it, think, ‘how do I try and get that again? How do I push myself to the next level? Was I just not good enough? Why wasn't I good enough?’ And learn from those things. Ask questions. Read up, find a way so next time you want to try and do that same thing, you give yourself the best chance.”

Why businesses should focus on creating an inclusive working environment

Growth through empowerment

"Having different perspectives of life, different journeys, different thought processes, different upbringings, social, economic challenges…it enriches conversations, and it empowers people to make constructive changes in the environment that they're in," Kelly says. "If you only think that everybody is like you or you only ever see everybody like you, then the assumption is there's only one way of thinking. That's not growth development."

Kelly points out that when employees can't bring their authentic selves to work, they work in perpetual fear and anxiety that they'll be discovered and judged. It's an issue she’s experienced first-hand. After years of silence, Kelly publicly came out as a gay woman while filming for the biographical documentary Kelly Holmes: Being Me.

The announcement was essential for Kelly's mental health and allows her to bring her full self to the conversation. She says, "I tell people exactly what I think about things, and it's allowed me to reshape the narrative that I've had before."

Starting the conversation

The first step towards creating inclusive workplace spaces is facilitating conversations with people. Kelly says employers can build trust by getting to know their employees and showing interest in their perspectives.

"There's nothing like conversation! But conversation will only happen when people feel safe. And the way people feel safe is that you give them a bit of you," she says. "That's the best allyship, and that's the best way of bringing people in to be their best self."

Recognising inequity at work

The principles of equity at work hinge on creating fair opportunities, founded on the understanding that not everyone starts with the same advantages in life.

“A lot of people's social academic backgrounds are very different, their starting point from who they are as a person, their culture is very different. And when it comes to resources or opportunities to do something, you might give everyone an equal chance — you think — but actually, you probably haven't,” she says.

Kelly says employers risk losing out on talent by exclusively judging candidates on factors like exam results rather than ambition or determination. They may represent unconventional voices or perspectives, but in Kelly's opinion, those outlying perspectives challenge businesses to grow.

Achieving goals with the right champion in your corner

After her 2004 double Olympic gold win, Kelly walked away with a firm belief that goals are attainable with enough determination and the right champion in your corner.

“I believe that if you have the heart, and the want, and the will, and you have the right people around you, you can achieve your ultimate dreams. Dreams are set by already knowing that you're capable of doing something,” says Kelly.

“You can actually achieve anything you want. No matter what setback, no matter what barrier. Sometimes you just have to take control of that yourself — sometimes it is about you.”

Her final piece of advice? Fill your work life with things that feed your passion and ambition, even if it means you have to fight for it. She says, “we all wake up every morning, and we have a life to lead. If you want that life to be fulfilling, you have to do some of the things that are for you and that make you feel good.”

Learn more about Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes and her inspiring story by following her Instagram @damekellyholmes For more insights on equity and allyship in the workplace, visit the Robert Half advice blog and start exploring.