Tilly Lyles: Leveraging her curiosity and other strengths as she begins her automotive career with Toyota.

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Tilly Lyles.

Tilly joined Toyota Insurance Services in March 2023, after moving across from Toyota GB.

She'd undertaken a year’s Student placement with Toyota in 2019 and was invited back onto the 18 month Graduate scheme after she completed her degree in 2021.

Her student placement was spent within the Network Development team under Operations, and she returned to the Network Operations team for one of her graduate rotations.

Other rotations during that programme included Retailer Services, Customer Experience & Innovation and Customer & Network Support.

Each rotation provided an opportunity to manage projects, present to Directors and Senior management, plan and coordinate brand events and manage relationships with external partners.

During her time so far with Toyota Insurance Services she's enjoyed the opportunity to offer support and advice to colleagues within Toyota and Lexus Centres and Groups.

I'm pretty sure that Tilly is the youngest guest I've invited to join me. I first met her about a year ago as part of the work we have been doing with Toyota.

She joined the Toyota Insurance Services team as an Insurance Performance Manager and took part in our Towards Fulfilling Performance development programme. Tilly immediately impressed my colleague Ian and me with her mindset and approach to the programme.

During one conversation I had with her CEO he said, "Why don't you take a different angle with an episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR and feature someone who is much earlier in their career?"

I thought this was a great idea and I hope that Tilly's episode will be particularly helpful for listeners who themselves are in the early stages of their career and find her experience relatable.

I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

Connect with Tilly on LinkedIn: Tilly Lyles

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Episode recorded on 9 January 2024.

Transcript

Tilly Lyles: 0:00

I think again, it probably brought up those feelings that I'd felt all of those years ago and that, "You failed again, you know what you're gonna do?". And I think I probably pulled on my resilience that I built from being a child and picked myself back up and, and sort of came up with a plan. You know, let's do something that I know I'm good at and passionate about, and I enjoy. So let's go down that route and see see where that leads me.

Aquilae Academy: 0:27

Welcome to CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, the automotive podcast that goes behind the scenes with key players in the industry looking back over their careers to share insights to help you with your own journey. Here's your host, Andy Follows.

Andy Follows: 0:41

Hello, listeners, Andy here. Thank you for tuning in. We appreciate that you do. We're also very grateful for our guests who generously join me to create these episodes, so that we can celebrate their careers, listen to their stories and learn from their experiences. In this episode, we're celebrating the career to date of Tilly Lyles. Tilly joined Toyota Insurance Services in March 2023 after moving across from Toyota GB. She had undertaken a year's student placement with Toyota in 2019 and was invited back onto the 18 month graduate scheme after she completed her degree in 2021. Her student placement was spent within the network development team under operations and she returned to the network operations team for one of her graduate rotations. Other rotations during that programme included retailer services customer experience and innovation and customer network support. Each rotation provided an opportunity to manage projects, present to directors and senior management, plan and coordinate brand events and manage relationships with external partners. During her time so far with Toyota Insurance Services, she has enjoyed the opportunity to offer support and advice to colleagues within Toyota and Lexus centres and groups. I'm pretty sure that Tilly's the youngest guest I've invited to join me. I first met her about a year ago as part of the work we've been doing with Toyota. She joined the Toyota Insurance Services team as an insurance Performance Manager and took part in our Towards Fulfilling Performance development programme. Tilly immediately impressed my colleague Ian and me with her mindset and approach to the programme. During one conversation with her CEO, he said, Why don't you take a different angle with an episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR and feature someone who is much earlier in their career. I thought this was a great idea. And I hope that today's episode will be particularly helpful for listeners who themselves are in the early stages of their career and find her experience relatable. I look forward to hearing what resonates with you. If you're listening for the first time, Hello, I'm Andy Follows. I'm a trusted adviser to senior leaders in the automotive industry. I work alongside them and their teams to enable Fulfilling Performance. Contact me if you'd like to know more. Hello, Tilly, and welcome. Where are you coming to us from today?

Tilly Lyles: 3:14

Good afternoon, Andy. And I'm in Epsom. I'm in the Toyota Burgh Heath office down in Surrey.

Andy Follows: 3:20

I know it very well, lovely part of the world. But as we both know, not where you're from originally. So tell me where did your journey start? Where were you born?

Tilly Lyles: 3:29

It's not no. So I'm from the village between Bradford and Leeds up in sunny Yorkshire somewhere, say, and have lived there all of my life apart from a couple of years when I came down to this very office a couple of years ago to work.

Andy Follows: 3:42

Okay, and what's the name of the village failed? And so when you were growing up, tell me a little bit please about your family. So tell me about mom and dad, first of all, what did you see them doing in their jobs? So

Tilly Lyles: 3:57

I come from a family of nurses, both mum and dad entered the profession when they were about 17. So in the days of nursing college, that's where they met as well on some of the wards before University times, and I've worked in the NHS and various charities ever since. So I think we're coming on to about 40 years for both of them. So very, very proud. They're both huge inspirations for me,

Andy Follows: 4:22

I'm sure. And we've spoken before about how the wider circle of friends and family were also in the nursing professional or associated with it, weren't they?

Tilly Lyles: 4:34

Absolutely, yeah, so I grew up, as one may say in the sort of nursing world and all about the NHS. So I have felt that I've definitely been nurtured and shaped hopefully by the values that one may have gotten into the NHS and and sticking it out for nearly 40 years.

Andy Follows: 4:54

Yeah, I can imagine the sort of people who are drawn towards a career in Public Service like that in public health, it takes a set of values, it takes empathy doesn't, it takes compassion. And so to be surrounded by adults with those values, and those characteristics must have been very influential for you. And we'll learn more about that as we go forward. And what about siblings? Do you have any siblings?

Tilly Lyles: 5:23

Yes. So I have a younger sister, she's two years younger than me. And you wouldn't know it. She She acts older, and she's definitely the boss. She always has been the boss that the little sister, but she has also got into nursing. So she She's recently graduated from being a children's nurse. So again, very, very proud of her too.

Andy Follows: 5:43

Right, fantastic. So you're the you're the odd one out, it sounds like your career choice. And we'll talk we'll eventually we'll get to that point. But before we do, how would your teachers have described you at school Tilly.

Tilly Lyles: 5:57

So I've been told many a time by both mom and dad, they like to remind me that I was very curious and inquisitive child, and they've both told me as well that they were pulled to the side by teachers throughout my primary and secondary school teaching. And also, you know, things like parents evening and things like that, where they wanted to sort of highlight this thing that that I had kind of had, and I think it was something that maybe they didn't see a lot of in children, maybe it was something that I sort of stood out for, but it was something highlighted throughout my schooling, I suppose you could say, but also as quite a young child as well. And it was, you know, that sort of curious way of asking why a lot. And I know I do it now and have reflected on since it being something that I want to keep and nurture as well. And it being such a core value of mine, even if I hadn't realised it so I can sort of see throughout my conversations, whether that be with my parents or my friends and and that sort of natural instinct to understand, but why but why not in a, you know, a deep and dark were to to understand, you know, the sort of deep, dark secret, it's more about the intricacies and the complexities of anything. It just it just really keeps me ticking. It really interests me.

Andy Follows: 7:19

Yeah. So you've discovered about yourself something which clearly runs deep, you have this inherent curiosity that you've had since the early days. And, you know, a lot of parents will say, about having kids, as they ask a lot of questions. My goodness, if your teachers are pointing it out there, it sounds like you are going above and beyond the average child with your curiosity. And And as I've learned from a lot of these conversations, it's a characteristic that's very helpful on people's life journeys and career journeys. And what sort of subjects were you interested in, at school?

Tilly Lyles: 7:52

So I absolutely loved geography. And I think specifically human geography really interested me, understanding cultures and, and ways in which people lived alongside together are, how communities were affected by, you know, natural disasters or political changes, things like that, really, really interested with as well as sort of history. And English, English really interested me and something that I enjoyed it, it didn't feel like a chore, or it didn't feel like a lesson. I absolutely loved it. And I remember having one of my a level English literature teachers was actually a philosophy teacher. And I didn't actually find that out until after parents evening when he'd spoken to my dad who had a chat with him. And it kind of clicked because he, he just had a sort of different way of approaching things. And it wasn't just sort of by the bakit, it was more of a fluid conversation that he had with his pupils who we didn't necessarily feel like a teacher pupil relationship. It was a, you know, at university where it's that discussion, and you're really encouraged to get involved and talk about your perception, it felt very much like that, which was quite grown up for being sort of, you know, 1718 years old, it's quite a change, isn't it when you go from being in high school?

Andy Follows: 9:15

Yeah. Sounds like he treated you more more as an adult and also create an environment where your natural curiosity would have had a bit of space to run, it wasn't just sit down and listen to what I'm going to tell you. It was let's have a discussion. And if you have lots of questions, as I'm sure you did, you'd have had the opportunity to ask them and talk about them. And did you know what direction you were going in? Were you thinking you'd follow in the footsteps of the family or not? Did you know from an early age, you were going to do something different?

Tilly Lyles: 9:46

Erm I think through primary school and early sort of high school I was I was always just open to different sort of ideas and career paths and never sort of had anything set in In my mind, it was just let's see what I enjoy what I'm passionate about what I'm good at. And then it got to sort of 1415 years old when you start naturally having those conversations of college university, a bit more of a career path. And I started exploring medicine. So going down the route of becoming a doctor, and had conversations with my mom and dad, and again, extended sort of family and friends who were in that field as well. So started my route down that so which was probably two years or so. So throughout GCSEs, and the first year of air levels, that was the path that I took. So I went to several sort of open days met with surgeons and doctors in the field to find out a little bit more when on sort of experienced days where you had to go at different things and started sort of the application process. I was doing my A levels in between.

Andy Follows: 10:58

And did you feel that was what you wanted to do? This might be really difficult to answer, but to what extent? Did it feel right, you know, that you were aligned with that? And to what extent was it following in the family footsteps if you like,

Tilly Lyles: 11:13

I think it felt a parallel to my mom and dad being in nursing, because it wasn't quite nursing it and it didn't feel that but it was along the same lines. Because, you know, kind of from an outside perspective, it feels and looks like the same industry, but from having one foot in it, you know, being sort of 16 years old, and mum and dad being part of that it feels completely different. So it was a new world for all of us. And they were there supporting me through it all of the time. Your question was what extent did I sort of want this, I think it's so difficult. And again, something I've really reflected on being 16 years old, and having to choose, you know, a career and to go down the medicine route at such a young age where you still, you know, figuring things out, and it's a huge, huge, something that you have to commit to it's a massive commitment going into medicine, it's, you know, potentially 10 years of your life from being 18. If you go into it straightaway, it's a lifestyle you choose in that lifestyle. So I think I went into it thinking, well, this is what I should be doing. I'd like to do, I'd really like to help people. But I think my overall thought, and maybe the reason why I'm not in it today, because it naturally stopped me was I'm not good enough to do it. And that was academically and I don't know if a bit emotionally, I'm quite sort of an empathetic, sympathetic person. And I sort of absorbed people. And I definitely noticed when I'd gone on these experience stairs, and you know, spoken and had conversations with doctors, surgeons, etc. and done all of the volunteering, I have volunteered in several care homes, alongside advanced nurse practitioners going into care homes and giving care as well. I've volunteered at GP surgeries. So I'd had quite widespread experience. Again, another one was at a children's charity. So they were for life limiting conditions that children would go there with their families. So again, having that sort of it wasn't hugely diverse, but across the spectrum of life and, and different situations going. It's such a lot to take in at 16. And again, as you're going through air levels, it's such a pressurised in high stress situation, I think you're just fighting to get through it anyway. But I definitely couldn't have gotten through any of it and taken even the first few steps without my mom and dad alongside me. They were they're never pushed, they never sort of led me in one direction. It was all me LED. It was me saying let's explore this route.

Andy Follows: 14:03

So they were supporting but they weren't directing. Yeah, it sounds like you had some extra you had some good broad exposure to different parts of what it would be like, then we know you're not a doctor, now to leave. So we know you change direction. How did that come about?

Tilly Lyles: 14:22

So I had completed my first year of a levels where I took physics, biology, chemistry, and mechanical maths alongside studying for the test. So you have to do further tests to be able to get into university to study medicine. It's safe to say I didn't do very well in those exams. I did well in some of them, not all of them. And I took that as a sign to sort of step back reevaluate. Is this right for me right now? Probably not. It taken over my life for sort of the past two years I hadn't seen for And our family, I think probably again, looking back, I was quite poorly with the stress and pressure of it. And I think from that situation, again, taking in my moms and dads thoughts, family close to us who again, were in the industry as well or had children going into it. It was really sort of chance for me to take that pivot, and probably trust in my gut, and not just keep pushing forward, because I thought it was the right thing to do.

Andy Follows: 15:29

Yeah, thank you. I think that's really interesting. There's this differential between what's the right thing to do? What do we think we should do? What's expected offers, even if that's only implied, it's never spoken out loud? versus what is the right thing for us to do? And what I'm hearing is you liked the humanities, you'd like geography you liked English. You like philosophy, if you'd like more philosophical discussions, and then you've just described to me biology, chemistry, mechanical maths, wasn't it? They were where did those come in? You know, they've suddenly arrived on the scene. And so very interesting conflict there, potentially. And in a previous conversation, I remember we had, you told me a story that revealed another characteristic of yours. So we've heard how you are naturally curious, I remember you telling me about the high standards, you hold yourself, too. And you haven't got into a certain school that you wanted to get into by the slimmest of margins. So just remind me what that story was? Because I think it it shows it introduced when we were chatting that time, it introduced us to a thread that I thought was quite interesting about you.

Tilly Lyles: 16:50

Yeah, absolutely. And it probably again, forms part of that medicine chapter in my life with the didn't believe in myself high standards. Maybe outlook on myself, but yeah, so when I was going from primary school into high school, I took a test to attend. I think it was an academy. It wasn't local, it was probably about 20 miles away. But it was a highly esteemed school, it wasn't private, but had brilliant facilities. And it was an all girl school as well. So I'd been run to look at it had been done. The tests, which were very extensive tests had no sort of training or tutoring for them just went straight into it after doing a bit at home by myself. And then subsequently got rejected by I think it was naught point naught something marks. So that was the margin. My mum and dad's had appealed it, I think, in the meantime, to see if there was sort of a second chance, but that was the outcome. So that being, you know, sort of brought to your attention at 1011 years old, when you thought, I'm going to this school, it's going to be great, you know, I can do this, I can do that I can get involved in that. I've never seen that before, you know, these girls were built in racing cars. I've never seen anything like that before, I'd come from a small Primary School village where, you know, you might go work at the hospital and didn't your life was sort of mapped out for you. But this was huge. So from that, and and that sort of rejection

Andy Follows: 18:22

Was that the first time you'd actually not succeeded at something you'd put your mind to.

Tilly Lyles: 18:27

Yeah, because I was always the one who, who tried the best, who always did their homework was, again, subsequently top of the class and wanted to be there not because that meant Tilly was the best it was so that I knew that I was trying my best all of the time. So I could give good results. So yeah, it was definitely a milestone in my life.

Andy Follows: 18:50

So as a child, you have this innate curiosity, you had a desire to do your best for yourself. And then this was the first time probably quite helpful that you did get knocked back because it does happen. And the sooner we realise it, usually the better. It can be tough if it happens quite late, you know? Yeah. So then you had to make a decision at the end of your first year of a levels to switch into something else, you know that this wasn't going to work for you. How did you feel about that? Was that a difficult time? Or does it just seem like the obvious thing to do?

Tilly Lyles: 19:25

No, it was really difficult. I think, again, because it probably brought up those feelings I'd felt all of those years ago and that he failed again, you know, what you're gonna do and I think I probably pulled on my resilience that I had built from being a child and pick myself back up and, and sort of came up with a plan. You know, let's do something that I know I'm good at and passionate about, and I enjoy. So let's go down that route and see see where that leads me.

Andy Follows: 19:53

So what was it that you picked? What did you decide to focus on?

Tilly Lyles: 19:57

So I went with Geography, History and English literature, interesting subjects which are a far cry from science and maths.

Andy Follows: 20:09

But the topics that you said you'd always enjoyed.

Tilly Lyles: 20:12

Yeah. Which was probably a lesson, isn't it a lesson to trust your gut whatever age you are it's normally a good thing.

Andy Follows: 20:20

So what happened once you've made that decision, and you switch to those topics that you enjoyed.

Tilly Lyles: 20:27

And I think, personally, I felt a lot of clarity, because it was almost like the fog had gone away. Previously, trying to navigate this route into medicine during the subjects that I couldn't do. And I didn't enjoy, and I wasn't very good at trying to last on my way through to medical school. Even though I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, I thought it was the right thing, I suddenly felt all of the clouds went away. And I could just get on and do what I know that I was good at. And I enjoyed. And then that gave me the sort of strength and understanding what to do at the next bit. So a great decision all around rarely, but only got there through a bit of a jigsaw of a journey. But that's what it is, isn't it, it's where you learn.

Andy Follows: 21:15

It is. And I hope this is helpful if there are people listening, who've got children doing A levels or thinking about a levels, or even if the listeners are that age themselves. Realising that it's perfectly normal we, until we try stuff, we don't actually know what it's going to be like. And there can be lots of things that are gonna say pushing, you know, even the most gentle way they're pushing us in a direction, maybe not overtly, but just because that's what we're used to seeing around us, that's all we've got to go on is that's the direction I probably should go in. That's what's expected of me, that's what'll be the right thing to do. That's what I should do all those sorts of things. And until you start, you don't know whether you're really going to take to it. And yours is a great example of then having the courage to say, actually, let's have another plan, let's come up with another plan that's closer to what I want to do or what I'm going to be able to do well, and it worked out.

Tilly Lyles: 22:13

You said something earlier, that's really resonated. And I want to sort of touch on it, you said it was probably good that you had a knock back and again early early on in your life. And I totally agree, I think it's really important that you have that time and space to build resilience. And that again, it's something that I've talked about resilience, me building that back up in in your strength and determination. But it's good to fail, fail fast and stand back up and of another girl. And also that rejection that I'd felt from, you know, transitioning from primary school to secondary school and not getting into the one that I thought was the right one. That rejection was redirection to a different school. And so subsequently, I'm here on that journey. And that's led me to other things. So that rejection isn't always a bad thing. It's just redirecting.

Andy Follows: 23:07

Did you feel you'd got second best when you went to the school you did go to,

Tilly Lyles: 23:12

I think at the time, all of my friends were going to that school anyway, the one that I ended up going to serve, again, naturally as a as a as a child. Oh, great, I'll just get on with it. And you quickly sort of forget and that fades out. But sort of reflecting back I only see the good in it. Because I got to go to quite a diverse school. My primary school is quite diverse and, and I was glad to, to meet lots of different people, the teachers, again, were quite different and had the experience alongside friends and could build other friends. And I suppose again, you kind of look back and think Well, I'm glad you didn't go to that school, it's really far away. It was very competitive. So have only sort of locked back with gladness that this situation occurred because there's no point being like, well, if I went there, I could have got that, that doesn't bring me anything. It just makes you stuck doesn't it it's not going to bring any sort of clarity or goodness or or strength that's just going to pull you back.

Andy Follows: 24:15

So you didn't have any sense of loss you might have felt didn't linger very long you are going to have a diverse score with your friends and you've subsequently also looked back on it and made the most of that experience. So with your new choices have a levels there's clarity I love the way you describe that all of a sudden the clouds cleared and I you know you're in the right place it sounds like

Tilly Lyles: 24:42

so after I completed my levels, I went to business school up in Newcastle at Northumbria University, and I decided on that course because be it naturally as my 18, you know 17 18 year old self I thought what could bring me the most options and opportunities as I keep deciding what route I want to go down. And I love people I know I like meeting different people and doing different things. There's nothing specific, there's not a vocation that is really piquing my interest. So let's go into something that has a wide range. And I can, you know, decide and try different things along the way. So that's exactly what I did, went up to Newcastle, and spent a couple of years up there, did a year in industry down here at Toyota. And ever since, have just enjoyed doing different things with Toyota as well.

Andy Follows: 25:35

That's really interesting that you recognise there wasn't a specific vocation that was calling you. But there were certain things that you liked. So let's get myself in a situation where I'm going to be exposed to a wide range of options. And very interesting that you had an industrial placement year as part of your programme. So you got to spend, how did you get the position at Toyota? During university,

Tilly Lyles: 25:59

I specifically picked a university degree that I could do the the industrial placement, because that was sort of coming up in popularity, but they weren't widely available. So that was something that I was really set on, and had had conversations with my dad who again, was working for the NHS, and he'd heard of Kaisen and rang me up one day when I was at university and second year said, Tilly, I really want you to look into this, this Toyota Way this Kaizen, and I keep hearing about it at work. And we do, we're sort of working towards a Toyota way of you know, continuous improvement, best practice, etc. So literally googled it whilst was on the phone, found they do student placements for a year, applied on the spot. And here, we are still with them. Five years later. The rest is history.

Andy Follows: 26:48

I love that. So it was just something your dad had picked up on. And he mentioned it to you and you, as you say, googled it and thought, well, I might as well go and spend my placement year there, I'll tell you all about it Dad. And here you are now. Brilliant.

Tilly Lyles: 27:07

It really it really drew me did the company because me and my dad again with my mom as well. It had extensive conversations of where would best fit me for my student placement, what really attracted me to a robot what I would be good at. And I've had several offers from different companies, but it didn't quite feel right. And you can't be picky, can you so, it's kind of at that turning point as a dad just applied to Toyota and gotten through the process. But my dad had obviously picked up throughout his experience with the Toyota Way that this is something that will probably ring true with tiller, and absolutely did loved it loved the values loved. While the Toyota Way that it was inclusive, that everyone got to have a say, focus on best practice and good process that it was all about getting better. It's not about being the best, it's about how can you get better and better and better all together. So that's exactly why I chose to work here and a student placement.

Andy Follows: 28:09

Yes. And I'm thinking that natural curiosity you said you have and that you always want to understand what's going on here that fits perfectly well, with that Toyota way. And then if this works as a question without naming any of the other organisations, what were some of the characteristics about them that you thought now that's not as good just to help us understand how your decision making was between what you could see in the Toyota opportunity versus these other opportunities. As I say, without naming the organization's we don't need to do that.

Tilly Lyles: 28:46

So the organisation that I had had an offer from at the same time as Toyota, so they'd give me an offer just be far felt quite aggressive in nature. So from the interview that I'd had with the director that I'd be working under, and the current student, it just felt a very coarse and volatile environment from the way they were speaking from the questions being asked their sort of attitude towards me, and the call itself, they were led, they couldn't turn the camera around. It just all felt quite, you know, when you just get that feeling where where you're like, This isn't going well, probably for a reason. And something that they said on the call was this director could be open out across your window, and you'd have to go with them and you probably wouldn't know on the Sunday night but in the Monday morning you'd be going and that itself is okay. But it was the way in which it was sort of put across. It wasn't an inviting environment and I just got that feeling of this really isn't for me,

Andy Follows: 29:55

What sector what sector was that in?

Tilly Lyles: 29:58

Logistics and arms, Oh, wow. Okay.

Andy Follows: 30:03

No, it does sound like with all the nurturing that you had that sort of way of being where there's almost an implied pleasure in forcing people to do things rather than saying, you know, is that going to be okay? Will you be able to cope with that, but just to be proudly aggressive about it as it that's how I'm in town, and the lack of professionalism, of being late and the lack of respect really further for you, as a as an individual? Okay, not a difficult choice.

Tilly Lyles: 30:36

A natural choice

Andy Follows: 30:38

Yeah, I just wanted to dive into it, you know, to help people know, what you came up against, and the sort of values and the sort of factors that you take into account when you're deciding what Who should I go with? What direction should I go within the cultural ones are really important how people are going to behave with me. So you were drawn towards the Toyota way, and you had this opportunity? Was it all good then that the year the placement that you did, was it

Tilly Lyles: 31:05

Yeah, it was fantastic from from the outset. So from the first day where we got together and had the assessment centre, which was where you have a series of interviews and tasks in front of the panel, and then at the end of that there, so it's about I think it's probably a six hour or so assessment centre. So I'd come I think the night before from West Yorkshire down to Episode never been here before, it was all quite scary. Then in the morning, I'd come here. And from the outset, they had a couple of people from HR coordinating the whole day, and students who were currently on the scheme sitting in with your sort of in between in your breaks. And that itself, just put everyone at ease, and was probably the first sign of this is where I want to work. This is this is a place for me everyone's friendly, and they want to, you know, talk to you. And it's a very inviting and warm environment. And there was someone if you needed directing somewhere Ottawa, Arctic, yeah. And it felt worlds apart, you know, from the different experiences that I'd had the same sort of roles as well. So from the outset, it just felt warm and nurturing. And again, those are two words that I've probably used quite a lot today. But that's exactly what it was. It was aligned with me to a choice.

Andy Follows: 32:24

Yeah. Now I think that's interesting using that nurturing word, really good. Let me take a moment to tell you about our sponsor. This episode is brought to you by ASKE Consulting who are experts in Executive Search, Resourcing Solutions and Talent Management across all sectors of the automotive industry in the UK and Europe. I’ve known them for almost 20 years, and I can think of no more fitting sponsor for CAREER-VIEW MIRROR. They're the business we go to at Aquilae when we're looking for talent for our clients and for projects that we're working on. ASKE was founded by Andrew McMillan whose own automotive career includes board level positions with car brands and leasing companies. All ASKE consultants have extensive client-side experience which means they bring valuable insight and perspective for both their employer and candidate customers. My earliest experience of working with Andrew was in 2004 when he helped me hire Regional Managers for my leasing sales team at Alphabet. More recently, when Aquilae was helping a US client to establish a car subscription business, ASKE Consulting was alongside us helping us to develop our people strategy and identify and bring on board suitable talent. Clients we've referred to ASKE have had an equally positive experience. Andrew and the team at ASKE are genuinely interested in the long-term outcomes for you and the people they place with you. They even offer the reassurance of a 2-year performance guarantee which means they have‘skin in the game’ when working with you. If you're keen to secure the most talented and high potential people to accelerate your business and gain competitive advantage, do get in touch with them and let them know I sent you. You can email Andrew and the team at hello@askeconsulting.co.uk or check out their website for more details and more client feedback at www.askeconsulting.co.uk . ASKE is spelt A S K E You’ll find these contact details in the shownotes for this episode. Ok, let’s get back to our episode. How did you prepare for that assessment centre? Can you remember?

Tilly Lyles: 34:33

Gosh, it was some years ago now. So it probably four and a half plus years ago when I first did it, sir, there was an interview, which you just sort of went into and you had your CV and there was the hiring manager who talked here. And I remember the manager was quite surprised about all of the health experience that I'd had, you know, working in charities and GPS etc. So I've talked about that talked freely about this wasn't My first sort of route that I wanted to go down was medicine and talked a little bit about that. And after that sort of interview, I didn't really know what that sort of stood me Did they want someone who was car crazy and wanted to work in cars and really passionate about petrol and exhausts? Because that certainly wasn't me. But yeah, had had, I think, liked my honesty and integrity and openness about where I'd sort of come from, and I suppose it throughout my student and graduate placements at Toyota have, I've learned because I've seen other people go through the process, it doesn't matter about your background are or your interests it, it's more about your skills and your values and what you sort of willing to do, it's your attitude. It's about well, I'll ever go and try that anyway, and get good at it. You don't need to know every single thing about electrification type of thing. From that interview, I kind of felt that I felt put at ease that it wasn't a, you know, you must know all of this, it was more of a let's understand you and get to know you, and would you be a fit, would we be a fit for you, which was brilliant.

Andy Follows: 36:13

As you're telling that story? I'm putting myself in the shoes of the interviewer and I'm thinking, how would I respond to reading this on your CV? And you telling me okay, yes, I was planning to go down the medicine route, I'd be thinking, Okay, so here's somebody who's been on a bit of a journey of self discovery. Already, they thought they were going down one path, they've invested time and energy in doing the ground work, they've done all this volunteering, and they've taken all these work experience opportunities. And then they've realised that that's not for them, and they've changed direction. And I'm thinking, you know, that's great. That shows, you know that I've taken a lot out of that, that will be how I would be reading that part of your story. And then the other bit where I might be leading the witness a bit, I'm just thinking, you know, it's kind of a, for example, had you not failed to get into the academy for secondary school, had you not had a tough experience at the end of your first year of a levels? Might you have shown up at the assessment centre, a different person than the one who'd had a couple of setbacks and had to regroup had to be resilient, had to get clear on things and move forward. And I just wonder whether what those early setbacks do is they make us prepare better for the next thing? We do? Absolutely. So they're altogether different feeling more nurturing environment, not about what you know already, but about your attitude and your ability to learn and your mindset. And you had a really good year, then you went back for another year? Yes. Was like your third third year was the industrial placement. Did you know you're going to come back? Or was it a competition again, to get back into Toyota,

Tilly Lyles: 38:04

It was a competition. So you had to be invited back to do another assessment centre, in which they take external and internal. So internal being the students that were on the student placement. So this was for the graduate assessment centre. And because it was we've started DDP and COVID times and it was all online. So again, similar sort of layout, you had an interview with a couple of senior managers, and individual task and presentation and then a sort of group work. So again, mirrored the student Placement Assessment Centre, and, like you said, fully prepared, and went into it. You know, just just try my best. And, again, with that honesty and integrity, and after that, got offered the position,

Andy Follows: 38:56

Congratulations. Thank you. And I'm thinking not only were you prepared, and you would have felt, I know a bit about this business, I know the culture. I know what the people are like, I know what I'm letting myself in for, but I imagine there was an even stronger sense of wanting it. Because you knew what it was that was up for grabs, if

Tilly Lyles: 39:15

Absolutely, yeah.

Andy Follows: 39:16

Can you remember where you were when you found out you'd got it? How big a deal was this for you?

Tilly Lyles: 39:20

I can actually remember both times I can remember on the student placement. Like I said, I'd come down on the train the night before stayed over done the assessment centre, it was probably about four o'clock and I just got to Epsom train station and I got a call from her HR. That said, Tilly, thank you so much for coming down. We'd like to offer two of the positions here. So we'd like you to pick and I learned actually found out that they wanted me for three of the positions which were I interviewed for three positions, which felt incredible. So I picked the one which I've gone into it thinking I'd love to do this role, which was network development, so very focused on people, you had to get out and about quite a lot. I really enjoyed my interview with that hiring manager for that division as well. So it felt this really feels like a good fit, you know, as opposed to being in those other interviews that I had recently had with other firms thinking. It just doesn't feel right. And this just felt so right. So absolutely went for it. And then with the graduate assessment centre, I found out so they did a couple of intakes of people on those. So I think they had three days, three consecutive days. So I'm the first free day after the assessment centre, I got a ring again to say, we'd really like you to take the position of being on the graduate scheme. And I was walking in the snow in Belton. So it was January time the end of January, hiking up the hill, and I was I was walking to a friend's house and found out they're just in the snow by myself. There was no one around because it was snowing. Absolutely just elated in the middle of nowhere. Yes. So stick with me forever those moments won't they.

Andy Follows: 41:10

Yeah, that paints a wonderful picture. I'm glad to ask you that, because it brings up another thought that I hope someone who's 18,19 20 Listening to this would realise, okay, you first of all, you narrowed it down to Toyota, if you like this environment that felt more nurturing and more professional. But then once you're inside, there was further decision making to be made. There's there's further degrees of finding what fits for me. So you had, you know, three options, you know, obviously, you impressed them all. So well done on that gave you three options. And then from those three, you knew that no network development, that's the one that appeals to me most right now. So even within the one organisation, there's lots of different roles, and it's about finding the one that feels the best fit for you at the time. And I think that's a helpful insight that you've shared there. I also think that it says a lot about Toyota how quickly they came back to you on both occasions, I'm sure there'll be people listening, thinking, Oh, my goodness, I had to wait months. And I had to chase you know, the organisation I was trying to get into, didn't come back to me. You know, as soon as I got to the station after the assessment centre, that's pretty prompt, professional, respectful, very respectful of the candidate, a view. So Network Development, did it turn out to be as much fun as you you thought it was going to be?

Tilly Lyles: 42:40

Yeah, it was fabulous. It was something that I really felt, well, it was my first professional job ever. So within the first couple of weeks, you have the previous student who's just done the row, which again, I think speaks exactly of Toyota's values, it wants you to feel nurtured and comfortable. And so you can really embed yourself, as you know, you're sort of 1920 coming into this, this corporate world where you think everyone's got it figured out, and why am I here? How have I got here, and you have that period to really understand what you do in your role, what's expected of your, you know, tips that can help you with their experience, because they were in your shoes a year ago. So you have that handy enough period, which is brilliant. And you have that sometimes on the graduate scheme as well. So we had that. And then the first couple of weeks after that, I really sort of felt that sense of development, I felt a professional change, I felt a personal change. I've moved to GE and 50 plus miles away from home. So that was a massive change all by myself, no one around me, no friends or family. But yes, it was all huge, huge change, and you just go along for the ride, really, you have to absorb everything. And again, a brilliant thing about Toyota is they have 2025 plus students across the organisation. So it's pretty much one per team. So everyone it feels like across the organisation is looking out to help here. And he's aware and has their door open whatever level they are and wants to involve hear, wants to hear what you think. And it all feels very structured around yeah, let's let's bring everyone up. Let's develop everyone together. And it doesn't really matter what level you are across the organisation which is subsequently what I found out through recruitment processes, etc. And even just having conversations with people. Everyone's always got that sort of development plan. So it's how could I, you know, at a student level at director level, how can I be better? What am I going to do to be better so everyone's on that journey upwards and you feel like that it's a brilliant environment to begin your professional career. Right. But any part of your career, you'd be lucky to work here?

Andy Follows: 45:04

Is there a network then of other placement students? So when you've done the Graduate Programme, do you feel like you've got a buddy in each department?

Tilly Lyles: 45:12

Well, they use exactly those words. So you get given a buddy to start with on the Graduate Programme, and a mentor as well, which again, speaks so highly of Toyota who've put these things in place for each graduate. So you get given a graduate who's been on the intake before you the year before spends time with you. So you can have that weekly or monthly, or however often you want to sit down with them, that can give you advice, or contacts, that's a massive thing. And something that I've been conscious of to give out to, you know, students, graduates, whoever you come into contact with, and that sort of support and help as well, because it's not about what you know, it is genuinely who you know. And we're all in this big, massive office, this gorgeous office. And there's obviously people out in the field as they call it up and down the UK. And sometimes you just need to know a small piece of information, but you don't know how to get it. So rather than going around powers it you just have that one contact. And again, that's something that's a value of working that Toyota and within Toyota, everyone wants to share, and everyone wants everyone else to win, it feels like and things like sharing contacts, and I know someone who can help you with that, and who knows, is constantly talked about, so that helps with the buddy system. And then the mentor system. So you get given as a graduate, someone who's a general manager, so general manager level, which is very senior management within Toyota. And that in itself, I felt goes to show that Toyota is really invested in you, because they want to use general manager time to talk to you, they want to invest in you, you're not you know, someone at the bottom on the side, you're someone who they want to bring into this organisation and nurture and, you know, go up, hopefully, you'll be taking over their job down the line type of thing. So it definitely felt like that. And you get that wealth of experience from talking to someone at general manager level. It was incredible. And I really got on with my general manager, and he's still a huge inspiration to me now. And nuggets of information that he's given me and his experience that he's been able to share so that you can't put a price on that can you

Andy Follows: 47:28

No, and we have a little I say policy on the show that if there's someone who's demonstrated great leadership, mentoring management, we do name them. So do you want to give a shout out to who that is?

Tilly Lyles: 47:42

Of course, he's called Greg Culshaw. And he will always be I think, an inspiration for me, continues to be still and someone that that I always refer back to. So I'd like to thank thank you.

Andy Follows: 47:55

Yeah, congratulations, Greg. He sounds like he's doing a cracking job there. And have you found that your natural curiosity has been really well received. And as you've been able to ask all the questions you wanted to ask and really soak up as much as you can in your early years there.

Tilly Lyles: 48:16

Absolutely. It's celebrated, it's wanted, it's something that I think they try and pull out of you if you haven't naturally got it. And something that I definitely have felt. But if you have and you have lots of it, then you get so much more further forward. Everyone's busy in their day to day job. So the answers aren't going to come to you. And you know, you don't need that. Do you want someone who who goes out of their way to explore and find different ways of doing things be innovative. And again, that's that pillar of Toyota? Isn't it? innovativeness.

Andy Follows: 48:51

Now, that's really good to hear. And I do suspect that you've managed to get yourself into a really good situation totally where you're in this huge organisation with a lot of resources and a lot of different facets to it. So you can find areas, you mentioned a jigsaw puzzle out, you can find the bit of the puzzle where you fit the best if you like, where there's, it's really playing to your strengths as much as possible. And with the energy and the background that you've had, I think you're very well equipped to make the most of it. So thing is just a really heartening story. And I think it's very inspiring for people listening, if they're at your stage in their career or a bit behind you a few years behind you. And they're also getting the inside track on what actually happens in these assessment centres. What happens in the interviews and what are they looking for? So thank you for sharing that. So you got on the Graduate Programme. How does that Where are you then do you do six months in each department or how to how does that work?

Tilly Lyles: 49:59

So I had Quite an adventurous graduate rotation scheme. So what used to happen was she did one six months, a handful of three month placements, and then some project work in between. So I went into my first six months, absolutely fine. So I started in September 2021. And a few months after that, I had a bit of a health complication, which I don't mind talking about that are sharing that with you. But had a quite a big operation that following April, after some quite a traumatic few months, which Toyota really supported me through. So I had a little bit of a mixed up on the rotations because I wasn't able to fully come back to work to start the next rotations. So began fully again, sort of summer time, end of summer time and carried on this novel went into my last six months placement. Because again, like I said, this sort of had to change things about really enjoyed it. So my was like, I refer to it as a bit of an adventure. It wasn't quite to the book or what we expected. But I definitely felt like I got a lot out of it got huge amounts professionally and personally out of it development wise, you with different teams every couple of months. And even having the different rotations where you have to it feels like up sticks, as you've just got comfortable and gotten to know all of your team and move, you know, across the office, which does feel like across the world, sometimes to a new team, and new environment. You've never maybe even seen these people before. And you've got to just settle in quickly understand your role, understand what they want from your embed yourself and go. And then again, you have to up six in a few months. And I think even that process, and it's something I've talked about to you know, students and graduates who I've been buddies and mentors to, that in itself builds the resilience and any something to embrace, don't, don't reject it, just embrace it and think of it as a even better thing and aspect to the graduate scheme. Because you've you've created all of these contacts, and this web and this network that you've You haven't left behind, it's not behind you, it's to the side. So you can bring so much more to your team, your current team, because you know what that team over there is doing, and that might actually fit with something that they need. So I think that's, I guess, the method to the madness, the greatness of, you know, the rotational scheme, what Toyota brought in because these students and graduates, small and mighty, are actually a wealth of experience in an understanding of different parts across the organisation.

Andy Follows: 52:53

Yeah, and I've interviewed many people who've started on similar programmes and are now CEOs. And the network that they developed on the programme has given them because people have stayed in the business, and they've gone to different parts of the business or gone to different parts of the world. And as they've grown in their careers, their network has stayed and grown. And then they have very lasting relationships and very effective relationships with those people. It's a very smart if you can afford it as a as an employer, it's a very smart thing to do. So you finish your graduate rotations, and then what happens? Do you then have to win yourself a job? Are you are you spending some of your time during your rotation, courting potential teams that you'd like to be part of and looking for where you want to go? Is that how it works?

Tilly Lyles: 53:50

Yeah, so usually, it is a little bit like that, that Toyota have a couple of jobs and roles set aside for graduates who they want to invite to take those roles and interview for after the scheme finishes. But I had decided a couple of months, probably six months before the graduate scheme finished, that I wanted to explore different options. That meant I could move back home, because I said that I'd had quite a colourful healthier the year before. And I suppose within that priorities kind of come up to the surface stuff they saw where I'd been able to up sticks from Baildon and move to absum. And live down here by myself. It felt time to maybe move back home for a bit readjust, realign with life, get back healthy and good again and then go from there. So my last six months was my mission to explore and see what was out there. So I took it upon myself to Toyota have a couple of different entities so companies that kind of sit by the side of each other, so I was in one call to or to GB, Great Britain, so the sales and marketing sort of arm. And there was Toyota insurance services that kind of sat beside it as well. So I had made contact with their head of HR, and had a conversation going on. But subsequently, I went to the gym one when that which they have at Toyota in their office. And I thought I really recognised that chap over there. And it was actually one of the general managers fato through insurance services. So I thought, well, let's let's just go for it and started a conversation with him and sort of said, you might recognise me from a meeting a couple of months ago, this is who I am looking for some other opportunities, exploring what's maybe out there. This is my situation at the moment. And he said, Come back and see me tomorrow in the office. So I did, did a bit of experience with their insurance performance team, spoke to their CEO did a couple of job interviews, and within the next month or so, had been offered the role, which I'm in today.

Andy Follows: 56:07

I love that story. Congratulations. And I love the fact that you use the words, I took it upon myself. And I thought, You know what the heck, I'll go and talk to this person, you made that happen. And I think that's, that's a really great message to share amongst many great messages that just fall naturally out of your story in the way you tell it. How long have you been in the role? And how are you finding it?

Tilly Lyles: 56:32

So I've been in the role, 10 months, nearly 11 months now. Really, really enjoying again, the people aspect? Because

Andy Follows: 56:40

I was gonna say what strengths of yours does it play to Tilly? What are you enjoying about it?

Tilly Lyles: 56:47

So something that I'm really enjoying is that I speak to all different people across the business. So from co director level, all the way down to sales exec within dealerships, and everything in between. And that is something I absolutely love. I just love the people interaction, you know, something they can give me, what can I give them the advice, the support, the guidance, my development in all of this, hopefully, their development, my role is actually about performance and Performance Manager. But I probably see the role more in the development side of things, because that's where, you know, sustained performance comes from, and something that I think most of us in this role. So we've got a few across the country, there's about eight or nine of us in the same row who sort of cover our patch, really drive forward, it's up development and sustenance and, and how we can support together, it's a partnership, and something again, that I have definitely taken forward from being on the graduate rotation scheme, where because Toyota and Lexus are franchise businesses, it's very transactional. But Toyota and the way directors, senior managers, general managers talked about the network, it was always in a partnership. It wasn't about wasn't there. It was way it was always together, how are we going to get better? How do we develop? And that's I've definitely brought that forward into my role. And that's how I see it. I'm not maybe tainted with the boss, and then it naturally is all together. So hopefully that comes out in my day to day in annual sort of approach to to their businesses as well.

Andy Follows: 58:37

It sounds like a very good fit and a very good place for you to be right now. Totally. Is there anything I haven't asked you that means I might have missed out on something interesting from your story.

Tilly Lyles: 58:49

Erm I think the only thing what I probably want to touch on which I know we've talked about it in previous conversations was we've talked about the inspiration that I've definitely drawn from my mom and dad and a little bit about my younger sister. But we talked about previously, my sister has dyslexia and EarLens. And has has done forever, that was picked up in early primary years, what URL and it's quite similar to dyslexia. But sometimes you can have memory loss with it. So short term memory loss, and again, the sort of standard word to quite jumbly on the page and that can get jumbled in your head and sometimes quite difficult with reading and writing. But it's something that my sister having that she's extremely courageous and has gone on to secure a job in the NHS and has graduated her degree which was child nursing. So again, this sort of joining the family businesses we like to say, but she has overcome so much so many barriers, hasn't you know, shrivelled up and I can't do that. You know, I find that really difficult it's let's get back cup sat resilience piece. And I've definitely drawn on her strengths and sisters as well. And we quite close in Edge and closer relation definitely, we definitely have have lent on each other. But she has been a huge inspiration to me throughout her journey and continues to be as well.

Andy Follows: 1:00:21

That's wonderful. Thanks for sharing that Tilly. And what that's making me think as well is how resilient the pair of you are. And you've come from a very caring home, very caring, nurturing, home and family. And that has not made you soft. It's made you very resilient and capable. And I think that is a wonderful, I'm making that connection there. Because from my own biases, if you like that the way we make people resilient and tough, if you like is by being really caring, and supportive and creating, making them feel really safe, whether that's as a child, or whether that's in a team in a business. Do you feel really safe, then you can go out there and you can do tough things, you can have difficult conversations, you can do the work that needs to be done. You can hold each other accountable, you can hit high goals and targets because you've got a safe place to come back to you know, you've got a leader who's got your back. And I love how their nurturing family environment you've grown up in, has created in you and your sister two really resilient, resourceful individuals who are doing great stuff, making things happen. So I love it.

Tilly Lyles: 1:01:45

Thank you.

Andy Follows: 1:01:46

Thank you for joining me, it's been an absolute pleasure as I knew it would be and full of really interesting insights. And I hope we've taken this is a different episode. You're one of the youngest, you might even be the youngest guest I've had and it was your CEOs idea. He said to me, how about featuring a slightly different type of episode where you've got someone who's at the beginning of their career. And as I was already aware of you and impressed by what I'd seen or view in action, I jumped at the idea. And I really hope that this will be so relevant to people who are, you know, maybe within five years, so if you I think listening to people who are 20 3040 years ahead in their career might be interesting, but it also might seem like yeah, but that's a different world. They're from different era. What can I get from that but listening to someone who's a few, a few years down the path that they might want to take, there's more relevance to this and therefore it'll be very helpful. So thank you.

Tilly Lyles: 1:02:52

Thank you very much for having me. I've really enjoyed it Andy.

Andy Follows: 1:02:54

You've been listening to CAREER-VIEW MIRROR with me Andy Follows depending on your unique life experience where you find yourself right now and your personal goals you'll have your own takeaways from Tilly's story, some elements that stood out for me were how she benefited from a nurturing family background, her natural curiosity and desire to understand topics and situations. The understandable draw, she felt to become a doctor how she did as much as she could to get experience at the age of 16. She chose the right A level subjects but ultimately decided this path wasn't for her. She went back to the subjects that she'd found enjoyable, and all of a sudden the clouds cleared. Her Dad mentioning Kaizen to her. She did the research and identified that Toyota did industrial placements Toyota coming across as a very nurturing and inclusive organisation. And the gradual process of narrowing down her focus to identify where her strengths would add the most value, all of which has led to her now working in partnership with Lexus and Toyota Centres across the network as an insurance Performance Manager and clearly having a good career ahead of her. If you'd like to connect with Tilly. We'll put her contact details in the show notes to this episode. If you enjoy listening to my guest stories, please could you do me a favour and share an episode with someone you lead, parent or mentor or perhaps a friend of yours who you think would also enjoy listening. Thank you to Tilly for joining me for our conversation, thank you to our sponsors for this episode, ASKE Consulting and Aquilae and thank you to the CAREER-VIEW MIRROR team without whom we would not be able to share our guests life and career stories. And above all thank you to you for listening.