Claire Cassar has a plan. For 2023, she has decided to start working one day less per week, so that she can focus more on the things she loves doing most, putting an emphasis on the importance of quality of life. The decision comes as a result of a set of values which have always governed Dr Cassar’s life, both at work as well as beyond, and that have helped her achieve considerable professional success in the process.

“There is more to life than work”, Dr Cassar, a lawyer with a background in tech claims, as she continues to explain her decision. “For 2023, I plan on dedicating more time to myself and for things I have always wanted to pursue”, she says.

Asked about the thought process that goes into reaching such a level of determination in one’s career, Dr Cassar says that it is down to choosing to do what is truly meaningful, combined with excellent organisational and delegation skills within the teams she leads – the rest then follows the guiding principles she lives by, which have made her a resilient business leader.

Having made a name for herself in the world of out-of-home advertising, and the realm of coaching and mentoring through chairing a Vistage Malta peer advisory group, Dr Cassar decided to take on the business world a few years back, after a fruitful career in corporate legal.

“I feel that through business I can truly make a difference, while practicing a set of principles that, to me, are fundamentally important.”

Dr Cassar seeks to advocate for integrity and authenticity in everything she does. She feels that especially in the business world, it is the only way to build meaningful relationships that bare fruit in the long run.

“The value of integrity goes beyond choosing what is right from what is wrong. Notions of right and wrong would be an oversimplification, and as we know, in life often we are faced with choices that are more complicated, and ethically challenging than that. Being authentic is primarily being true to oneself, and believing in one’s actions and positions, even if they may be controversial”, Dr Cassar expounds.

Often, we are surrounded by a barrage of messages which are perfectly designed to suit a certain narrative, hence people may feel obliged to adhere to them, for fear of facing repercussions.

“Portraying an untrue image of oneself is scientifically proven to be extremely exhausting, which naturally gives rise to other issues. This leads to us not being comfortable enough to express our own opinions, for fear of being judged and sadly that leads to the death of debate and significant conversation. That is where we stop progressing,” she notes.

Dr Cassar warns that in an increasingly discerning society, being untruthful is easily called out, especially by the younger generations. “Trying to portray a persona who isn’t real will make one sound fake to team members, clients, or friends – with some undesirable results. Integrity is a very fragile affair, which is built very slowly over a long period of time, but which can be shattered in a matter of seconds with one false move. That is why one needs to properly understand what values and principles they stand for, and then make a very conscious effort to stick to them.”

The consciousness of being authentic is a central theme to Dr Cassar’s code of values. She constantly motivates herself to carry out small incremental changes that ultimately have a great long-term effect towards a positive outcome.

“The great thing with atomic changes is that they happen at a minute, atomic level – but subsequently can have large effects, just like atomic energy”, Dr Cassar quips. “It is very difficult to make large-scale changes in our lives, that is why it is ill-advised to adopt 100 new year resolutions, which we all know very often fizzle out into nothing by the Epiphany!”

As a people pleaser, Dr Cassar recounts how she needed to learn to say ‘no’ or ‘not now’ in her professional life, to allow herself the space to truly be impactful with her work. “This was a change I needed to make consciously, as I realised that by accepting to help anyone who asked for assistance, was stopping me from focussing on the things that truly need my attention at the time. Sometimes it is better to say ‘no – and…’, and provide some guiding advice, rather than take on every job to get things done, or just to please someone.”

Furthermore, Claire Cassar actively practices gratefulness and mindfulness in her daily routine. “Every day I make it a point to find 15 minutes to practice mindfulness, actually concentrating on the job at hand, and doing things out of specific will, rather than just an automatic routine. Some might call it meditation; the principles remain the same. I find it crucial to focus on what I am grateful for in my everyday life, from the sun shining on a beautiful winter’s day, to being surrounded by a support system of like-minded humans, to enjoying a healthy lifestyle that allows me to pursue my goals”, Dr Cassar says.

Finally, Claire Cassar seeks to be as impactful as possible in whatever she does, and in how she communicates with others, in a way that resonates and creates the desired momentum towards the intended goals.

“Consistency, like authenticity, is the name of the game. It makes people around you want to collaborate with you, because they will know what to expect from you, and they will feel that when they are around you, they are in a safe space. It is psychological safety created by an environment plainly delineated by clear parameters, and no surprises. The coming together of all these values, create a space which is conducive for co-creation and growth for everyone,” Dr Cassar concludes.