Leadership
Rachel Quayle’s Journey from Coder to Leader
Some people chase leadership, but others just quietly get on with it, solve problems, lift their team up and suddenly find themselves running the place. Rachel Quayle is firmly in the second camp.
Now Systems Development Manager at Utmost International Isle of Man (and a Gef 30 Under 30 Leadership category winner, supported by Prospero Group) Rachel’s leadership style is less ‘look at me’, more ‘how can I help you do your best work?’ She’s the kind of manager who knows how to spot a bug in your code and a burnout brewing in your brain. And both get fixed, fast.
‘It’s been an interesting journey, filled with lots of learning and challenging experiences,’ she says modestly. The truth? She’s built an entire career on knowing when to speak up, when to step in and when to just listen.
Not a “tech person” (until she was)
Rachel’s route into software wasn’t exactly textbook. During the final year of her maths degree, a local company got in touch about a junior developer role. She gave it a Google and quickly realised the role ticked all her boxes.
‘As I researched the job, it quickly felt like the perfect fit. I’d always loved problem-solving, and it turns out being a developer is just that, over and over again.’
She didn’t take that first job, but it sparked something. Not long after, she joined Utmost, and now she’s leading a rapidly growing team while keeping the wheels turning and the culture intact.
‘I’ve had excellent support throughout my career, and I try to give that back in how I lead. Our team has stayed productive and positive because we’ve kept people at the centre.’
Not just code monkeys
Forget the IT Crowd cliché. Rachel says what surprised her most about the tech world is just how human it all is.
‘My team aren’t just smart coders, they’re funny, supportive and kind. I love working with them.’
She also gives major credit to her netball coach, Ash Hall, for shaping her sense of leadership. ‘Ash was my coach, my sixth form tutor, and now a friend. She’s a captain, a mum, a teacher, and she always shows up. We’re told we can’t have it all, especially as women, but Ash proves that’s just not true.’
Learning the hard stuff
In the early days, Rachel worried too much about getting things wrong. But she’s since realised those ‘oh no’ moments are where the good stuff lives. ‘I didn’t take risks because I was scared of failing. But honestly, mistakes were where I learnt the most.’
One piece of advice stuck with her: stop trying to be the best and start surrounding yourself with good people. It’s advice she’s paid forward ever since.
Where she’s at (and not rushing off)
Rachel’s not plotting her empire or manifesting a five-year plan. ‘I’ve put in a lot of effort to get here, and I’m just enjoying where I am right now,’ she says. Fair enough.
‘Winning a Gef 30 Under 30 award had given me a chance to pause and reflect, which we don’t do often enough. I feel proud and grateful, and incredibly lucky to have had the support I’ve had along the way.’
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