My Greatest Mistake: Marcelle D'Argy Smith

Writer, broadcaster, columnist and former editor of 'Cosmopolitan'

If I were teaching a class on how to lead your career, I'd say never do what I did. One of the biggest mistakes I made was not understanding my own worth.

When I was offered the editorship of Cosmopolitan, I was already deputy editor and thought I was quite bright. But women always put a lower value on themselves. Men tend to think that they're brilliant. Women are just thrilled to have been chosen. And they often get paid appalling money. I too made that mistake and it takes you a long time to catch up. I should have said, hang on, being an editor is completely different [from being a deputy editor], I want to be paid a lot of money. Now I am the toughest negotiator in the world.

Also, I wish I'd recognised the honeymoon period when you're first appointed to a job. When they're courting you, ask for a better art director, a bigger marketing budget. By the time I got to IPC and Women's Journal (which has now folded), I was so busy trying to be nice to the staff that I didn't make enough demands. That's an exceptionally female trait.

Another mistake – now how do I put this – I have absolutely no political office skills at all. If I thought something was unjust or just plain daft, I said so. It makes you terribly popular among some people who'd say, "God, good for you, I wish I'd said that," but in fact they never did and their careers probably went further.

For instance, at the time the culture at National Magazines could be hard for women who had children. I personally didn't want any – but I had staff who did and I used to launch into pitched battle for them. But the woman [who edited Cosmopolitan] after me did this: when she became pregnant,she said to the MD: "Guess what? You're going to be a godfather!" Isn't that brilliant? I regret I didn't have Mandi Norwood's manipulative brilliance.

I was probably not ambitious enough. Maybe a little less passion and a little more... I didn't always win the war. But I won the battles.