Women Leaders: They are less focused on "I" and more on "We"
26 January 2009
Read by 2100 persons
Automobiles, construction, transport, winemaking… In these male-dominated sectors, women have asserted their professionalism and managerial legitimacy. Two of them share their experiences and secrets, observed by Annie Battle, co-author of *The Managers’ Ball*.
Annick Berrier, 57, heads Soflacobat, a Northern SME specializing in structural work and masonry, with a 100% male workforce. Paz Espejo, 41, a Spanish oenologist, is the technical director of the Bordeaux wine merchant Cordier and the only woman in the management organization chart. Two leaders whose careers illustrate the same reality: without their skills and strength of character, nothing would have been possible!
Overcoming Suspicions
Annick Berrier remembers her 30s when she partnered with Jean-Claude Belleval to create Soflacobat. "I quickly realized that the construction sector was – and still is – very misogynistic. Under the pretext that I co-managed the company with a man, I was suspected of being his mistress! It was truly humiliating." Paz Espejo had a similar experience. Arriving in Bordeaux in 1990, the young oenologist had to endure the astonishment of the winegrowers. "They found it hard to understand what I was doing in their domain. I heard people say that a woman knew nothing about wine, and that she didn’t even drink it! It wasn’t easy…"
Seeing a woman at the helm of a team of men can trigger deeply ingrained stereotypes about the role and abilities of the so-called weaker sex. How to react? Author Annie Battle advises to "remain natural, not to overplay the tough guy, the girly girl, or the mother hen. But also to be vigilant, identifying in the men’s eyes what provokes respect, not unease."
Asserting Oneself Through Skills
Once past the surprise of prejudice, Annick Berrier and Paz Espejo focused on proving their abilities. The first recalls: "I had to work like a horse, much more than those gentlemen, to prove that I was capable of leading, without revealing any of my sensitivity. But I succeeded in earning their respect. Moreover, my colleagues are rather happy and proud today to be managed by a woman. Perhaps also because the market is booming…"
The technical director of Maison Cordier adds: "I had to demonstrate my abilities, that I had character, without being brutal or authoritarian. That’s how I established my credibility and gained their trust. Since then, driven by the growing interest of women in wine, they are more accepting of the feminization of the profession."
Legitimacy through perfect knowledge of the sector, its challenges and the results to be achieved is advice that also applies to managers. "Women certainly face specific difficulties in reaching positions of responsibility, but when they succeed, they assert themselves, like their male colleagues, through their professionalism and work ethic," notes Annie Battle.
Employing a Different Management Approach
Both leaders also acknowledge employing assets they believe are specific to their gender, which their male colleagues appreciate. Annick Berrier admits to being "more tenacious, more attentive to detail, more attentive, more transparent about the company’s results, and more communicative. This was not the case with my partner [retired since 2004, editor’s note]. And my team loves it."
Paz Espejo believes that being a woman influences her way of perceiving, tasting, and presenting wine. "But the men certainly also bring an approach to the product that I don’t think of. The confrontation between our ideas and our two sensibilities is very enriching."
For Annie Battle, when it comes to bringing out the best in each person within the collective framework of a company, "women often have a cultural competitive advantage that they would be wrong to neglect. They are not afraid to say that they need others: they are less focused on "I" and more on "we." This leads them to be close to their teams, to give them autonomy, to facilitate dissent, to circulate information, to be clear about what is expected of them and about any difficulties. " So much for talking about feminine management…
Posted online January 26, 2009
lentreprise.com
Annick Berrier, 57, heads Soflacobat, a Northern SME specializing in structural work and masonry, with a 100% male workforce. Paz Espejo, 41, a Spanish oenologist, is the technical director of the Bordeaux wine merchant Cordier and the only woman in the management organization chart. Two leaders whose careers illustrate the same reality: without their skills and strength of character, nothing would have been possible!
Overcoming Suspicions
Annick Berrier remembers her 30s when she partnered with Jean-Claude Belleval to create Soflacobat. "I quickly realized that the construction sector was – and still is – very misogynistic. Under the pretext that I co-managed the company with a man, I was suspected of being his mistress! It was truly humiliating." Paz Espejo had a similar experience. Arriving in Bordeaux in 1990, the young oenologist had to endure the astonishment of the winegrowers. "They found it hard to understand what I was doing in their domain. I heard people say that a woman knew nothing about wine, and that she didn’t even drink it! It wasn’t easy…"
Seeing a woman at the helm of a team of men can trigger deeply ingrained stereotypes about the role and abilities of the so-called weaker sex. How to react? Author Annie Battle advises to "remain natural, not to overplay the tough guy, the girly girl, or the mother hen. But also to be vigilant, identifying in the men’s eyes what provokes respect, not unease."
Asserting Oneself Through Skills
Once past the surprise of prejudice, Annick Berrier and Paz Espejo focused on proving their abilities. The first recalls: "I had to work like a horse, much more than those gentlemen, to prove that I was capable of leading, without revealing any of my sensitivity. But I succeeded in earning their respect. Moreover, my colleagues are rather happy and proud today to be managed by a woman. Perhaps also because the market is booming…"
The technical director of Maison Cordier adds: "I had to demonstrate my abilities, that I had character, without being brutal or authoritarian. That’s how I established my credibility and gained their trust. Since then, driven by the growing interest of women in wine, they are more accepting of the feminization of the profession."
Legitimacy through perfect knowledge of the sector, its challenges and the results to be achieved is advice that also applies to managers. "Women certainly face specific difficulties in reaching positions of responsibility, but when they succeed, they assert themselves, like their male colleagues, through their professionalism and work ethic," notes Annie Battle.
Employing a Different Management Approach
Both leaders also acknowledge employing assets they believe are specific to their gender, which their male colleagues appreciate. Annick Berrier admits to being "more tenacious, more attentive to detail, more attentive, more transparent about the company’s results, and more communicative. This was not the case with my partner [retired since 2004, editor’s note]. And my team loves it."
Paz Espejo believes that being a woman influences her way of perceiving, tasting, and presenting wine. "But the men certainly also bring an approach to the product that I don’t think of. The confrontation between our ideas and our two sensibilities is very enriching."
For Annie Battle, when it comes to bringing out the best in each person within the collective framework of a company, "women often have a cultural competitive advantage that they would be wrong to neglect. They are not afraid to say that they need others: they are less focused on "I" and more on "we." This leads them to be close to their teams, to give them autonomy, to facilitate dissent, to circulate information, to be clear about what is expected of them and about any difficulties. " So much for talking about feminine management…
Posted online January 26, 2009
lentreprise.com
