“This is how we can emerge from the pandemic in all of its dimensions: by recognizing that women are not just victims of a broken world; they can be architects of a better one.” Melinda Gates (International Leadership Association).
The number of women joining the ranks of leaders is growing. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that we are still a long way from any form of parity.
As Charley Zuidinga, co-founder and COO with Qualee, pointed to research that showed that in 2019, the proportion of women in senior management roles globally grew to 29%, the highest number ever recorded.
“I believe a big contributor to that is technology and digital transformation. First, because technology solutions offer greater freedom and flexible working conditions, such a working remotely.”
Charley Zuidinga
“In addition, we cannot change or control things that are not measured, and that’s where tech solutions to monitor diversity and inclusion have made a big impact for women in leadership positions,” she continued.
What makes a leader
For Lee Siu Min, director of security at Thales Singapore, empathy, vision and humility are the three values that make up a good leader. “Someone who puts people first,” she added.
Empathy to understand the people we work with and their perspectives, and help them confront their challenges and achieve their goals.
Vision is about sharing the common objectives with the team, so that everyone is moved to get onboard and work cohesively towards a collective mission.
Humility. A leader must be able to acknowledge that they do not have all the answers or admit that he/she may not be the most competent person in the room, and that is why we need to work as a team. A leader must be humble enough to seek others’ inputs, listen to them and draw the best out of the people they are working with.
Zuidinga agreed with Lee that in addition to leading with empathy, women technology leaders, those that stand out, are usually effective communicators and are focused on problem solving above all else.
They have strategic vision, are flexible, exhibit an innate ability to listen and take action, and finally are consistent.
Lesson in leadership
In repeating her conviction of leading by putting others first, Lee explained that putting people first is really at the heart of what we do.
“Understanding what motivates people to do their best and putting in the effort to acknowledge and appreciate their work and effort should be the core values of a leader,” she added.
Reflecting on Thales’ mentoring programme for younger employees, Lee cited one key learning: “In order to bring the best out of your co-workers, we should be authentic, share experiences, listen to them and offer guidance which could inspire them to challenge the status quo and shine. Through this, we help them discover their strengths and confront their weaknesses and help them grow and mature in their journey,” she opined.
For Zuidinga, a leadership lesson she picked up was recognising that one’s success as a leader is dependent on the strength of the team and the respect members have for each other.
“My tips are to hire well, not be afraid to make tough decisions when someone doesn’t fit the company culture and show appreciation to team members who deliver results."
Charley Zuidinga
Overcoming persistent barriers
To overcome any barrier is to recognise first that it exists.
Lee said we should acknowledge that perceptions about women and gender stereotypes do exist.
“Traditionally, women have been thought of as not being tech-savvy or technically competent. Hence women are either not called to the table, or our views may be dismissed or disregarded. But with the rise in number of women encouraged to take on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions, this has evolved for the better over the years.
Lee Siu Min
“I remember when I was applying for my university scholarship in engineering over 20 years ago, I was told that, as a female, I would be better suited to studying languages so that I can become a teacher. This mindset has certainly changed, and we are seeing many female role models in the tech world,” she expounded.
Drawing from experience, Zuidinga recalls a lack of self-efficacy as a barrier for building a career in technology. “Women who do succeed tend to not solely rely on the encouragement or support from those around them to feel successful, but instead believe in their own ability to succeed,” she noted.
Advice on your path to leadership
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling wrote: “It is our choices, Harry, that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
Zuidinga believes that the choice to be a leader starts early. “Choose an education (especially STEM studies) and a school that allows you to compete at the highest level, actively pursue as much work experience as possible even before entering the work force full-time and remember that your network can make the difference,” she added.
Lee suggests surrounding oneself with people who are authentic and passionate about what they do, including in science & technology. Also, to persevere, continue to share your viewpoints, even at the risk of being dismissed. The enlightened ones will eventually realise the value of having diverse views.
“Being a leader does not mean that he or she is the one with the best ideas or the most competent, but rather, he or she is in a position to guide and bring out the best of people. You are only as good as your team, so you need to leverage the best of each person’s ability to enable the team to succeed.
“I also believe in is having an open-door policy and in taking the time to know your team-mates personally, so that you make them feel valued as a person, and not just as a staff. It all comes back to putting people at the centre of things, as that is what leadership is – inspiring others to give their best,” she concluded.
And what if you happen to choose a profession that has a long history of being dominated by males, Ziudinga offers one simple advise: “focus on how you stand out, what makes you special and use those strengths to your advantage.”
As Cassandra Clare, author of the Mortal Instruments series, write in City of Glass: “In the end that was the choice you made, and it doesn't matter how hard it was to make it. It matters that you did.”
