The rivalry between women and men is as old as the world. The persistence of women in holding their own against men even in professional roles has brought them a little closer to professional equality. What was scarcely imaginable thirty years ago — that women would occupy leadership positions and assume responsibility at senior and top levels — is nowadays no longer so unusual. Whether in the private sector or in politics, women are increasingly holding their own. And objectively, they do so on an equal footing. Nevertheless, female leaders still have to contend with skepticism from colleagues, customers and superiors. They are judged more critically and, not least, are still paid significantly less than men in the same positions. Any woman who wants to rise into the ranks of management or assert herself there can learn, optimize and refine proven success factors in seminars, training courses and workshops in a practical way. Practice is simulated through individual or group work.
The daily life of female leaders: a constant challenge
Women's professional careers are interrupted far more often than those of their male colleagues. Moreover, absences — for example due to the birth of a child — often occur during the phase when a professional career is just gaining momentum. And yet more and more women are making it into leadership roles. This is a fact founded on the effective application of proven leadership tools. Clear role awareness, confident behavior, personality, and the targeted use of female body language including charisma — these make up this 'self-marketing.' Confident handling of typical 'women's traps' and prejudices ranks at the top of the priority list for successful female leaders, as does questioning prevailing 'beliefs' and the objective analysis of the similarities and differences between female and male leadership qualities. In this professional tension that swings between cooperation and authority, women play an increasingly significant and highly competent role.
The journey is the goal here as well
The topicality of women in leadership roles is demonstrated by a successful series of events in which, since 2009, female top executives from companies in the Bergisches region have been meeting annually at rotating locations. This concentrated female leadership expertise comes together to exchange ideas, discuss and network. Here one's own leadership style is discussed, as are leadership tools, communication, presentation presence, as well as leadership methods and their inevitable consequences. They know what they are talking about. On the long and arduous road to equal opportunity they have succeeded. But they also know that the character of a company's culture plays a significant role in enabling women to follow the traditional career path into the executive suite.
