Master Class Women on Boards

Stichting De Beuk and NetSHEila plan to make a difference in getting more women in decision-making bodies in Dutch companies, both in the public and the private sector. Diversity works, and you can read many articles on this blog supporting that idea. Recent scandals in board rooms underlines the fact that we need strong people watching diligently the developments at senior levels in companies and intervening where necessary. This is the responsibility of a board.

A recent poll in a Dutch LinkedIn group for women in the board rooms cam up with very few training institutions with particular offerings for women who want to train in the diverse aspects of bard membership.  Now, while the business of being on a board is no different for men and women, the business of getting on to a board is. That is what inspires Stichting De Beuk and NetSHEila to work together on a series of workshops for leading women, called Leading Lady Masterclasses.

De Beuk has a vast network of women leaders in the Netherlands. They are inviting these leaders to join them in a series of workshops to equip them better for the task of leadership and, if they choose, board membership. The next one, on 23 and 24 May, is led by former Secretary of State Jet Bussemaker, a woman with a vast experience in controlling and monitoring private and public companies.  

Why are there fewer women than men on boards and commissions? In part, the process of getting on to boards is shrouded in mystery. There is an idea that most men are invited into their board roles and that old boys networks keep men on the boards. A growing group of women contest this idea, saying that if you don't apply for a board vacancy you cannot expect to be offered the job. As Pamela Boumeester (53), former CEO of the Dutch rail NS Poort said, the history of women in high leadership positions is short. That is why "we have to make the rules ourselves. Don’t forget I am the first generation of full-time working women in this country. We don’t have a blueprint to work from, we invent our careers ourselves.“ 

The NetSHEila part of the program,  on 31 October and 1 November 2012, will explore real aspects of networking. We will explore how your networks can provide you with the knowledge you need to do the job and how the availability of positions can be broadcast among women. We look at how the network you already have can put you in touch with anybody you want to speak with, to get their advice or to let them know your ambitions.

De Beuk has delivered programs supporting women with political ambitions for over 25 years and has a unique database of effective leading women. Bringing these women and their networks of contacts together provides an excellent platform for finding the right woman for the job.

For more information on the program, don’t hesitate to contact either Wilma Ruis of De Beuk or Lin McDevitt-Pugh of NetSheila.

Lin McDevitt-Pugh MBA is a management consultant, project developer and manager in the public sector, private sector and civil society, based in the Netherlands. With a background in human rights and networking, she works with organizations to move the conversation from “This is not how it should be” to “This is how it will be”.

Lin gets very excited when she trains organizations in working with people as creative economic resources.  By mobilizing the resources we all have at our fingertips - the people we know and the people they know - we can create unique knowledge, build trust and access the people and institutions we need to access.
Contact: mcdevitt-pugh@netsheila.com