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

Leadership and Corporate Lesbians

Last year, my wife and I invited some 20 lesbian women in Dutch corporations to sit with us and talk about their experience of being lesbian and corporate. We provided the meal and some crucial questions, our guests provided conversation. On any one evening we would have up to 12 women at the table. Most did not know each other and most were not even in the same company. Yet their stories were remarkably similar.

After the final meal together, we wrote up major findings  and the “Do’s and Don’ts“ for companies. I invited several high level corporate lesbians to address the issues in a workshop during the annual Company Pride Platform conference in June 2011.

One of the workshop speakers admonished us to move beyond talking, to make things happen. To be leaders.  To make sure the 5 Do's and Don'ts we came up with are implemented in our companies.

The 5 Do’s and Don’ts for companies that want to retain lesbian talent

1.     Have policies, with sanctions, against any activity that demeans lesbians. The work environment must be a place where lesbian women can work with freedom, equality and full self-expression.

2.     Create and maintain a culture of diversity, in which lesbians can proudly be lesbian. Don't stop until every lesbian feels safe to be out at work.

3.     Don’t assume lesbians do not have the family commitments of other staff.

4.     Don’t assume that lesbians will not want foreign postings in non-gay friendly countries. Never think on behalf of lesbians. Talk with them.

5.     Create ‘hard’ KPIs for lesbian network leaders for their work with lesbian issues at the workplace, and ensure that management accommodates these KPIs.

A year later, curious to find out what has happened since our ‘soirees’, I make it a point to ask ask our dinner guests how they are doing. One had a remarkable story. She had set up the LGBT network at her company in 2010 and, at the dinner table, she expressed a sense that her career might be suffering as a result. She was certainly having problems with her line manager, who did not want her putting energy into the network instead of into her work. He did not understand that putting effort into the network helped her work, because it helped create an inspiring environment where she felt safe to be fully herself. When the CEO approached her and showed positive interest in the work she was doing with the network, the line manager and the HR manager were both upset. 12 months later, she proudly reported that she had won an award at her work for being the most inspiring woman in the company – toppling several senior management women.

It takes courage to do this work. Willingness to stand out. Bravery. The ability to live outside short term comfort and trust that your values will become company values.

Lin McDevitt-Pugh

Lin is director of NetSHEila, a company specialized in maximizing the value to companies and organizations of relationships between people.  She coaches corporate employee resource groups and their leaders and delivers strategic network development workshops to corporate LGBT networks, business networks and international NGOs in The Netherlands, Africa and Australia. She can be contacted on +31-6-150 48468 or through the contact form on www.netsheila.com. Follow her tweets via @LinMcDevittPugh.