Today, March 8, is International Woman’s Day, a day where we celebrate women in every industry across the Globe. Throughout my career, I have worked at a variety of engineering and technology firms. It is in these industries where we always hear that women are underrepresented, with an average 80:20 men-to-women ratio. Thankfully, this is starting to change.
On the international stage, we now see women breaking the glass ceiling. In the technology industry, Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, Ginni Rometty is the Chief Executive Officer of IBM and Meg Whitman holds the position of Chief Executive Officer in Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). Within Veeam, we have several women in key leadership positions at director levels and higher.
This shift demonstrates that, in today’s era of equal opportunity, there are no barriers to women building careers in any industry. However, through my experience in business, I have seen the barriers women put upon themselves, either consciously or subconsciously. Women are different from men because what is viewed as strengths in our personal lives can also be viewed as inhibitors in the workplace. The desire to avoid conflict and negotiation scenarios to ensure a harmonious working environment is one such example I’ve observed repeatedly.
If we are aware of our own barriers, we can then work to overcome them and succeed in any industry.
Taking responsibility for our careers and taking advantage of the training and development opportunities that many companies offer in these areas will help women succeed in business and clear the path to success. Within Veeam, we have a dedicated program to help women succeed in business: Women in Green. This is an innovative program that provides training and development to women who have the potential to become the best of the best in our business.
As women in business, we must take responsibility to build upon our strengths. Our actions and behavior at work to show that our differences are also our strengths, and we have a lot to contribute in all areas of business. Grab any opportunity to grow and develop yourself, and you will succeed. And don’t forget this popular quote, “If you’re fortunate enough to do well, it’s your responsibility to send the elevator back down.”
Companies thrive on diversity. We must celebrate our differences, yet also be aware of them so that they don’t hold us back in the workplace. Women have a lot to offer in any business and in this era of true equality, the sky’s the limit!