Bidiversity

Christina Ioannidis - Aquitude CEO

Aquitude CEO and Bidiversity founder, Christina Ioannidis is quoted in this article from the Observer.

Beating the old boys club: Be confident and get connected

What can women do to break through the old boy network? Understandably, they feel excluded from the male bonding that goes on at the golf course or the lapdancing club, but headhunters recommend they fight back by building networks of their own. That means female executives should try to raise their profile both inside their company and externally, by attending industry events and nurturing valuable contacts.

“As far as possible I network within my immediate industry but make a point also to reach people outside,” says one female banker. “I make a point of keeping in contact. I’d rather send one follow-up email too many than one too few.”

Talking to people face to face is always preferable to sending emails or using the phone, she adds: “In a work sense that means you cannot hide in your office. In a networking sense it means you have to get out there, meet people, make an impression and learn.”

Headhunters recommend that women boost their CVs with additional qualifications throughout their career, because objective badges of achievement can help ward off unfounded perceptions that a female candidate is not up to the job.

Christina Ioannidis, CEO of Aquitude, a leadership and organisational development consultancy specialising in diversity, recommends women find themselves a mentor or mentors who can give advice and act as a sounding board. “As with everything, having a diverse range of mentors, each with differing experience, viewpoints and contacts, is key,” she says.

Ioannidis also counsels women to be strategic and to work out their objectives by taking time out to evaluate their skills, their strengths and their weaknesses.

Confidence is a stumbling block for many women, according to experts. Ruby McGregor-Smith, chief executive of Mitie, which came second in our survey, says: “My advice would be to work hard and to love what you do. And self-confidence is key. You need a lot of confidence to get through the challenges.”

Getting that first seat on a board is often the biggest hurdle, so women may need to think laterally and be prepared to sit on the board of a charity or an industry body without pay. One senior woman said: “I have taken on a board-level position for a charity, both for the charitable aspects but also to make contacts and learn the ropes.”