Last week I had the pleasure of spending a fantastic afternoon at the U.S. Embassy Berlin attending a roundtable discussion with Shelley McKinley on “Quotas - A Boost for Women in Business”? moderated by Kimberly M. Emerson. While we were discussing many promising solutions, we still had to acknowledge that there is a long way to go. Studies from Scandinavian countries such as Norway show that even though a quota for women on boards was introduced many years ago it still hasn't had a substantial trickle down effect on promoting women in management positions.
Some of the major take home messages were that we need to create a climate that allows for better work-life balance regardless of gender and encourage companies to provide services that allow parents to pursue a career without having to worry about affordable childcare when they need it.
Also women can gain a lot by focusing more on building and using their networks. We all benefit from supporting each other rather than competing to advance in our careers.
Some of the major take home messages were that we need to create a climate that allows for better work-life balance regardless of gender and encourage companies to provide services that allow parents to pursue a career without having to worry about affordable childcare when they need it.
Also women can gain a lot by focusing more on building and using their networks. We all benefit from supporting each other rather than competing to advance in our careers.