EuropeanPWN Web Interview: Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

1. Why did you write the book?

Because, like every author, I thought there was a book screaming to be written. In our minds, it’s the first book to present an argument for senior men and CEOs on why gender has become a business imperative and how to go about building more gender ‘bilingual’ organisations.

The ideas in the book are based on the consulting work I have been doing for the past decade, accompanying large companies that want to become more gender-balanced in their approaches to both their talent (employees) and their markets (customers).
See www.AvivahWittenberg-Cox.com

It also builds on my co-author, Alison Maitland’s, 20 years of researching and writing on this topic for the Financial Times www.AlisonMaitland.com . As the President of IMD, Peter Lorange, very kindly put it:

“This is a great book – and more timely today than ever before. While there has been a lot of progress over the last two decades with regard to women in business, there has also been an element of half-heartedness among many key stakeholders. This book makes it perfectly clear why the progression of women in business is an obvious ‘win-win’ proposition for all. It goes on to highlight some of the key implementation challenges and offers practical approaches to overcome these challenges. A must-read for all leading managers!”

2. Your top three messages for women in corporations to succeed?

Keep it up!

The book actually argues that women should worry a bit less about this topic, and that companies and managers should worry a bit more. We think women are doing a good job. And that companies should stop decades of efforts at ‘fixing women’, and start fixing the managerial and organisational issues that are blocking them.

We suggest that companies and managers haven’t yet learned how to optimise and recognise their talents. So there is a chapter called ‘Figuring out Females’ which summarises what managers need to know about women in order for their companies to benefit from their obvious talents.

3. Your top three tips for CEOs who want women in their corporations to succeed?

1. Get serious about sex
2. Treat gender as a business issue, not a women’s issue
3. Recognise that, in the 21st century, women are most of the talent and most of the market

The book builds on research from august institutions such as the OECD, Eurostat, the World Economic Forum, the OECD, McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, all of whom have now made the case that reducing the gender gap and getting more women into management and leadership is good for bottom-line corporate performance, as it is also good for ensuring the viability and economic health of countries.

The book also presents seven Steps to building what we call ‘bilingual’ organisations:
1. Make gender a strategic issue
2. Get the executive team to define the business case
3. Let people express dissent
4. Appoint a respected senior executive to head the initiative
5. Make change before making noise
6. Don’t mix messages
7. Give it a budget, not just volunteers

4. There are so many women’s networks, women’s conferences, initiatives all across Europe. All since just a few years (five perhaps?). How do you see this development? What’s the next phase?

Women are finally discovering how powerful and influential they are and are enjoying sharing the good news among themselves.

The next phase is that we tell the guys.

5. What are the characteristic differences between Canada/US and Europe in dealing with gender diversity?

The book devotes a whole, fascinating chapter on differences across the world on the issue of gender.

North American approaches have been characterised by private sector pushes where individual companies have implemented proactive policies to get more women to the top (usually asking them to behave as much like men as possible on their way).

European approaches have been driven more by public policy (like Board quotas in Norway or like full-time school for 3-year olds in France). So Europe has created some societies (particularly in France, the Nordics and the ex-Communist countries) where full-time, dual career couples have become acceptable social norms. Unfortunately, private sector companies have not always done their share.

No country has yet combined private sector pushes with public sector pulls. The book is inviting countries and companies to combine private sector initiatives to promote women in individual companies, with public policy that supports women working.

We believe that every man, woman and child involved would benefit from both countries and companies getting a better understanding of the economic, social and political importance of women…