Would I be where I am?
“WALKING THE TALK IS THE BEST WAY TO ACT AGAINST STEREOTYPES.”
Fabrizio Petrillo, Chief Executive Officer AXA Switzerland
If you were a woman, do you think you would have made it to the top leadership ranks? Why (not)?
Even if there are several successful examples, for women of my generation it was definitely more difficult than today to make it to the leadership ranks. When I started my career in the early nineties, leadership was mainly associated with “masculine” traits and top management was male-dominated. Today, companies have recognized that more feminine attributed behaviors like empowerment, empathy and inclusiveness are also very effective leadership styles, which I embed in my everyday leadership behavior and encourage in my leadership team.
I strongly believe that managers today (men and women) are required to have balanced personalities and must be able to integrate diverse management styles.
How have gender stereotypes influenced your career choices and professional development?
And do you feel these stereotypes are present in your current work environment?
I remember situations in which I felt the pressure of some peers because I had to take care of my young children, my wife being also a full time professional. I also remember my wife quoting statements from top managers considering incompatible being a mother of young children and progressing professionally.
In the current environment, stereotypes are still present, but I believe that awareness has risen and corporate cultures have become more tolerant, open and diverse.
How do you personally act against gender stereotypes in your environment?
I strongly believe that “walking the talk” is the best way to act against stereotypes. As an example, in my team (Swiss AXA Executive Board) there are two members, a man and a woman, working part time, simultaneously contradicting two gender stereotypes: “Only women work part-time” and “women working part time cannot take on top leadership roles”.