Role Model Event
Zurich, December 3, 2019

On 19 November, history was made when more than 70 men and a small number of women celebrated International Men’s Day at the PwC Experience Center in Zurich. For Advance, it was the first time that men outnumbered women at an event about gender equality, and it sent a clear message that men want to be a part of the solution to a more equal workplace.

ENLARGING YOUR COMFORT ZONE

We often think that stepping out of our comfort zone means doing something monumental and uncomfortable. The truth is that it can mean just making that one phone call you were postponing or having that talk with your boss that you would rather avoid. During his keynote speech, Felix Hirschburger showed us that these small challenges we face every day are the perfect opportunity to grow our comfort zone. He taught us easy and practical ways to overcome the uncomfortable and that our mindset drives our performance: If we hear, see or think that something is possible, we can achieve so much more, including gender equality in business.

LEVERaGING FEMALE & MALE QUALITIES

The keynote speech was followed by a very interactive discussion about the changing role of men in the workplace and on dealing with the “female” versus ”male” behaviors and how they manifest themselves in every person. We learnt that combining both styles, e.g. showing status (“male”) and making connection (“female”) is the most effective way to advance in business. Leaders determine the dominant culture in their organizations and therefore it is important that men and women discuss and agree which behaviors they want to promote and which they don’t, so that others can follow suit. If we model the behaviors that free both men and women from their stereotypical gender roles, we encourage others to do the same.

It all starts with gender equal homes

During the panel discussion, we addressed various fears that participants have overcome in their workplaces – for example the fear of being vulnerable, the fear of overconfidence and the fear of showing oneself fully – and the positive impact it has made in their lives. We learnt that a gender equal workplace only happens when we have gender equal homes. Although the society we are born into is not our fault, we can change the society we live in and leave behind.

It takes all of us to act

If you would like to take action straight away, consider doing the following:

• INTERRUPT THE INTERRUPTER: Women are far more often interrupted in meetings than men. If a woman is interrupted, interrupt the interrupter and say that you are interested in hearing what she had to say and ask her to continue speaking.
• GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE: If a woman has a great idea that is being overlooked, draw everybody’s attention to it and use the amplification technique to give credit to the contributor. You can say: ‘Building on the great idea of X, how about we…’
• MENTOR WOMEN: Lend a helping hand, open your network and support female colleagues, friends and family members in taking the lead.
• DON’T PARTICIPATE IN ALL MALE PANELS: Insist that the organizers find at least 1 female panellist.
• BE AN EQUAL PARTNER AT HOME: Take your fair share of duties at home, take that parental leave if applicable, talk proudly about it and help to change what society views as a ‘real man’.

If you interested in learning more, have a look at the following resources:

• Watch ‘Why Gender Equality Is Good for Everyone — Men Included’ by Michael Kimmel
• Read ‘The Time Has Come : Why Men Must Join the Gender Equality Revolution’ by Michael Kaufman
• Talk about gender equality, ask questions, learn from others and check your biases ongoingly

So many questions have not yet been answered and so many challenges remain, but men and women are hungry to discuss and contribute to building a more gender equal world. At Advance, we are proud to facilitate the exchange.

Thank you

Thank you to Amelie Villeneuve (UBS University), Ruud Wilders (LGT Capital Partners), Giorgio Siracusa (Procter & Gamble), Veronica Scotti (SwissRe), Markus Theunert (männer.ch), Joop Smits (PwC) and Alice Camoletto (Cembra Money Bank) for sharing your experiences.

A heartfelt thank you to the IMD workstream who made the event possible: Ruud Wilders, Alice Camoletto, Saoirse Jones, Natalia Alvarez, Joop Smits, Nadia Diraä, Alkistis Petropaki and Clarette du Plooy.

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