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How To Build Leadership Programs For Women In Your Organization

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How To Build Leadership Programs For Women In Your Organization

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The percentage of women who hold leadership roles in business, higher education and government grows with each passing year – sometimes dramatically, sometimes incrementally.

But every gain holds the promise of more gains, as young girls see opportunities previous generations didn’t.

“Each of us stands on the shoulders of all the women in our chosen professions who have come before us, who have blazed a trail,” says Barbara Bell (www.captainbarbarabell.com), a professor of leadership at Vanderbilt University and author of  Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High.

“Others have done the hard work, and we must too. Throughout my career, I learned many deepening skills of leadership and was privileged with many opportunities to lead.”

But Bell, one of the first women to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Naval Test Pilot School, also says that businesses and other organizations can do a much better job of helping women reach their leadership potential. And March, which is Women’s History Month, is as good a time as any to get started.

She says some ways organizations can develop better leadership programs for women include:

Provide mentors or a support system. Certainly, a mentor can guide and advise those emerging leaders in an organization, which is valuable in and of itself, Bell says. “But it goes beyond just having someone who offers guidance,” she says. “It’s important as women are developing their leadership skills to have someone in their corner.” Bell says that when she was an instructor at Navy Test Pilot School, she worked for a Navy department head, Commander Dave Kennedy, and a Marine Corps Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Bob Price, who did that for her. “Both of these leaders supported my work and, more broadly, helped expand the roles of women in military aviation,” she says.

Allow them time to grow. Bell says that, too often, people think they need to have everything figured out before they take the risk of heading down a new path or beginning a new opportunity. But organizations can help women grow as leaders if they free them of this idea. “Women need to understand that, as you become more senior in your leadership, you should let go of the notion that you have to know everything,” she says. “They also should understand that as their leadership responsibilities grow and become increasingly more complex, they should become comfortable being more of a generalist. One way of growing in leadership is to rely on those who work for you as the specialists and lead them in the direction you want them to go.”

Encourage, don’t discourage. It’s easy to point out obstacles someone faces and to express doubts about their abilities to overcome those obstacles, Bell says. Avoid that temptation. She recalls a career manager in the Navy who suggested her record wasn’t strong enough to get into Test Pilot School. “Fortunately, I didn’t let him dissuade me,” she says. “By that point in my career, I was so used to the naysayers that I was not fazed.” But it did affect her approach when she became a career manager later herself. She vowed never to discourage, but only to encourage those she worked with.

Understand that women leaders can be role models for others in the organization. In flight school, Bell became a role model almost by default because she stood out as the only woman in her Naval Flight Officer class. “My calling to leadership included the privilege to be the example,” she says. “Other women who assume leadership roles have the same opportunity and privilege.” And having role models who inspire others is good for any organization.

“For anyone, rising to the top takes hard work, endurance and persistence,” Bell says. “You have to be in it for the long haul. But whenever we create forward motion in our lives, we generate the lift that will take us to new heights.”

____________________________________________________________

Barbara Bell (www.captainbarbarabell.com), author of Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High, was one of the first women to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Now she works to empower the next generation of female leaders. In 1992, Bell and fellow aviators went to Capitol Hill to help successfully repeal the combat exclusions laws, opening up combat aircraft and ships to women in the military. Bell holds a B.S. in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy, an M.S. in astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, an M.A. in theology from Marylhurst University, and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University.

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3pls, Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Warehousing

Supply Chain Professions: Women’s Place Today?

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Despite the diversification of its professions and a recent and relative feminization, the supply chain remains predominantly male, especially the higher up the organization chart you go. We have gathered a panel of experts from the field and from education to understand how to make supply chain jobs more attractive to women and to remove the obstacles to the feminization of a sector that has strong recruitment needs:

 

 

Salomée Ruel: associate professor of information systems management and supply chain management at Kedge Business School;

 

Marie-Laurence Deruaz: Logistics Director at Suez Eau France

 

Anicia Jaegler: director of the Operations Management and Information Systems department and professor at the ISLI at Kedge Business school, delivers their analysis;

 

Just over 4 in 10 (41%) supply chain positions, according to the Gartner 2021 survey, are filled by women. These numbers are slowly changing, as Gartner reported an occupancy rate of 39% in 2020 and 33% in 2019. However, in executive positions, their share is only 17%, and decreasing. What are the persistent obstacles to this feminization? 

 

Anicia Jaegler: “Historically, logistics originated in the military world. Then, it was implemented in the industrial world and associated with transport and storage. This explains its masculinization. The supply chain, which is more recent, is slowly becoming more feminine, with very significant differences depending on the activity and sector”.

 

Salomée Ruel: “The operational functions of logistics – transport, handling, etc. – which make up the bulk of the troops, have less than 10% women. Conversely, in customer services, more than 9 out of 10 employees are women, but these profiles weigh little in the overall workforce.

 

The digitalization of the sector, which is pushing companies to recruit more “mathematical” profiles, does not seem to be conducive to the feminization of the sector, particularly in management positions, which are predominantly male.

 

This is related to the fact that it is a male world that has difficulty making room for women, but also to image problems generating a lack of attractiveness for some women”.

 

Marie-Laurence Deruaz: “The supply chain is often reduced in people’s minds to its “logistics” part, which is historically considered to be a man’s job, physical, with a lot of travel and staggered hours, considered to be very restrictive.

 

These stereotypes apply to recruiters, but also to female candidates, who tend to censor themselves. Fewer in number in training courses, they find it harder to take the plunge when applying.

 

My own team of about 60 employees who perform operational supply and package preparation duties includes six women”.

How can we make these jobs more attractive to women?

 

Anicia Jaegler: “The first action is the promotion of professions in industry, transport, e-commerce, etc. The supply chain is everywhere and its professions are very diverse. Several initiatives are moving in the right direction: a book for primary school children, a card game for high school girls, etc”.

 

Salomée Ruel: “We need to work on the image of these jobs. We must make it known that these jobs, considered as very manual and requiring muscles, have been largely facilitated by mechanization, which also relieves the men.

 

It should be noted that beyond logistics, the sector now encompasses a wide range of functions, around the management of the supply chain.

 

As a teacher, I insist on their transversal and strategic dimensions. We need more female teachers in logistics. At Kedge Business School, the Superior Institute of Industrial Logistics, where I teach, and the Msc “International Transport” are run by women. We have an educational role to play by training our female students in negotiation and leadership and by trying to change the way students view their colleagues.

 

This image work must be led by companies, but also by journalists and public authorities. 100% female events such as the “Global Women Supply Chain Leaders 2020″, organized by B2G Consulting, are starting to be set up.

 

Finally, in the locker room, change also means strict enforcement of the law that prohibits posters of naked women, which is considered sexual harassment. It may seem like anecdotal evidence, but it’s not always.”

 

Marie-Laurence Deruaz: “We also need an active HR policy on gender equality. At Suez, this means communicating to all employees about the stereotypes and discrimination that women may be subject to.

 

It is important that communication also highlights successful women and career opportunities.

 

Recently, we set up a women’s network to give them more visibility, to allow them to share experiences, but also to decipher codes and remove barriers that they sometimes put on themselves.

 

When I set up my team, I made sure to give both men and women a chance: two out of five site managers are women. On a daily basis, I encourage the teams to be open to this type of recruitment. We have some of the best female warehouse staff.

 

But these changes are not always without difficulties. It is also necessary to support the teams, as some members have difficulty recognizing the legitimacy of women managers. This requires open discussions with these employees to help them take a step back from what they are saying and what they think, but also support for the manager.

What are the benefits for a company to have a more active gender diversity policy?

 

Marie-Laurence Deruaz: “Diversity in the broadest sense of the word is an asset for the company. It is the variety of experiences, skills and points of view on the same problem that will make a team more efficient. And diversity is part of this. As long as you know how to agree to cross the views. I have noticed that teams with women leave more room for communication.

 

Anicia Jaegler: “The research conducted made it possible to link the presence of women and financial performance, sustainable performance and diversity.”

 

Salomée Ruel: “Women are more sensitive to issues of well-being in the workplace and to compliance with Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) rules.

 

They are also more sensitive to the respect of suppliers’ codes of conduct; a key dimension at a time when consumers do not hesitate to boycott a brand that violates ethical rules. Finally, research has shown that in supply chain audit situations, teams led by women perform better and uncover more disputes and compliance issues.

 

Generix Group North America helps distribution & manufacturing companies achieve operational excellence with their WMS & MES  Supply chain solutions. We invite you to download our WMS Decision Making Guide  here.

This article originally appeared here. Republished with permission. 

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Global Trader Lists

TOP 10 WOMEN IN LOGISTICS 2021: MEET THE NATURAL BORN LEADERS WHO ARE REDEFINING THE INDUSTRY

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It is hard to believe that it’s been an entire year since our previous annual Women in Logistics spotlight. As the industry continues to break boundaries in resiliency and innovation, what better way to honor the leading ladies behind the companies that not only made it through the pandemic but who continue to grow and redefine greatness in operations, company culture, and transformation? 

Here are our top 10 picks for this year’s Women in Logistics and why they made our special list:

1. Sandra McQuain
Executive Director
England Economic & Industrial Development District 

Topping the list is the first female leader in England Economic & Industrial Development District’s 25-year history. Sandra, who first joined the “England Airpark” in 2018, is also the only female to manage one of the seven commercial airports in the state of Louisiana.

England Airpark is a 3,600-acre economic and industrial development district serving as a home to a Part 139 Commercial Airport (AEX), a staging base for military training and transfer operations, manufacturing, and warehouse facilities, and more. 

Sandra’s primary focus is to provide critical strategic, financial and operational leadership that is driven by more than 25 years of experience working with businesses, government agencies and elected officials. 

Beyond England Airpark, Sandra was appointed by Louisiana’s Governor John Bel Edwards and Secretary of Transportation and Development Shawn Wilson to serve as a member of the Resilient Louisiana Commission’s Transportation and Infrastructure Task Force. She also serves on the Transportation Policy Committee and Beltway Committee for the Rapides (Parish) Area Planning Commission and is also a Board Member of Fort Polk Progress. 

Additionally, Sandra works closely with the MORE Initiative of the Association for the Improvement of America’s Infrastructure (AIAI), which recruits women for the transportation and logistics industries.

2. Deidre “Dee” Cusack
Senior Vice President of Global Products and Solutions
Dematic

According to her colleagues, Dee is a prime example of a natural-born leader who challenges her team of more than 1,200 to think differently and push boundaries for greatness. 

Dee currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Global Products and Solutions at Dematic, a STEM-focused company that has undergone significant growth and transformation thanks to her leadership and strategic commitment to innovation. 

She was appointed top her SVP role mid-pandemic, and yet her company successfully released 18 new products in strategic areas, increased Build with Standards orders by more than $300 million and generated more than 200 new patents.

As if this was not enough, Dee holds recognition for the following awards:

– CEO Award for International Trade, given by Joe Hogan, the former CEO at ABB 

– 7-time winner of the Customer Focus Award, granted by Roger Bailey, President of Power Products at ABB 

– CEO Award for Collaboration, given by Hasan Dandashly, CEO at Dematic 

Speaking of awards, Dee was awarded the largest customer purchase order in history at Ametek Aerospace and five U.S. and international patents.

 

3. Alexi Cashen
Co-Founder and CEO
Elenteny Imports 

Alexi is known for seeking out leadership rather than waiting for it to find her. This approach has served her well throughout her career as an entrepreneur, even amid the 2010 financial crisis. 

It was after Alexi moved to New York City from a small town in Colorado that she partnered with Tim Elenteny and co-founded Elenteny Imports, an alcohol logistics company. Since its launch, Elenteny represents more than 1 million cases annually and works with over 400 global clients while supporting alcohol brands as they navigate the U.S. three-tier system.

It would only make sense that given her history in thriving during a crisis that she would expand her professional horizons in 2020. Elenteny launched their Less than Container Load (LCL) route into Seattle during the global pandemic. 

Furthermore, Alexi started a mentoring-focused podcast just for entrepreneurs in the sparkling spiked beverage industry in 2020 as well.

4. Hima Bindu Challa
Co-founder
limbiq

Hima was born and raised in India, where she completed her Master’s in Computer Applications and began her career. Fast forward to 2009 and she officially pivoted her career focus to the logistics and supply chain industry in the United States, where she would remain for the next 10 years. 

Hima then moved to Germany, where she co-founded limbiq with the sole intention of providing a simple and complete solution to supply chain partners. 

She and her team focused on SMEs as their first target group.  

“We felt that SMEs are the ones with the biggest problems in collaborating with different partners because of their size,” she explains. “We eventually learned that irrespective of size, it’s a problem everywhere.” 

5. Gerri Commodore
Senior Vice President of New Business Implementation
GEODIS Americas

Gerri’s success goes well beyond the numbers and global impact of GEODIS, which ranks among the top supply chain operators in Europe and the world. Her accomplishments have been achieved during more than 20 years in the industry, from operations management, inventory and omnichannel fulfillment strategies to warehouse management systems and supply chain optimization. 

Her current role supports the successful integration of new clients for the company’s North Americans and South American networks–critical to ensuring operations are launched in a timely manner and within budget, according to client goals. 

She is the driving force behind GEODIS’ Women’s Network–focusing on recruiting, retaining and growing female professionals while continuing to improve the industry’s gender balance. Since becoming the network’s chairperson, membership has grown by more than 500 percent—pandemic and all.

Additionally, Gerri was part of the team that was responsible for growing GEODIS’ worldwide female leadership roles from 13% in 2017 to 18% and has pledged to reach 25% by 2023.

6. Darlene Wolf
Senior Vice President, Strategic Partners
Arrive Logistics 

Darlene focuses on utilizing her expertise and experience to support partners from managing network relationships to navigating business challenges with shippers at the top of mind. 

Part of what makes Darlene’s role so impactful is the level of accountability she holds for herself and for her team. Whatever a shipper needs, her team is standing by to deliver successful and smooth operations. 

“I’m so honored to be spotlighted as a distinguished woman in the logistics industry,” Darlene says. “When our industry faces disruptions or challenges, I pride myself on being a leader who consistently promotes innovative solutions.”

7. Cheryl Emery
Director of Field Resources
Penske Logistics 

Cheryl brings more than 30 years of experience to the logistics sector. Prior to her role as an HR director for the company, she took charge as an operator for the business. 

Her time as an operator further supports her current role in talent management, performance, recruiting and retention. 

Cheryl’s skills as an HR business partner goes beyond supporting the growth of Penske’s business as she is now designing policies and procedures focused on operator needs. In doing this, operator needs are clearly outlined so workers know exactly what it takes for policy implementation while meeting the needs of the business. 

8. Yamini Vellore
Chief Information Officer
Blume Global

Yamini’s 30-year career started off strong with Manhattan Associates, where she focused on developing solutions as the VP of Global Research and Development. Fast forward to 2010, and she joined the Hewlett-Packard team in developing and maintaining global IT architecture. 

She did not stop there as she continues breaking barriers for females in the logistics and technology sectors as CIO at Blume Global, where her primary focus is on infrastructure architecture and DevOps.

Yamini strives to ensure Blume’s solutions are available 24x7x365 to a global customer base. Her leadership role redefines standards in diverse hiring practices. 

Blume’s use of Google Cloud Platform services and customer transition heavily rely on expertise that Yamini’s colleagues have cited as “instrumental” to the company’s architecture. 

9. Elise Le
Head of Customer Experience
ClearMetal 

For ClearMetal’s Fortune 1000 customer base, complex supply chains are a given. When it comes to making sure customers have the best experience regardless of their supply chain complexities, ClearMetal calls on Elise.

Known as a distinguished professional in the logistics field, Elisa is cited by colleagues as possessing exceptional skills, high credibility and ongoing persistence in maintaining customer expectations–something that she seems to accomplish with ease.

“Her work distinguishes her in logistics not only as a woman but as an individual,” says one ClearMetal colleague.

The increase in efficiency, growth, and success for ClearMetal is the overarching theme for initiatives spearheaded by Elise and include Repeatable & Scalable Engine, Value Framework, Deployment Efficiency, Upsell Ratio and Revenue, and Employee Development Process. 

10. Elizabeth Kauchak
Chief Operating Officer
Dermody Properties

Elizabeth has been involved in industrial real estate for more than 20 years. During this time, she has worked with countless companies in fulfilling their supply chain and logistics needs. 

Prior to joining Dermody Properties, she was the Market Leader in Northern California for Prologis. 

She has a wealth of knowledge that she has always been happy to share. This goes for both the people she works alongside and especially to her customers. She has fostered a spirit of diversity and inclusion since joining Dermody Properties.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

Global Trade Magazine Launches Third Annual “Women in Logistics” Nominations

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Global Trade Magazine has officially opened nominations for its annual Women in Logistics feature for the publication’s upcoming May/June issue. This edition marks the publication’s third edition spotlighting leading female executives that continue to redefine leadership and the way logistics business is conducted in the face of industry disruptions and beyond. The ideal candidate displays exemplary leadership and is known for fostering innovative solutions for sectors including transportation, warehousing, shipping, and supply chain management.

“Global Trade Magazine continues to support and celebrate Women in Logistics and our 2021 feature article will exemplify the numerous Executives that helped navigate our industry through tumultuous times over the last twelve months,” said Bret Ronk, Publisher of Global Trade Magazine. “Our call for entries is open, so please take the time to nominate your executive leadership now!”

Last year’s issue included the top ten submissions based on criteria established by senior editors. Among leading ladies included Hannah Kain, Founder of ALOM; Katherina-Olivia Lacey, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Quincus; and Ana Bailey, Director of LeanCor Supply Chain Group Training and Education. 

Nominations will be limited to one executive per submission and participants can nominate their leader of choice here. Submissions close Thursday, April 15th at 11:59 P.M. CST. 

To submit an ad or inquire about advertising for this issue, please call (469) 778-2606 or contact jmason@globaltrademag.com

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Archives, Features, Global Trade Daily

Global Trade Magazine Accepting “Women in Logistics” Nominations

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Global Trade Magazine officially opened nominations for its May/June cover story, “Women in Logistics” beginning this week through the end of March. This marks the publication’s second annual feature spotlighting leading female executives reshaping the way companies approach industry disruptions. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of creating long-term solutions impacting various sectors including transportation, warehousing, shipping, and supply chain management.

“As we continue to see a rise in female leaders within the logistics industry, I wanted to take recognition to the next level for female executives fostering positive company culture while displaying exemplary leadership all industry players can learn from,” said Eric Kleinsorge, Publisher and Chairman of Global Trade Magazine. “Last year’s cover story was a huge success. We received a lot of positive feedback from our readers and we’ve already received impressive nominations for this year’s feature.”

Among leading ladies featured in the 2019 issue included Joan Smemoe of RailInc., Jane Kennedy Greene of Kenco, Wendy Buxton of LynnCo Supply Chain Solutions, and Barbara Yeninas and Lisa Aurichio of BSYA. This year’s selected nominees will be selected based on factors including tenure, industry relevance, impact on the industry, the health of relationships with employees, with a high emphasis on their workplace culture approach. Nominations will be limited to one executive per submission and participants can enter their executive of choice until March 31st at 5 p.m.

“I encourage workers from around the globe to take a few minutes and submit female leaders that have changed the way they view leadership and have made a positive impact on their career and industry. It’s important to the evolving culture of global companies to recognize these women for their dedication to the industry and the workers that make success possible,” Kleinsorge concluded.

To submit a nomination, please click here or call (469) 778-2606 for more information. 

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Why Aren’t More CEOs Women? 4 Ways Corporations Can Clear The Path.

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While more women are rising to the top of the corporate ladder, a question persists: Why do female  CEOs still comprise a small percentage of the highest leadership positions?
Research underscores women’s capabilities as corporate leaders and their positive effects on organizations. An extensive worldwide survey showed that having women at the C-suite level significantly increases profit margins. And a study by the Harvard Business Review reported women scoring higher than men in most leadership skills.
But research also partly sheds light on why women aren’t proportionately represented in corporate leadership roles. Reasons include male-dominated corporate boards and leadership stereotypes. Not to mention that women, in addition to having the bulk of at-home family responsibilities, can be seen as threatening to men when in leadership positions.
How can more women ascend to executive positions? Andreas Wilderer, author of Lean On: The Five Pillars Of Support For Women In Leadership, says it starts at home with a supportive husband willing to take on more of a household role while not worrying about reverse stereotypes – the stay-at-home dad or secondary breadwinner.
“Even though society is getting used to strong women in the workplace, men who take care of the house and kids are still often seen as an oddity,” Wilderer says. “Old attitudes in society fade slowly, as many still believe that each sex should keep its place.”
“In many families, however, that place is changing. Change tends to begin not in the big arenas, but in small places. And change starts within the family unit – long before many corporations and institutions recognize what is happening. Now more and more men are proudly accepting the role of staying home to fully support their wives and their career pursuits, and it’s time more companies were supportive of women in well-earned leadership roles.”
Wilderer suggests four ways companies can make leadership opportunities more accessible to women:
-Gender equality training. “With evidence proving that women make excellent leaders,” Wilderer says, “it is clear that not having these qualified individuals in leadership positions is a detriment to your business. Gender equality training within a company is a transformative process that enables women to be assessed on the basis of their skills, not restricted from upward movement by their gender.”
-Gender equality training 2.0. Wilderer says normal bias training needs to go an extra step, emphasizing how companies can show support for male partners and the family of the female leader. For example, when companies sponsor events such as dinners for employees, they often buy gifts for spouses attending. Wilderer says an important cultural shift can occur in the form of a gift. “It’s a cultural shift to not assume that the spouse of a leader is a female,” Wilderer says. “You can no longer make that assumption. Companies should make the gifts gender-neutral, emphasizing the importance of the supportive spousal role.”
-Recruiting. A company’s commitment to promote women’s advancements from within starts in the recruiting process. “Recruiting women on the premises of equal opportunity provisions is the first step to help women rise to important positions,” Wilderer says. “Organizations should issue meaningful equality plans to absorb women members in proportion to men.”
-Career-mapping. “Organizations should have an effective career-mapping plan in place for female employees,” Wilderer says. “Being aware of higher-level opportunities within the organization and the path required to achieve them helps women to set out clearer plans for attaining these roles.”
“Ingrained attitudes take years to evolve into acceptance,” Wilderer says. “Acceptance starts with simple gestures like the gifts but has to go much further – flexible hours, provided daycare, a partial home office. As far as women have come in the corporate structure, there are still too many barriers, and too few of them get to fulfill their potential as leaders.”
________________________________________________________________
Andreas Wilderer (andreaswilderer.com) is the author of Lean On: The Five Pillars Of Support For Women in Leadership. A business leader and entrepreneur, Wilderer worked in the event and marketing field. As Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths Coach he founded GLOBULARiTY LLC, a business coaching company that helps leaders grow and learn how to strengthen their Adaptability Quotient (AQ). While working on his business pursuits, Wilderer stayed at home and cared for his two children while his wife pursued her career. Recognizing that women can be providers and men can be nurturers, Wilderer began focusing on coaching female leaders while teaching men how to actively support them. As a motivational Keynote speaker, he is advocating for females in leadership and the system they can Lean On.