Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
As we know the Technology Industry is male-dominated and I am one of the few female managers that works at BlueStar. After almost 3 years as the Marketing Manager for Latin America, I realize that my management style has brought benefits to my company.
I had over 18 years experience in sales and marketing before joining BlueStar but no previous experience in the Technology industry. A female manager without previous experience in the industry did lift a few eyebrows, but that was something that the Executive Management team was willing to try. I think that I brought a different style of management that differs from my male colleagues in three aspects:
Intuition
I’ve heard that women have an acute sense of intuition, and I think that’s what I experienced when I noticed that even though the managers and employees in my company had good communication between them, there was still something missing: a more bonded team. I improved the bond between our team by not only paying attention to their work but also to their reactions, expressions and body language to create a better and more aligned team – we bonded more.
Listening
One of the limitations that I have seen in many managers is that when someone does not agree with them, they come out strong and defiant instead of listening and taking the opinion into consideration. I believe that women tend to listen more; they feel more empathy and encourage emotional expression. I believe that this is healthy for a team and as a manager should be well received to promote the creative environment that our business needs.
Team Consensus
I always have my own opinion on how to get a job done, but I try to get the point-of-view of the team before making a final decision. I believe that this builds trust and loyalty while working passionately together and usually brings more ideas to be shared between everyone that I may not have considered.
According to the NCWIT organization, women in technology make only up to 25% of the IT force; and in leadership positions they hold 14% of senior management positions and only 10% hold corporate officer positions.
We need to include more women in management positions because we bring a different perspective to business that can translate in to potential benefits for innovation and improving productivity.
Women in Technology (WIT) at VARTECH
At VARTECH 2014 in New Orleans BlueStar will be hosting a Women in Technology meeting to discuss leadership, skill development and promote networking amongst the women of the channel. If you’re interested in attending please contact me via email and I will help you in getting registered.
