As the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE) unveils the Boardroom Ready project on July 20, we have to ask ourselves if this ‘girl power’ is really necessary in today’s modern world of business.
Sadly, the answer is yes. One only has to look at the male-dominated boardroom, travel industry judging panels and guest speaker line-ups to see that female senior figures are in short supply.
Unless a business is marketing or communicating solely to a male audience, why would it not want a diverse, balanced management team? Women think and receive information differently from men, and therefore complement the communication and key messages – both sexes need to recognise this.
And ladies, we too have our part to play, as we need to recognise we may need to upskill and take ourselves out of our comfort zones. So, rather than whinging about a non-existent glass ceiling, the AWTE has decided to constructively address the issue with a project designed to equip members with the skills and knowledge needed by board directors.
The project is backed by City investor firm, Stargate Capital. Following the July 20 launch, activity will commence with a series of presentations and interactive sessions over a six-month period tackling boardroom expectations, gender dynamics, case studies and capabilities, learning from non-travel industry senior figures.
The result will be the creation of a talented pool of women, capable of adding value to their own boards and businesses, and to serve as non-executive directors in travel and other industries.
We do however have to recognise that not every member feels ready for this bold move of self-progression. For those women who are our rising stars, a second tier of grooming and preparation will follow.
This is not about sexism or the 1960s phenomenon of burning the bra, it’s just plain common sense – diversity is crucial for good boardroom practice and performance.
For more information on Boardroom Ready or the AWTE visit awte.org.uk or email chair@awte.org.uk
Join the AWTE group on travelhub to connect with members and see photos from events