*This interview has been published in Maritime Economies newspaper.
1.Are there specific business sectors where women managers can lead?
I don’t believe that any business sectors should be
exclusive to either men or a woman because such a system runs counter to gender
inclusion and further inculcates gender bias. Moreover, I firmly believe that
leadership qualities are not a matter of gender but a matter of aptitude. What
is significant is that recent studies are confirming generic differences in
leadership styles. Multi-tasking, productivity, consistency, managerial skills
and the ability to adapt to new situations are the main characteristics of
working women and these lead us to climb the corporate ladder. Organisations
headed by women report greater team cohesion, more inclusive communication and more
co-operative learning in challenging situations caused by conflict, functional
diversity and relocation. This is because women put emphasis on collegiality
and bonding. We have inherent qualities of empathy and emotional connection and
more than focusing on competition we focus on team-work to better ourselves,
others and our work. I also believe that we are better listeners. All this
helps to create stronger and more motivated teams. There are studies
demonstrating that companies with more women in executive positions attained
significantly higher profitability on average than those with low
representation. Having said this, I don’t think that all female leaders radiate
such abilities or that male leaders lack them. Besides such skills can be
taught and I feel that with the right training any organisation can nurture an
atmosphere of belonging and where everyone learns from each other. Gender
parity in the top management level can lead to thriving enterprises.
2.What is the
role of women in today’s society?
Women in today’s society have certainly gained power
and influence when compared to the women of yesterday. We have easier access to
positions of power carrying substantial decision-making authority and our success
in attaining leadership positions speaks volumes. Having said that, there is
still far to go until a complete balance between the genders is achieved. According
to the Global Gender Gap Report 2018, issued by the World Economic Forum, when
it comes to political and economic leadership there is still a long way to go
to reduce gender gaps. Although it is
fair to say that women, in the broadest sense have more freedom, this is not
true in all cases because prejudice persists.
Women are an integral
part of today’s society, and we no longer lag behind men in most study areas
and occupations. Gender pay inequalities have been narrowing across the world.
However, recent studies provide evidence that the gender pay gap exists because
of motherhood. The studies note that childless women have earnings that are
quite similar to men’s salaries, while mothers experience a significant wage
gap.
I strongly believe
that women’s inherent qualities allow for a full-time career and a family at
the same time. Women are increasingly taking the reins in more and more
companies worldwide and they have established their position as business
leaders.
The achievements of
women in the maritime industry, particularly in leadership roles, have been
very well noted and the recruitment of more women has been encouraged. Despite ingrained
stereotypes, there is a growing number of professional women in the maritime
industry. The position of women in our society cannot be generalised as
throughout the world women receive different amounts of respect. There has been
a change but there is still room in eliminating inequality. ‘
3.How can we overcome the business challenges in the 21st century?
We live in rapidly changing times, especially for
businesses, there are new opportunities, however, there are also new
challenges. Globalisation, technology, borderless business environment,
workforce diversity, compliance with all new regulations entering into force,
are just a few of the challenges businesses face. Recognising and overcoming the difficulties is
essential for the growth of every enterprise. Flexibility, adaptability,
training of employees, reorganisation, updating procedures and policies,
amongst others, should assist companies to overcome the challenges and also
grow and develop. Creativity and welcoming changes will help entrepreneurs to
shape this new business landscape.
4.Can the ongoing crisis affect the economic viability of healthy
enterprises?
Enterprises which act
upon the opportunities and possibilities for change through innovation in the
current volatile and uncertain business environment, will not only survive but
they will successfully compete and even flourish in fluctuating economic
conditions. Innovation i.e. being able to come up with new ideas to keep
operations, products and services fresh is one of the keys to any successful
business. In our firm, we quickly realised that in the current day economic
scenario, innovation has become a major factor which leads to success and that
out-of-the-box-thinking is important to generate new value and also sustain
your business. At Gauci Maistre – Xynou
(GMX Law Firm) innovation is at the centre of our way of doing
things, in our corporate functions, business models and processes. Law firms
must learn to innovate to remain competitive, survive in the ever-changing
marketplace and ensure that the client’s professional needs are met.
