by Monique Svazlian, Mentoring Program Coordinator

By now it is likely you have heard about the upcoming PWA Mentoring Program, scheduled to launch in the spring. As we continue planning the program, we are already hearing from many of our members interested in participating. Considering this is a first-time program for the Milan network, we would like to clearly communicate the steps on how to apply and what to expect from the process in order to make it as straightforward as possible. You can download the program brochure here PWA Mentoring Program Brochure

Step 1) Fill out the PWA Mentoring Program Application Form – Mid-March to Mid-April
The application forms will be available on the PWA website beginning mid-March, and the application period will last until mid-April. Keep an eye out for more communication from us informing you when the forms become available on-line. This is the only way to apply for the program – you will be asked to fill out a Mentor or Mentee Profile, depending on the role you are applying for, which will help us find you the right match.

Step 2) Attend the workshop “Identify Your Mentoring Expertise” – April 7th
Whether you believe you could be a Mentor or not, this optional workshop will help you identify the expertise you have to be a Mentor. We all have useful experience, backgrounds and training that can be potentially helpful for others. Through this mini-workshop, which will take place at the April Networking Aperitivo, you’ll identify your “Inner Mentor” which will gear us all up to participate fully in the program. It is open to all members and guests, and is not a prerequisite for becoming a Mentor.

Step 3) Receive email notification: Match successfully identified – Early May
At the close of the application period (mid-April), we will evaluate all applications received. Pairs will be matched based on the level of relevance between objectives stated by the Mentee and available Mentor experience and skills. If we are able to identify an appropriate match, you will be notified via email by the beginning of May.
Note about Participation: As this is a first-time program and we would like to ensure a high-quality service to members, we are limiting the Mentor/Mentee pairs to 10-12 in total. Given the level of interest expressed in the program so far, we anticipate the possibility of receiving more applications than we can fulfill in this first round. Applicants who are not successfully matched will be notified by email that they have been placed on a waiting list for the next edition of the Mentoring program, planned for early 2011.

Step 4) Attend the PWA Mentoring Program Launch Event – May 19th
The official Mentoring Program Launch event will be open to all program participants, PWA members, and guests. The event will be the first time you officially meet your Mentor/Mentee partner, as well as hear from a panel of speakers and testimonials from our Honorary Mentors.

Step 5) Attend the Mentoring Program Skills Training Workshop – Late May
This half-day workshop, an essential component of the program, will be geared towards developing skills to ensure your success as a Mentor or Mentee. We will cover active listening and other communication skills, do’s and don’ts of good mentoring, topics to bring to the mentoring sessions and how to get the most out of your Mentoring relationship.

Step 6) First Mentoring Program period – June-November
The actual Mentoring sessions will begin in June and last for six months. Mentoring pairs will meet for one hour or more per month, in person, via phone or video-conference.

Step 7) Check-in’s and satisfaction survey – June-November
We will be checking-in with each Mentoring pair throughout the program to ensure the Mentoring relationships are running smoothly. Coaching on the mentoring process will be available to those interested. Further, a survey will be carried out at the end of the first period to gauge participant satisfaction and gather ideas for future improvements.

Post-program publication – December
Finally, we will be collecting participant feedback at the end of the program to include their takeaways, experiences, and recommendations to others in an official PWA Mentoring post-program publication.

If you have further questions about the application process or about the program itself, please don’t hesitate to contact us at professional@pwa-milan.org
• Valerie Ryder, Mentoring Program Leader and Professional Development Director
• Monique Svazlian, Mentoring Program Coordinator

All professional women welcome, whether members or guests.

Wednesday 7 April 7-9 p.m.

Location: Grand Hotel et de Milan
Via Manzoni 29
MM Montenapoleone

Whether or not you believe you have the skills to be a Mentor, this mini-workshop will help you identify the useful experience, background and training you have which can be potentially helpful for others. Our expert coaches will help you recognize your “Inner Mentor”, pinpoint your individual expertise and get us geared up for the PWA Mentoring Program. Beneficial for members and guests of all levels.

The evening will be facilitated by Valerie Ryder and Monique Svazlian, certified professional coaches, PWA members, and the driving force behind the Mentoring Program.

Valerie Ryder, ACC is an Executive Coach and Consultant specialized in career progression, value-based leadership development, and management competencies for women in international environments. She is recognized for her insight, supportiveness and practicality in assisting the women with whom she collaborates to clarify and achieve their professional objectives. Visit www.ryderassociates.com for more information.

Monique Svazlian, CPCC is a Leadership & Business Coach, focused on growing emerging women leaders and high potentials within organizations. Her passion for creating positive social change coupled with her background working for Fortune 500 technology companies gives her unique insight to the innovative working strategies needed to compete in today’s global climate. For more information, go to: www.highestpath.com.

Drinks 10 euro each, buffet included

Entrance free for members, 10 euro for guests, payable in cash at the event

Members, please register in the calendar section of EPWN

Guests, please send an email to networking@pwa-milan.org

You may have already heard about the flagship event we have planned for our members this year, but for those of you who haven’t, we are excited to unveil PWA Milan’s Mentoring Program.

The PWA Milan Mentoring Program is the first of its kind for our association, and is spearheaded by Valerie Ryder, Director of Professional Development. Between 20 and 30 members will have the opportunity to participate as Mentors or Mentees in the initial period of the program, meeting for a minimum of one hour per month for six months. The launch will take place in May and the first edition will last through November of this year.

Why Is Mentoring Important?
Mentoring plays a critical role in the advancement of women professionals in all sectors. Lack of mentoring, exclusion from networks, and absence of women role models are cited as the key barriers to career advancement for women. A mentoring relationship can provide structure for the development of individual skills and leadership abilities.

How Does Mentoring Work?
A mentoring relationship is based around the Mentor sharing her professional experience and knowledge with a Mentee. It is not advice, coaching or counseling. It may address specific personal projects, business successes or general conditions in the mentee’s profession. For more information the definition of mentoring, please see the related article entitled “What Is Mentoring All About” here.

The success of mentoring depends directly on the engagement of both parties and responsibility of both for their own progress, which are demonstrated in concrete actions. The success is measured as the achievement of the initial goals and the satisfaction of the Mentee and Mentor with the mentoring relationship.

Mentor as Role Model
Many of you are mentors and might not even know it! All of us have accomplished various goals, overcome barriers, reached career heights, and have general life and professional experience. As women we tend to downplay our successes and perhaps not realize what we have to offer to others in terms of our professional and personal experiences. Perhaps someone could benefit greatly from the wisdom and knowledge you’ve gained through your experience. Think of a role model or mentor in your life that has inspired you in some way – what became possible for you because of this person? Imagine how it would feel to be a role model for an aspiring mentee?

The importance of having a role model and someone to look up to can not only be inspiring, but absolutely necessary for some who may not believe it’s possible for them to achieve their goals. Mentoring can offer the pathway for women to have professional role models they need to ignite them towards increased professional success.

Apply for the Mentoring Program

Keep an eye out for upcoming communication about how to apply as a Mentor or Mentee in the Mentoring Program. In the meantime, if you would like to participate or would like to have more information, contact us at professional@pwa-milan.org
• Valerie Ryder, Mentoring Program Leader and Professional Development Director
• Monique Svazlian, Mentoring Program Team Member

The Real Situation and What Can Be Done About It

by Valerie Ryder

Working women around the world are aware of the chronic issue of the gender pay gap – i.e. the difference in salary between men and women. Scientific research has been carried out recently in Italy in order to shed more light on the actual figures and to analyze the possible causes.

On June 24, SDA Bocconi’s Osservatorio sul Diversity Management, in collaboration with Hay Group, presented the findings of their research on the Italian gender pay gap.

The study analyzed a sample of 97 mainly large and medium-sized companies (one-third of which are Italian-owned) over the period 2005-2008, which included 32,000 individual salary data observations. Women represented 30% of the sample in the figures from 2008. The study took into account not only the traditional indicators of age and industry sector, but also a score based on the complexity of the position measured by the level of know-how, problem-solving skills and individual accountability required.

In Italy women earn, on average, between 23% and 25% less than men (comparison of gross annual base salary and gross annual salary including variable compensation, respectively). However, when salaries are compared for the same level of complexity, responsibilities and seniority, the difference is reduced to 2%.

Taking a closer look at the levels and roles held by gender, women represent 12% of all upper management (dirigenti), 23% of middle management and professionals (quadri), and 37% of clerical positions (impiegati). Women hold 33% of all sales-type roles (which are also the highest paid), 20% of line functions, and 39% of staff positions.

Keeping in mind that women make up 30% of the work force in this study, 70% of them hold impiegate positions, 25% are at the quadri level, and the remaining 5% attain the dirigente level. Bottom line: it’s an issue of vertical and horizontal segregation. Women occupy positions which are paid less. Yes, the ceiling may be made of glass, but the floor can also be quite sticky. The real issue of discrimination does not lie in the compensation policies of individual companies, but rather in social, cultural and other factors.

So, if the real salary difference is only 2% at positions with the same degree of complexity and responsibility (and knowing that the companies participating in the research are particularly sensitive to the issue of salary equality), how can more women reach higher levels? A push and pull strategy would be particularly effective.

From an organizational standpoint, companies need to push, by putting in place policies to support women’s careers, such as flex-policies which – for example – would allow meetings to be held only between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Further, they need to evaluate both performance and potential, with potential being rated not by the traditional 50-ish male boss, but by a separate, more objective source such as the Human Resources function, using assessments of potential and other proven instruments.

Succession plans need to be drawn up, to specifically include more women. Companies must then take the necessary steps to ensure that they are properly prepared for their new functions, through a personalized training, coaching and development plan. Many women lament the lack of role models and mentors – the implementation of formal mentoring programs would respond, at least in part, to this need.

On an individual level, women need to pull, by continuing to take their professional future into their own hands. Women need to go out on a limb with confidence and dare: to blow their own horn; to ask, for example, for training, a raise, a promotion, or more flexibility with their schedules; and to negotiate. Developing their own relational network and identifying mentors within or outside of their place of employment are time-tried, successful strategies.

News flash: PWA Milan, in addition to providing networking opportunities, will be implementing a mentoring program over the next several months. Check our website regularly to learn more about the project; more details will follow soon.

For more information:

SDA Bocconi’s Osservatorio sul Diversity Management

21 June 2009 article in Il Corriere della Sera.it by Rita Querzè: “Stipendi, è parità tra uomini e donne”

Contact the author: vryder@ryderassociates.com – www.ryderassociates.com

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Wednesday, 27 May 2009, 7- 10 p.m.
Coaching Professional and PWA Member Valerie Ryder, presents a workshop:

“Developing Assertive Communication Skills”

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Do you sometimes: 

• want to ask for something, but don’t for fear of being told no?
• have a point to make, but keep quiet to avoid conflict?
• say “yes” to requests when you shouldn’t, so as not to disappoint others?
• have trouble voicing a difference of opinion?
• promise yourself too late that you won’t back down next time?

If this sounds a bit like you, then developing assertive communication skills will help reduce anxiety and stress, enhance your self-esteem, gain control over your life, improve relationships, and earn you more respect for your ideas and opinions.

In this interactive workshop, executive coach Valerie Ryder will provide you the opportunity to learn and practice tried and true techniques of assertiveness. During the evening you will:

• discover what assertiveness is and isn’t
• identify your predominant communication style
• learn how to effectively control your body language
• practice how to confidently handle objections, differences of opinion and diversions

About Valerie

An ICF-certified executive coach (ACC) and trainer, Valerie specializes in effective leadership, communication, career development and managerial competencies in international environments. She is recognized for her insight, supportiveness and pragmatism in bringing out the professional best of those with whom she collaborates. For more information, see www.ryderassociates.com

Her corporate experience includes 15 years as a senior executive in international human resources, finance and administration for several leading multinationals. She is a certified DoLquest consultant.

Valerie has been a member of PWA for 6 years, 3 of which she served on the board of directors. Originally from Boston (USA) and then Paris, she obtained her BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University. She is fluent in English, Italian and French.

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This workshop will be limited to 8 participants. PWA members will be given priority to register through Wednesday, May 13. If space is still available, registration will then be opened to non-members. Payment is required in order to confirm your place: online with a credit card at www.europeanpwn.net , via bank transfer or in cash at a PWA event (based on availability).
Workshop 7-10 p.m. Start People Spa, Via G. Murat, 23 (MM Maciachini)

€40 for members, €60 for guests. Includes snack break.

For additional information, please contact networking@pwa-milan.org

Wednesday, June 11 2008, 7-10 p.m.
Make Networking Work for You
Valdani Vicari & Associati srl, Corso Italia, 13 (MM Missori; tram 15)

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Networking can lead to many new opportunities – clients, professional openings, and social contacts, to name a few. However, simply showing up at a networking event won’t do the trick. You need to have purposeful and productive interactions. It starts with identifying your objective, continues with providing an appropriate introduction of yourself, and is followed by having a meaningful conversation.

In this interactive workshop, ICF-certified executive coach Valerie Ryder will provide you with techniques and tips to become more effective at building relationships and achieving what you want through networking. Over the course of the evening you will:

• identify your networking objectives and become more at ease in striving to accomplish them, as opposed to “just talking”
• define a short, interesting introduction of yourself which comes naturally
• master a slightly longer version, known as the “elevator speech”, and deliver it with impact
• acquire additional conversational tips and techniques practice what you have learned through individual and group exercises

This workshop will be limited to 12 participants.

About Valerie
As an executive coach certified by the ICF, Valerie assists people to achieve their full potential by strengthening their skills and confidence through coaching and training. She works mainly with women in international environments, whether they are part of the corporate world, independent professionals, or entrepreneurs. She has had her own coaching business, Ryder & Associates (www.ryderassociates.com), since 2004.

Valerie’s corporate experience consists of 15 years as an executive with leading hi-tech multinationals, during which she held the position of Director of Finance & Administration for European Operations, based in Paris, for over a decade. She is originally from Boston, Massachusetts and holds a degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Valerie is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and of its local Italian chapter, the Federazione Italiana Coach. She has been a member of PWA for five years and has served on the Board of Directors for three of those years, one of which as President.

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This workshop will be limited to 12 participants.

PWA members will be given priority to register through Wednesday, June 4. If space is still available, registration will then be opened to non-members. Payment is required in order to confirm your place – either online, via bank transfer or in cash at a PWA event (based on availability). Once your participation is confirmed, you will receive a request for your CV and your goals so that Valerie can tailor the scope accordingly.

All professional women welcome whether members or guests

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Wednesday, September 19 2007, 7-9.30 p.m.
PWA Members Debbie Jordan & Valerie Ryder
“Effective Promotional Skills”

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People need to know about what you’re promoting in order to buy it – whether they are potential clients or potential employers. PWA members Debbie Jordan and Valerie Ryder will explain the skills that will most effectively help you to market your business and yourself.

Maximizing sales of your product or service requires the execution of a comprehensive marketing plan. Regardless of if you run your own small company or work for a large corporation, marketing is vital as a sales tool. What exactly is it and how do you market effectively, even on a limited budget?

Preparing for a job interview, especially in today’s cutthroat economic environment, you want every advantage on your side to land that dream job. Advancing to the next stage in your career depends on marketing yourself to a potential employer. How do you best sell your skills and experience, making a positive and lasting impression in job interviews?

Debbie will sort through the various types of activities that fall under the broad term “marketing”, concentrating mainly on the key differences and complementary aspects of advertising and public relations.

Valerie will focus on how to emphasize your applicable strengths, field difficult and tricky questions, and in general, increase your chances of success at landing the position you’re seeking.

Debbie, a consultant with 17 years experience in public relations, advertising, marketing/communications and journalism, runs her own firm focusing on media outreach and effective copywriting.

Valerie, principal of Ryder & Associates, helps women in advancing their professional success through executive and career coaching. Her corporate experience spans 15 years, where she has held director-level positions in international finance and administration.

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Cocktails 7-8 p.m. / Presentation 8-9.30 p.m.
Centro Svizzero, Via Palestro 2 (MM Turati; tram 1, 62, 94)
Free for members, €20 for guests, payable by cash at the event

This year marked the eighth annual Women’s International Networking (WIN) Global Leadership Forum, held on 6-8 October in Geneva. Nearly 500 women and men convened on the subject of “Leadership for the Future”. PWA has been a partner network of WIN since the conference began in Milan in 1998.I am often asked what WIN is like, what it is all about. In the words of the WIN website <www.winconference.net>, the annual forums are “designed for women and men who want to be part of shaping the newly emerging paradigm of leading results through authentic action”.

But what does this really mean?

The interpretation of such a phrase would surely vary from one participant to the next. However, I think all would agree that the conference provides:

the possibility to gain relevant skills and knowledge via specialized workshops;
the chance to make new business, associational and personal contacts, and to renew existing ones, during the many networking occasions built into the programme;
and especially – and here is where the “shaping the newly emerging paradigm” comes in – the opportunity to gain inspiration, motivation and new ideas, through the plenary speaker sessions and debates.
This year, four key concepts threaded their way through the presentations, all essential components of successful leadership in the 21st century. These, in my view, represent the meaningful and inspiring core of the conference.

Know your strengths and believe in yourself
Nearly all of the speakers emphasized this trait, in as many different ways: Know yourself, what makes you tick, what gives you energy. Find the environment that you thrive in and that is best for you. Know what you’re good at and like to do, and do it. Identify your distinctive competencies. Don’t try to improve from incompetence to mediocrity; it’s much easier to go from good to excellent. Draw on your gifts. Don’t submit to your fears and insecurities. Get out there and use 100% of your potential.

One woman’s story, that of Victoria Petrova, was particularly striking. Victoria followed her dream, trained as a doctor and became a cardiologist. However, she could not afford to remain in that profession. Since Russia’s centralized medical system paid so poorly, she could not come close to supporting herself and her family. Therefore, she became a secretary in the better-paying world of business. Victoria worked her way up step by step, believing in her abilities and persevering, despite difficult moments. She is now head of Human Resources at Rusal, the third largest aluminium company in the world.

Presenters repeatedly referred to the phenomenon that men think they are better than they really are, whereas women do not think they are as good as they truly are. One often-quoted statistic: men apply for a position and think they can do it well if they master 60% of the job, whereas women tend to do so only if they know 100% (or more!) of the job. According to Mr Alex Tosolini, a firm believer in the abilities of women – and, incidentally, General Manager of Procter & Gamble, Poland and the Baltic States – women need to learn to be arrogant in order to close further the gap with men in the corporate world. His reasoning: if women start learning to be arrogant, they might start realizing that they are better than they think … and it is unlikely that they will actually become arrogant in the process.

Know where you are going and make the right choices
The second prerequisite for effective leadership is being clear on your goals, setting the bar high, and pursuing them relentlessly: As long as you have the passion for it, you can do whatever you want. Stop talking about it and start making it happen. Go after opportunities when they arise. But don’t choose the easier roles. If you don’t push, stretch and challenge yourself, you will be contributing to that infamous glass ceiling by inadvertently limiting your possibilities for advancement. Rediscover the courageous person that you are. Take risks!

Women are more and more assertively choosing their priorities these days. This may be considered as making sacrifices, yet it really boils down to making strategic choices and accepting them. Women are taking control of their lives, not letting outside factors control them. Work-life balance, anyone?

Food for thought, on the subject of choices: Alex Tosolini, originally from the Turin area, knowingly chose to work for a company that rewards performance (Procter & Gamble), rather than working for the main local Italian employer … because of the high levels of nepotism that still exist in Italy.

Build bridges, make connections
In today’s world it is becoming increasingly necessary to establish connections – between individuals, departments, companies, cities, governments, and so on. The world is becoming “inter-reliant”. Good leaders “create a common platform”, have “cross-boundary rotations”, and “encourage open collaboration between eco-systems”. In short, they network effectively. The ability to build bridges, relationships and partnerships is crucial to achieving success.

Women, as it turns out, are better at relationship-building than men. Women excel at working well in groups and have higher levels of social intelligence, i.e. the ability to communicate with, motivate, understand and leverage the skills of others.

As one presenter quoted, “It’s time to realize, brethren, that a woman is not just a female man” (Ogden Nash). Women are capitalizing on their differences, differences which are major strengths in today’s bridge-building world. Hence the inevitable conclusion drawn: the future is for women.

Believe in the future and your impact on it
Yes, the future is indeed for women, and it is also unpredictable in other ways. Consider the following titbit of data: 80% of the technology that will be used in the next 10 years has yet to be invented. The future is not traced out. Bottom line: we can all have an impact, no matter how big or small. Effective leaders believe so, and live and lead accordingly.

“No person can make a greater mistake than [s]he who did nothing because [s]he could only do a little.”
(adapted from Edmund Burke)

 

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As every year, there were a number of accomplished leaders at the WIN conference – leaders from the business world, from academia and think tanks, from NGOs and non-profit institutions. They were of varying nationalities and ages, some men, mostly women, different in many respects. Yet there was a clear common denominator: all of these leaders displayed the traits mentioned above. They “walked the talk”, as it were. Confidence in their abilities, passion, enthusiasm and determination in pursuing their goals and belief that they could indeed make a difference brought them to where they are today. May they be a model for us all.

See you at WIN 2006!

Valerie Ryder
President