The UOWD-DBWC Women and Leadership Seminar Series & Research with dialogues and debates surrounding gender issues and women in leadership positions in the UAE.
The seminar series provides an opportunity for working professional women to share their own personal leadership stories and experiences, and have the opportunity to exchange, interact and learn from key thinkers, researchers and government representatives in various business fields and expertise.
At today's event, Mrs. Yomna Kamel, Group Marketing Manager, Galadari Brothers, was on one to one discussions with Dr Payyazhi Jayashree, Acting Dean of UOWD’s Faculty of Business and Principal Investigator for this research.
Mrs. Kamel was drawing on her own experiences to talk about female success in a corporate environment, and her tough & winding journey towards achieving her professional aspirations, with hard work, confidence and perseverance to improve, grow and successfully lead on her way to the top.
She stressed the importance of doing your best and have good role models from parents and teachers who could positively influence you, to empowering you to progress in your life and career.
Ms. Kamel referred to using various enabling mechanisms such as: 'Do what you dream of doing. Be flexible. Follow high values'
She called for more initiatives from the private sector in particular, to work on diplomatic and direct constructive techniques, to challenge the gender limitations to put women down, when referring to domestic duties being highlighted as major achievements of women, rather than professional achievements and smart intellectual contributions, making a difference to the corporate industry and national economy.
In order to fight these prejudice women must be more bold and prove themselves capable within their environment. The need for the culture and society to stop focusing on the gender element, but rather look at the effective results being created by the individual, and the need to have a general consensus in our gender attitude, where we should designate and refer to this 'person' rather than this woman or man.
There is an urgent need to address those preconditions which limit where women can go & do and how far she can attain. Training is vital to change attitudes, to infuse confidence, address bullies at the workplace. Mrs. Kamel stressed the need, to give confidence for women to show up and be noticed as valuable members of the organisation.
She highlighted that we don't see women talking about themselves in general because they don't like to be in the spot light and get to feel the stress and attention to prove themselves they can do it.
The problem will be solved through cultural change with continuous training and extended collaborations from both gender.
Parental Education is vital where kids as boys & girls can play and grow together with respect and trust as equal, injecting these balanced gender good values and ethics from childhood.
When asked about what makes a true leader, she admitted true leadership is found within few percentage of the world as role models. However, she believed with the appropriate opportunities, "you can find a leader in everyone of us!" It all depends on situations and conducive circumstances, as much as leadership inclinations & aptitude.
She continued on saying: "Leadership is important, this is the only way to get things going!...You need to be inspired by following that person who influenced your progress and development"... So that you are able to challenge the constraints in your life and move forward, overcoming difficulties and solving problems. All these have the benefits to inspiring individuals to be role models themselves and to be successful, helping others lead in a successful way, regardless of gender.
It is about inspiring others so that others can start acting on their own volition & ambitions without any fears or preconceived reservations.
As a minority, women need to stand up for themselves, be the best at what they are doing, so that they can gain grounds, and extend the same to others, so that in turn, other women can be inspired to grow and progress themselves as well.
"There will always be bottlenecks!" The importance is how one can turn the negative and make it into a positive! It doesn't come easy, but you need to train your mind how to overcome the negative and not be paralysed to move forward! Rather challenge the status quo by reducing problems, transforming & creating new, more successful avenues to move forward and towards greater & higher reach.
She stressed again the importance for "young people to stay confident!" To understand that compromise is an essential part of navigating your life in a more constructive way, away from taboos & limiting cultural expectations in order to find a way to realise your own calling, potential & aspirations, whether a man or woman, eventually to keep the wheel for gender parity moving forward for good as the best way ahead in business and in life.
References:
http://www.uowdubai.ac.ae/news/uowd-and-dbwc-announce-new-seminar-series-set-explore-women’s-role-uae-workforce
