Women often take a social view of business, bringing more benevolence and humanity to it when they find themselves in decision-making spheres, according to the ambassadors of the Alliance for the feminization of leadership. One year after a first symposium which made it possible to take stock of the situation, a second annual event will take place on October 27 to determine concrete actions allowing these values to gain momentum in companies.
By taking the helm The morning gang in 2021, Marie-Josée Gauvin became the first woman to head a commercial French-language radio show in Montreal. She also found herself for the first time evolving primarily with female bosses rather than bosses.
“When I arrived in a more feminine structure, I noticed very quickly how much better I felt. I felt that they understood my realities, that they trusted me. I was no longer afraid to be myself. It’s more egalitarian, and I perform better in this climate, ”says the 36-year-old woman, ambassador of the Alliance for the feminization of leadership.
According to cultural manager Monique Simard, also a member of the movement, individualism and competitiveness have often been valued in business circles. But things are slowly changing, with companies increasingly trying to retain employees by promoting a more human workplace.
Many industries also recognize the positive effect of more diverse leadership. This is evidenced by the support of many business leaders, including the director of the To have to, to this alliance which has about 200 members. There are also researchers and leaders of community organizations such as Le Chaînon, which helps women in difficulty.
“There is a membership of people of different generations and from various backgrounds, who all believe that there are deep needs for transformation”, notes Ms.me Simard, a longtime feminist with a union past.
Accelerate movement
Positive actions are being taken everywhere, believes for her part one of the instigators of the movement, Élisabeth Deschênes, president of ZA Communication. “The role of the alliance is to bring all this together and catalyze it. It’s about giving a big push, everyone together,” says Mme Deschenes.
As an inspiring example, Mr.me Simard mentions the Quebecor Fund, of which she is president of the board. This fund acts as guarantor for loans and pays the interest of TV producers who wish to become shareholders in their production companies. “The result is a transformation of shareholding, and therefore of leadership. It can influence the types of projects that will be chosen,” says Ms.me Simard. “Are there going to be more women writing the screenplays? »
The symposium, themed “A new millennium in the age of feminized leadership,” will be accessible in person or free online. Multiple round tables will then be so many opportunities to discuss best practices in Quebec and elsewhere in the Francophonie.
According to Mmy Simard and Deschênes, it will also be appropriate for the alliance to position itself on public policies, particularly with regard to inequalities. “Growth at all costs has no place,” also believes Mme Deschenes.
Mme Simard reminds us that the condition of women has changed a lot since the beginning of her career: wage inequalities between men and women could then be enshrined in collective agreements. “I am proud of what has been achieved, but lucid about what remains to be done and the fragility of things. »