Introduction to Women in PM Leadership

 

One of the great benefits of getting involved in PMI, especially as a volunteer, is the confidence that is built through demonstrated leadership experiences. Recently I’ve been interviewing panelists and preparing for an upcoming discussion on Women in Leadership at PMI’s North American Leadership Institute Meeting in Orlando.  Former PMI Board Members Beth Partleton, PMP, Debbie O’Bray (PMI Fellow), Marge Combe, and Yanping Chen MD, PhD, PMP (PMI Fellow) will take the executive chairs to share insights into how volunteering has accelerated their leadership ability not only in PMI but also in their “day jobs” as senior executives.

Combined, they have over 90 years of PMI membership experience, joining the PMI organization in the early 1990s. Professionally they come from every background imaginable – from architecture to civil engineering, financial services to telecommunications, and even medicine (Yanping started her career as a cardiologist)!  In the span of their work, they have come to recognize that skills and intellect may be the “price of admission” for a blossoming career, but an aptitude in emotional intelligence is what makes for success. “In order to grow and advance, the skills that are going to count include self-awareness, empathy for others, compassion and emotional maturity,” Beth tells me. In a later post, I’ll share with you their thoughts on what separates the women from the men when it comes to emotional intelligence.

What I have come to value in preparing for this panel discussion with these senior executives is the wealth of their wisdom - each has played coach and mentor to new and experienced co-workers and direct reports. Debbie shared that age and generation play a big part in these kind of interactions. Younger people come to her for advice because they don’t know the answers while more seasoned leaders come to talk because they are comfortable with her and themselves. The generation in between is more reserved - “perhaps they hold some fear that they are expected to know something they don’t, so they don’t ask,” Debbie says. 

I look forward to introducing you to these women and their experiences over the next few posts. In the meantime, what do you want to know about their experiences as female leaders in project management? And if you are that “in between” generation (i.e. Generation X), how do you seek out mentoring and coaching advice? Or . . .  don’t you? Would love to hear your reactions and real world experiences!