Women in PM Leadership

PMI CEO & President, Mr. Sunil Prashara, send us recently an email mentioning the launch of Diversity and Inclusion steering committee and his concern about low female participation among PMI Board of Directors candidates.

I appreciate and share his concern so, that I’ve been studying gender diversity in project management, both within the framework of my Doctoral Thesis, investigating Female Leadership in Project Management in Argentina, since 2016, and also from the PMI Buenos Aires Chapter’s Community of Interest in Female Leadership, of which I am founder and leader since 2018.

At our Community of Interest, we carry out an investigation to find out the representation of women of the PMI Chapters of Latin America, regarding percentage of women among Chapter’s members, Chapter’s PMP® holders, Chapter’s Board of Directors members and Chapter’s President.

This study showed that, in 2019, only 28% of Chapters members and 26% of the Chapters PMP® credential holders were women; 37% of the Chapters Board of Directors members were women but only 22% of the Chapters have Female President.

In contrast to this very low representation, we are proud to say that the 100% of the 3 Region Mentors in Latin America are women!

I had the opportunity to present this research at various congresses and conferences, including PMI North America LIM in Philadelphia, last October 2019.  This year we are repeating the study to see the evolution of female participation.

Additionally, this year we are also researching the percentage of women in leadership roles and, especially, as project managers, in organizations and state agencies as well as the diversity programs they are carrying out in Latin America. As soon as we have that information, we will share it with the community.

On the other hand, investigating the history of the PMI, we can mention that:

• Among its 5 founders, James Snyder, Eric Jenett, Gordon Davis, Ned Engman and Susan Gallagher, there was only one 1 woman.

• Among the 51 Chairs of the PMI Board of Directors from 1969 to now, only 8 have been women.

• All three PMI CEOs since 1996 are men.

The good news is that the current BoD, even though it’s chaired by a male, is represented in a 50% by women.

Perhaps, all the above data explains the reason to have only one female candidate for Board of Directors this year, and that’s why I appreciate so much Sunil's posting and concern.

From the PMI Buenos Aires Chapter, we are conducting awareness, promotion and professional development sessions for women, as well as a mentoring program with the aim of reversing this unbalanced reality and achieving greater diversity, with the benefits it entails.

The purpose of our community is to achieve a more diverse profession, with fewer biases, stereotypes and barriers, with more opportunities for women in project management.

Thank you very much, Sunil, for opening this dialogue!

#WomenLeaders #WomenInProjectManagement #FemaleLeadership #Leadership #Diversity #Inclusion

==== En Español

El CEO y Presidente del PMI, Sr. Sunil Prashara, nos envió recientemente un correo electrónico mencionando el lanzamiento del comité de Diversity and Inclusion y su preocupación sobre la baja participación femenina entre los candidatos a Board of Directors del PMI.

Aprecio y comparto esa preocupación, tanto que desde hace varios años estoy estudiando la diversidad de género en la Dirección de Proyectos, tanto en el marco de mi tesis doctoral, investigando el liderazgo femenino en dirección de proyectos en Argentina desde el año 2016, como también, desde la Comunidad de Interés de Liderazgo Femenino del PMI Capítulo Buenos Aires de la que soy fundadora y líder desde el 2018.

En nuestra Comunidad de Interés de Liderazgo Femenino, llevamos adelante una investigación para conocer la representación de mujeres de los capítulos de PMI de Latinoamérica, los que nos informan el porcentaje de mujeres entre sus miembros, certificados PMP®, integrantes de la comisión directiva y presidente de la comisión directiva.

Con este estudio hemos encontrado que, en el año 2019, sólo un 28% de los miembros y un 26% de los certificados PMP® eran mujeres; el 37% de los integrantes de las comisiones directivas eran mujeres pero sólo el 22% de los Presidentes.

Como contraste a esta muy baja representación, tenemos que el 100% de los 3 PMI Region Mentors de Latinoamérica, son mujeres!

Tuve la oportunidad de presentar esta investigación en diversos congresos y conferencias, incluyendo el taller que realicé junto a Adriana Cibelli en la LIM de Filadelfia en Octubre de 2019 y este año la estamos repitiendo el estudio para ver la evolución de la participación femenina.

Adicionalmente, este año estamos investigando también en organizaciones y organismos del estado la participación de mujeres en roles de liderazgo y especialmente de project managers y los programas de diversidad que están realizando las organizaciones en Latinoamérica. Aún no contamos con esa información para poder publicarla.

Por otro lado, investigando la historia del PMI podemos mencionar que:

• Entre sus 5 fundadores, James Snyder, Eric Jenett, Gordon Davis, Ned Engman and Susan Gallagher, solamente se encontraba una 1 mujer.
• Entre los presidentes de los BoD desde 1969 a la fecha, sólo 8 de 51 presidentes han sido mujeres.
• Los tres CEOs de PMI desde 1996, fueron hombres.

La buena noticia es que el BoD actual, si bien está presidido por un varón, está representado en un 50% de mujeres.

Tal vez todo lo anterior explique la razón por la que sólo tengamos una candidata mujer para en Board of Directors y es por esto que aprecio la publicación y preocupación de Sunil.

Desde el PMI Capítulo Buenos Aires estamos realizando sesiones de concientización, promoción y desarrollo profesional de mujeres, así como un programa de mentoring con el objetivo de revertir esta realidad dispar y lograr una mayor diversidad, con los beneficios que esto conlleva.

El propósito de nuestra comunidad es lograr una profesión más diversa, con menos sesgos, estereotipos y barreras, con más oportunidades para las mujeres en la dirección de proyectos.

Muchas Gracias, Sunil, por abrir este diálogo!

#MujeresLíderes #MujeresEnProjectManagement #LiderazgoFemenino #Liderazgo #Diversidad #Inclusión

A beautiful dawn when I was 6 years old my father woke my eldest sister and me up to announce us that we had a new little sister. By that time ultrasounds did not exist yet, so the doctor told my father about the birth and he later apologized, jokingly, about the gender. I had a new sister. My father, who was very grateful, said: “three girls… boys will come with time”.   

My mother was studying a technical career in the construction industry then. It was her second year and she was almost the only woman at the school. Since she was giving birth, she missed a test that day.  Once she was able to return, the teacher, a man, told her, “I had to put you the lowest mark” and with a proud tone he added, “Have you seen how that lowers your average score? “

She was a very tenacious woman and continues to be nowadays. She had decided to start that path to help my father who was a Civil Engineer.  After the delivery, the routine changed and every day, me and my family went to her school with my little sister for my mom to breastfeed her.  Two years later she got the degree with a gold medal. It was given by Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat 1 - a executive Argentinian women, school ‘sponsor -. Since then my mother worked not only next to my father but by her own until her retirement.

My mother was undoubtedly my inspiration. My father bought me a home computer in the early eighties to evaluate my vocation. When he asked me if I was sure about my career choice as a woman – he was conscious about gender inequity, not me -, I knew that it was possible because that was what she had taught me.  While my father was afraid to send me to another city to live alone being seventeen years old to study, my mom didn’t hesitate and sent me.  When I got my degree in Systems Engineer my father was emotionally touched.  I later formed my own family with a supportive husband like him, having my own three girls, working all the time with passion and enthusiasm.

A sad sunset three months ago was my turn to announce to my sisters and my mother that my father could not wake up anymore. I hugged my great mother and sisters, and I felt that great man with us. Immediately, every member of the family had self-assigned a duty, and I felt the necessity of writing the obituary for the local newspaper. 

As an engineer, teacher by vocation and a very active member in social institutions, he had developed in his local and regional community a very extensive activity. I was afraid of not being able to honor him in the short period of time that I had. But I recalled an old folder where he was collecting all the local clippings where he had been mentioned. As if he had foreseen facilitating my task, I found in the same place his professional transcript, course certificates, awards and handwritten drafts. As I read, I was able to understand him as a young man, his hopes, desires and concerns, his battles promoting the professional ethic, constructions laws modernization and school foundations. And then, through notes and discourses written when he was retired, I discovered his nostalgy and pride due to his achievements and results. 

Nothing on those papers was new to me. Neither it was to receive a condolence remembering him like a “creative and free ship captain!” or to see the blackboard on his room with his last attempts to learn another language or his recent history courses certificates. But it was a real surprise for everybody to find poems written by himself. Beautiful poems that told us about his reflections about being a father, the family, love, life and being in peace.

The review of his long trajectory and his pride gave me the strength, without hesitation, - as well as my mother's strength -  to return immediately, carrying all my immense pain, to my IT complex projects that continue without any compassion advancing steadily.

Since then his enthusiasm and passion for the action and the knowledge combined with the sentimentalism and generosity, beats – now consciously - in my heart. 

As women, we know that we don’t need a man to pursue our dreams. But it becomes easier and more harmonic if we count on them.  And I am sure that in the same way that we have a positive influence in them, they can influence us with their example and with their unconditional support.

So, we can say, with no shame and with pride, that behind a great woman there can be a great man.

María del Rosario Valicente 

In memorian to  Eng. Cesar V. Valicente. (Argentina 1931-2019) 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/María_Amalia_Lacroze_de_Fortabat

=======================================================

Detrás de una gran mujer puede haber un gran hombre.

Un bello amanecer, cuando tenía 6 años, mi papá me despertó a mi hermana y a mí, para anunciarnos que había llegado una hermanita. Entonces no había ecógrafos, asi que el médico anunció al mismo tiempo el nacimiento, y casi como como disculpándose en broma, el género. Mi papá se sintió agradecido de que todo hubiera salido bien y dijo: “ Tres niñas, los varones llegarán con el tiempo”.

Por aquel entonces, mi madre estudiaba una carrera técnica en la industria de la construcción. Estaba en su Segundo año y era casi la única mujer en la escuela. Debido al parto ella faltó a un examen. Al volver, un profesor, como si estuviera orgulloso y contento por ello le dijo, “Le tuve que poner un cero. Notó como le bajé el promedio?”

Ella era una mujer muy tenaz y continúa siéndolo. Había decidido iniciar ese camino para ayudar a mi papá que era Ingeniero Civil. Después del parto, la rutina cambió y todos los días, toda la familia iba a la escuela para que mi mamá pudiera amamantar a mi hermanita. Dos años más tarde ella tuvo su graduación con medalla de oro y otorgada por Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat  – importante empresaria argentina, patrocinadora de esa escuela. Desde entonces trabajó de su profesión, no solo junto a mi padre sino por su cuenta, hasta su jubilación.

Sin duda, fue mi inspiración. Mi padre me compró una computadora hogareña en los ochenta para evaluar mi vocación y cuando me preguntó si estaba segura de la carrera – él era consciente acerca de la inequidad de género, no yo – supe que era posible por mi mamá. Cuando él tuvo miedo de enviarme a vivir y estudiar a otra ciudad a mis 17 años, mi mamá no dudó y me envió. Cuando me gradué de ingeniera de sistemas, mi papá estaba notablemente emocionado.  Luego formé mi propia familia con mi esposo, teniendo mis propias tres niñas y trabajando con entusiasmo y pasión.

Un triste atardecer de hace tres meses fue mi turno de anunciarles a mis hermanas y mi madre que mi padre no despertaría más. Abracé a esta gran mujer y a mis hermanas y pude sentir a aquel gran hombre con nosotras. Inmediatamente cada uno de los miembros de la familia se autoasignó una tarea.  En mi caso, sentí la necesidad de escribir su recordatorio para el diario.

Como ingeniero, docente por vocación y miembro activo de instituciones sociales, su actividad en la comunidad local y regional en la que se había desempeñado había sido tan intensa y diversa que temía que no le iba a poder rendir el honor que se merecía en el corto tiempo que disponía. Decidí recurrir a un viejo álbum donde iba guardando recortes de diarios con notas que le habían hecho y, como si hubiera previsto facilitarme la tarea, estaban apilados en el mismo lugar, su legajo docente, su actividad profesional, certificados, reconocimientos y escritos. La lectura de hechos permitía desentrañar sus anhelos, sus preocupaciones, sus luchas por la ética profesional, reformas de leyes y fundaciones de escuelas. Mientras que las notas más recientes y discursos preparados para aniversarios descubrían su nostalgia y orgullo por los logros alcanzados. Nada del contenido de todos esos papeles y escritos eran novedosos para mí.  Tampoco el haber recibido entre las muestras de afecto y condolencias que lo recordaran como el capitán de un barco libre y creativo. Ni el pizarrón con los últimos intentos de practicar inglés. Lo que realmente nos sorprendió a todos fue encontrar recientes poemas, borradores y pasados en limpio, en los que reflexionaba sobre la felicidad de ser padre, del amor, de la vida, de irse en paz.

Fue seguro el haber repasado su vida profesional, su pasión y su orgullo - así como la fortaleza de mi madre - lo que me dio fuerzas para no dudar en retomar a los pocos días, arrastrando todo mi dolor, mis proyectos complejos de IT que no daban tregua.

Desde entonces, su entusiasmo por el saber y la acción, así como el sentimentalismo y su generosidad, laten - ahora conscientemente – en mi corazón.

Como mujeres, no necesitamos un hombre para cumplir nuestros sueños. Pero con su apoyo puede resultar más fácil y armónico.  Y así como nosotras influímos en ellos positivamente, ellos pueden haber influído con su ejemplo o con su soporte incondicional.

Podemos decir entonces, sin avergonzarnos y con orgullo, que detrás de toda gran mujer, puede haber también un gran hombre.

María del Rosario Valicente

In memorian Ingeniero Cesar V. Valicente. (Argentina,1931-2019) 

"Leadership has masculine traits"

"Technology is not for women"

"Entrepreneurs are men"

Women still today continue dealing with prejudices, stereotypes and difficulties in our professional development. What has been metaphorically referred to as "Crystal Roof", "Crystal Labyrinth" or "Sticky Floor", is still valid in the XXI century.

However, we could not complain if we compare it with what the courageous women who preceded us have had to fight to open a path for us and make great advances.

One of these brave women is the talented Stephanie Shirley, who had to change her name to "Steve" to be received in the business world of the United Kingdom in the '60s.

At that time, women couldn’t even drive a truck or open a bank account without their husband's permission. Imagine the difficulty to enter into the workforce. Those who achieved it have had to survive with the fear of sexual harassment on a regular basis.

Stephanie Shirley, who born in Germany, terrified at the age of 5 years old, in 1939, arrived in England as a Jewish refugee, escaping the Holocaust with her 9-year-old sister Renata. Having escaped from Germany to Austria, his parents raised the two little sisters to the Kindertransport program, famous for having saved a large number of children from the terrible fate that would await them in the Europe of the Nazis. Stephanie and Renata were received by a kind couple who resided close to London.

In her book "Let it Go," Shirley says that being a refugee and saving herself from the Holocaust marked her life in such a way that she decided to make sure that each day was worth living. According to her own words: "I was determined not to allow other people to define me, to open my way by myself, to build something new and not be discouraged by the conventions of the day."

Being that she liked math very much and, at that time the most scientific topic being taught in schools for girls were biology, she decided to enroll in a boys' school, which was not easy for her was to start dressing as boy as a way to not to be noticed.

When she finished her high school she started working, at the same time she began her evening studies to graduate with honors in her Mathematics Degree, 6 years later.

In 1951, being only 18 years old, she was hired at the Research Station of the Post Office in Dollis Hill, at the northwest of London, the place where they had developed World War II decoding machines.  

She worked on transatlantic telephone cables and on the development of the first electronic telephone calls, among other projects.

Although she liked his work a lot, she was frustrated to see that she never received a promotion, unlike her male colleagues, whom, with less merits and qualifications obtained the promotions.

In those years Stephanie Shirley married Derek, another employee of the Post Office, making things even more difficult to her. One of them had to quit the job, and while they both had the same hierarchy at the organization, given Stephanie's frustration to see that she could not thrive in that place, she decided to try something different.

Thus, in 1962, at the age of 29, she founded her company "Freelance Programmers", with the mission of giving jobs to women, avoiding misogyny in the workplace and providing them with fair compensation, without the wage gap by gender that at that time it was far worse than now.

From the table in her dining room and with a minimal investment, Stephanie Shirley became a pioneering entrepreneur in the software development industry.

Another novelty aspect of her enterprise was the flexibility of schedules and the possibility of working from their houses that had their programmers, allowing them to balance the work with their dedication to home and family.

Dame Stephanie Shirley, in the '60s implemented the Home Office concept!

All the technology available for remote work at that time was the ground telephone line, and that was the only requirement that she asked to women during the job interviews.

It is difficult to imagine right now, at the communications revolution era, that those women wrote their programs with pencil and paper, they sent them by post mailing to the processing center, where they drilled the code on tapes or cards, to then process the first execution and debugging after that.

Stephanie tells in her book "Let it Go," that when her son was born, he sometimes cried while she was answering the phone and talking with clients. Trying they would not realize that she was working from home, Shirley put the recording of a typewriter in the background so that the noise covers the crying baby.

Obviously, it was not easy to break through in a world dominated by men.

When she sent cover letters, offering consulting and programming services to potential clients, she did not even receive an answer.

She realized then that using her own name did not give her credibility and at the suggestion of her husband, she began to sign as "Steve", which gave her good results and they started receiving her at business meetings, generating great surprise when “Steve” introduced herself as a woman.

"Freelance Programmers" started to take off, employing most women with only three men. One nice anecdote is that when in England in 1975 it was enacted the law of gender discrimination, Shirley had to hire more men.

Her company grew up rapidly and, in the 1980s, her thousands of programmers, mostly women, wrote software for the best companies in the United Kingdom and developed projects, such as the programming of the flight recorder of the black box of the Concorde plane.

In 1996, the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and came to be valued at 3 billion dollars. Since Shirley had distributed more than 50% of her shares to her employees, at no cost to them, seventy women became millionaires at that time.

Upon retiring, Stephanie Shirley began to dedicate herself to philanthropy through the Shirley Foundation, which is dedicated to the research and treatment of autistic children. Having had an autistic child herself, she supports the advancement of science about this disorder.

Shirley was part of the founding members of the British Computer Society in 1957. She was appointed Officer of the Excellent Order of the British Empire and promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000. She was also Ambassador of the United Kingdom for Philanthropy and has received other multiple recognitions.

I think we have much to learn from the story of Dame Stephanie Shirley, who was not stopped by the "glass ceiling" or any other of the many difficulties that she had in her life, using all her means to enforce her work and the work of thousands of women who became part of her company.

I propose you that, the next time you face a difficulty in your profession, remember Stephanie "Steve" Shirley!

--- Versión en Español

Título: “Mi nombre es Steve”

“El liderazgo tiene rasgos masculinos”

“La tecnología no es para mujeres”

“Los emprendedores son hombres”

Las mujeres en la actualidad seguimos viviendo con prejuicios, estereotipos y dificultades en nuestro desarrollo profesional. Lo que se ha denominado metafóricamente como “Techo de Cristal”, “Laberinto de Cristal” o “Piso Pegajoso”, aún sigue vigente en pleno siglo XXI.

Sin embargo, no podríamos quejarnos si lo comparamos con lo que han tenido que luchar las mujeres valientes que nos precedieron, que nos abrieron el camino y lograron grandes avances.

Una de estas mujeres valientes es la talentosa Stephanie Shirley, quién se tuvo que hacer llamar “Steve” para que la recibieran en el mundo de los negocios del Reino Unido de los anos ’60.

Por aquella época, las mujeres no podían conducir un camión, ni siquiera podían abrir una cuenta bancaria sin el permiso de su marido, mucho menos insertarse en el mundo laboral. Aquellas que lo lograban debían convivir con el temor al acoso sexual de forma regular.

Stephanie Shirley, nacida en Alemania, en 1939, a sus 5 años llegó aterrorizada a Inglaterra como refugiada judía, escapando del Holocausto junto a su hermana Renata de 9 años. Habiendo escapado de Alemania a Austria, sus padres subieron a las dos pequeñas hermanas al programa Kindertransport, famoso por haber salvado a un gran número de niños del terrible destino que les esperaría en la Europa de los Nazis. Stephanie y Renata fueron recibidas por un bondadoso matrimonio y residieron en las afueras de Londres.

En su libro “Let it Go”, Shirley cuenta que haber sido refugiada y salvarse del Holocausto marcó su vida de tal forma que decidió que debía asegurarse de que cada día valiera la pena ser vivido. Según sus propias palabras: “Estaba decidida a no permitir que otras personas me definan, a abrirme paso, a construir algo nuevo y no dejarme desanimar por las convenciones del día".

Como le gustaban mucho las matemáticas y en esa época las escuelas para niñas lo más científico que tenían era biología, decidió anotarse en una escuela de varones, lo que no fue para nada fácil para ella que empezó a vestirse lo más masculino que podía para no llamar la atención.

Cuanto terminó su escuela secundaria comenzó a trabajar, a la vez que comenzó sus estudios nocturnos para graduarse con honores en su Licenciatura de Matemáticas, 6 años más tarde.

En 1951, teniendo apenas 18 años empezó a trabajar en la Estación de Investigación de la Oficina de Correos de Dollis Hill, en el noroeste de Londres, donde se habían construido las máquinas de descifrado de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Trabajó en cables telefónicos transatlánticos y en el desarrollo de las primeras llamadas telefónicas electrónicas, entre otros proyectos.

Si bien le gustaba mucho su trabajo, se frustraba de ver que nunca le llegaba una promoción, al contrario que sus compañeros varones, que con menores méritos y calificaciones obtenían las promociones.

En esos años contrajo matrimonio con Derek, otro empleado de la Oficina de Correos y eso dificultaba aún más las cosas. Uno de los dos debía dejar su trabajo, y, si bien los dos tenían la misma jerarquía, dada la frustración que tenía Stephanie de ver que en ese lugar no podía prosperar, decidió probar algo diferente.

Fue así como en 1962, a los 29 años, fundó su compañía “Freelance Programmers”, con la misión de dar trabajo a mujeres, evitar la misoginia en el lugar de trabajo y brindarles una retribución justa, sin la brecha de salarios por género que en aquel momento era muy superior a la actual.

Desde la mesa de su comedor y con una inversión mínima, Stephanie Shirley se convirtió en una emprendedora pionera del desarrollo de software.

Otro aspecto de avanzada de su emprendimiento era la flexibilidad de horarios y la posibilidad de trabajar desde sus casas que tenían sus programadoras, permitiéndoles balancear el trabajo con su dedicación al hogar y a la familia.

Dame Stephanie Shirley, en los años ’60 implementó el Home Office!

En aquella época, toda la tecnología disponible para el trabajo a distancia era el teléfono de línea, y ese era el único requisito que le pedía a las mujeres en las entrevistas de trabajo.

Es difícil imaginar ahora, en la época de la revolución de las comunicaciones, que aquellas mujeres escribían sus programas con lápiz y papel, los enviaban por correo postal al centro de procesamiento, donde perforaban el código en cintas o tarjetas, para luego poder hacer la primera ejecución y luego la depuración.   

Cuenta Stephanie en su libro “Let it Go”, que cuando nació su hijo, en ocasiones lloraba mientras ella atendía el teléfono y hablaba con clientes. Para que estos no se dieran cuenta que estaba trabajando desde su casa, Shirley ponía de fondo la grabación de una persona tipeando en una máquina de escribir para que el ruido tapara el llanto del bebé.

Obviamente que no fue fácil abrirse camino en un mundo dominado por los hombres. Cuando enviaba cartas de presentación, ofreciendo los servicios de consultoría y programación a los posibles clientes, ni siquiera recibía una respuesta.

Se dio cuenta entonces que usar su propio nombre no le daba credibilidad y por sugerencia de su marido, comenzó a firmar como “Steve”, lo que le dio buen resultado y comenzaron a recibirla a reuniones de negocios, generando gran sorpresa cuando Steve se presentaba como una mujer.

"Freelance Programmers" comenzó a despegar, empleando mayoría de mujeres con sólo tres hombres. Resulta simpático que cuando en Inglaterra se promulgó la ley de discriminación de género, en 1975, Shirley tuvo que salir a contratar más hombres.

Su empresa creció rápidamente y, en la década de los ’80 sus miles de programadores, mayormente mujeres, escribían software para las mejores compañías del Reino Unido y desarrollaban proyectos, tales como el de la programación de la grabadora de vuelo de la caja negra del Concorde.

En 1996, la empresa cotizó en la Bolsa de Londres y llegó a ser valorada en 3 mil millones de dólares.  Dado que Shirley había distribuido más del 50% de sus acciones en sus empleadas, sin ningún costo para ellas, setenta mujeres se hicieron millonarias en ese momento.

Al retirarse, Stephanie Shirley comenzó a dedicarse a la filantropía a través de la Fundación Shirley que se dedica a la investigación y al tratamiento de niños autistas. Habiendo tenido ella misma un hijo autista, brinda apoyo al avance de la ciencia sobre ese trastorno.

Shirley fue parte de los miembros fundadores de la British Computer Society en 1957. Fue nombrada Oficial de la Excellent Order of the British Empire y ascendida a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire en el año 2000. También fue Embajadora del Reino Unido para la Filantropía y ha recibido otros múltiples reconocimientos.

Creo que tenemos mucho que aprender de la historia de Dame Stephanie Shirley, a quien no la detuvo el “techo de cristal” ni ninguna de las dificultades de las muchas que se le presentaron en la vida, usando todos sus medios para hacer valer su trabajo y el trabajo de miles de mujeres que llegaron a formar parte de su empresa.

Te propongo que la próxima vez que te enfrentes a una dificultad en tu profesión, recuerdes a Stephanie “Steve” Shirley.

Today I’m going to spend the day revisiting myself

Resetting my world

Reorganising my shelf

Because yesterday is too far gone

And all I need is to be ready for tomorrow…

Vanessa Guimarães

I wrote this text to myself but I think it should be shared. I want to share it here because we are part of a global community, and that should mean something. We are supposedly open to diversity and more tolerant to the differences. We have travelled around the world, we learned about other cultures, we speak other languages, most of us have been labelled “the foreigner” somewhere. When we speak our minds, people see a person who is international, a leadership. It should mean something. So I want to share this with you, and if you still think diversity is only another policy to tick out of your corporate social responsibility list, please, just please re-evaluate your privileged position and have some empathy. You might be making someone’s life a bit harder.  

Every now and then we have to face a difficult situation. It makes us stronger, it makes us review our values and principles, it tests our patience, it brings us closer to who we really are.

Every now and then we are caught in a dilemma. You can either follow your heart, your guts or your brain. You can hurt, be hurt or let hurt. You can take a breath, take some time, react, overreact, but you can never keep it quiet.

Silence does not exist. Those who are alive are always haunted but a little voice inside asking those questions that we try so hard to avoid. Is this it? Is that all? What is next? Who is next? Am I enough? Am I strong enough? The thing is that the answers to these questions are not relevant. What triggered them, what they make you feel, that´s what really matters.

Understanding the trigger, though, is just as complicated. Sometimes it was just a bad day, you were just not feeling it, it was just the weather, the pending bills, your boss, your partner, a car driving too fast, an unworthy person, an idiot that crossed your way. Do people really say things they don’t mean? How long does it take one to process what is in front of them, rationalise about it, decide to say something about it and… Regret? Really?

Some things just can’t be changed. Yesterday I was a victim of racism. I can’t change the colour of my skin and I shouldn’t need to change the texture of my hair. I can’t change the fact that I heard what I heard. And it was such a dear person to me… It still is. Some things can’t be changed, at least not that fast.

Those who know me will agree that I am not easily offended. And for sure it was not the first time that racism has looked me in the eye… Usually I am strong, I rise above, I prefer to think that I deserve better, that that person is just not worth my energy. But why do I always have to be so strong? Why do I have to wear such a thick shell to protect myself from others, from the world? Why can’t I just be me?

Dressing up, the make-up, the hair, the neutral colours… How much of that is really me? I tried not to be affected by what happened and, like I said, usually I am pretty good at it, but should I?

Going back in time I realise that this so called strength has been with me since I was just a kid. Is it fair that a kid needed to be strong in order not to be broken by the environment? You might think it is an exaggeration, but I remember second guessing myself, not because I did not believe in my potential but because I always had something else to prove. It was always harder for me, I was never an option, I would always have to explain that no, I am not the maid, I am not the babysitter, I am not lost I live here, I was just looking, I want to try that dress and yes I can afford it, please don’t touch my hair, I am not a woman yet despite the body, I don’t need to show my parents’ payslip to be accepted by your family, yes my nose is natural and small, these are not homeless people it’s a picture of my family.

Yesterday, when I heard what I heard, and it wasn’t even the worst thing I’ve ever heard, I just allowed myself to be hit, feel offended, act normal as anyone else would have done in my shoes. And it took me to a very deep place that I had not visited for quite a while.

So yes, today I allowed myself to stay in, to sleep longer, get in touch with these feelings, understand my moment, reassess my plan, and rebuild my pillars. The funny thing is that vulnerability is the key to that room where only a few people are allowed in. We are not born strong, we become strong. We are not born fighters, we become fighters. But what are we actually fighting against? And why now? Why has vulnerability hit me now?

I have recently dropped a brilliant career working for a foreign government to start my own business. Actually two businesses. They are both growing well; I have managed to mobilise more than 20 wonderful women to volunteer in this initial phase; my network is bigger and greater than ever; I am constantly being complimented on my achievements; I keep on having one great idea after the other; strategic partnerships are being established. Why now? Like I said, it was far from being the worst thing I’ve heard, usually I would have ignored, but this time was different, and I believe that it might have something to do with the so-called “Impostor Syndrome”.

Yes, minorities tend to feel unworthy of their accomplishments and we doubt ourselves all the time. It had been a while since the last time I was in that confusing place but here I am again, allowing myself to be offended because being a woman of so much success can only mean I am a fraud, right? So my old friend Vulnerability decides to pay me a visit and next thing I know… Racism and sexism hit me hard. One punch from the world, another punch from my own mind, tricking me into believing that “this”, a successful career, an extensive portfolio of achievements, this can only be one thing: a fraud.

Going back in the whole situation, which happened a few minutes ago, I have come to one conclusion: you can only be a “fraud” if you allow yourself to be one, and there will be many insecurities that will arise to make sure you feel like you are an impostor. Being the only woman in every single board meeting I have recently been to has certainly made me more likely to go down that road, but it can also be proof that this is exactly where I should be:  at the top, because I know it was not an easy mountain to climb, and you know what? I’ll dry my tears – which have reminded me of my struggle -, and instead, I will enjoy the view: oh yes, it was a tough challenge to get to the top, but it is a beautiful view from up here. 

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Portuguese version (from Google Translator, sorry)

Eu escrevi este texto para mim mesma, mas acho que deveria ser compartilhado. Quero compartilhá-lo aqui porque somos parte de uma comunidade global, e isso deve significar alguma coisa. Estamos supostamente abertos à diversidade e mais tolerantes às diferenças. Nós viajamos ao redor do mundo, aprendemos sobre outras culturas, falamos outras línguas, a maioria de nós foi rotulada como "o estrangeiro" em algum lugar. Quando nos expressamos, as pessoas veem uma pessoa que é internacional, uma liderança. Deve significar alguma coisa. Então, quero compartilhar isso com você, e se você ainda acha que a diversidade é apenas mais uma política para cortar da sua lista de responsabilidade social corporativa, por favor, reavalie sua posição privilegiada e tenha alguma empatia. Você pode estar tornando a vida de alguém um pouco mais difícil.

De vez em quando, temos que enfrentar uma situação difícil. Isso nos torna mais fortes, faz-nos rever os nossos valores e princípios, testa a nossa paciência, aproxima-nos de quem realmente somos.

De vez em quando, nos vemos presos em um dilema. Você pode seguir seu coração, seus instintos ou sua mente. Você pode machucar, se machucar ou deixar machucar. Você pode respirar, demorar um pouco, reagir, reagir exageradamente, mas nunca conseguirá silenciá-lo.

O silêncio não existe. Aqueles que estão vivos são sempre assombrados, mas uma pequena voz lá dentro faz as perguntas que nós nos esforçamos para evitar. É isso? Isso é tudo? O que vem depois? Quem é o próximo? Eu sou o suficiente? Eu sou forte o suficiente? O problema é que as respostas para essas perguntas não são relevantes. O que os desencadeou, o que eles fazem você se sentir, é o que realmente importa.

Entender o gatilho, no entanto, é tão complicado quanto. Às vezes, era apenas um dia ruim, você simplesmente não sentia, era apenas o tempo, as contas pendentes, seu chefe, seu parceiro, um carro dirigindo rápido demais, uma pessoa indigna, um idiota que cruzava seu caminho. As pessoas realmente dizem coisas que não querem dizer? Quanto tempo leva para processar o que está na frente deles, racionalizar sobre isso, decidir dizer algo sobre isso e… Arrependimento? Mesmo?

Algumas coisas simplesmente não podem ser alteradas. Ontem fui vítima do racismo. Eu não posso mudar a cor da minha pele e não preciso mudar a textura do meu cabelo. Eu não posso mudar o fato de que ouvi o que ouvi. E era uma pessoa tão querida para mim ... Ainda é. Algumas coisas não podem ser alteradas, pelo menos não tão rápido.

Aqueles que me conhecem concordam que não me ofendo facilmente. E com certeza não foi a primeira vez que o racismo me olhou nos olhos ... Normalmente sou forte, me elevo, prefiro pensar que mereço melhor, que essa pessoa não vale a pena minha energia. Mas por que eu sempre tenho que ser tão forte? Por que eu tenho que usar uma concha tão grossa para me proteger dos outros, do mundo? Por que eu não posso ser apenas eu?

Vestindo-se, a maquiagem, o cabelo, as cores neutras ... Quanto disso é realmente eu? Eu tentei não ser afetado pelo que aconteceu e, como eu disse, normalmente eu sou muito bom nisso, mas eu deveria?

Voltando no tempo eu percebo que esta força tão chamada tem estado comigo desde que eu era apenas uma criança. É justo que uma criança precise ser forte para não ser quebrada pelo meio ambiente? Você pode pensar que é um exagero, mas lembro-me de adivinhar a mim mesmo, não porque não acreditava em meu potencial, mas porque sempre tinha outra coisa a provar. Sempre foi mais difícil para mim, eu nunca fui uma opção, eu sempre teria que explicar que não, eu não sou a empregada, eu não sou a babá, eu não estou perdida, eu moro aqui, eu estava apenas olhando, eu quero tente esse vestido e sim eu posso pagar, por favor não toque no meu cabelo, eu não sou uma mulher ainda apesar do corpo, eu não preciso mostrar o salário de meus pais para ser aceito por sua família, sim meu nariz é natural e pequeno, estes não são pessoas desabrigadas é uma foto da minha família.

Sim, as minorias tendem a se sentir indignas de suas realizações e duvidamos de nós mesmos o tempo todo. Já fazia um tempo desde a última vez que eu estava naquele lugar confuso, mas aqui estou eu de novo, me permitindo ficar ofendido porque ser uma mulher de tanto sucesso só pode significar que eu sou uma fraude, certo? Então meu velho amigo Vulnerabilidade decide me fazer uma visita e a próxima coisa que eu sei… Racismo e sexismo me atingiram com força. Um soco do mundo, outro soco da minha mente, me enganando em acreditar que "isso", uma carreira de sucesso, um extenso portfólio de conquistas, isso só pode ser uma coisa: uma fraude.

Voltando em toda a situação, que aconteceu alguns minutos atrás, eu cheguei a uma conclusão: você só pode ser uma "fraude" se você se permitir ser um, e haverá muitas inseguranças que surgirão para ter certeza de que sinta-se como um impostor. Ser a única mulher em cada reunião de diretoria a que fui, certamente me fez mais propenso a seguir esse caminho, mas também pode ser a prova de que é exatamente onde eu deveria estar: no topo, porque sei que não uma montanha fácil de escalar, e sabe de uma coisa? Eu vou secar minhas lágrimas - o que me lembrou da minha luta - e, em vez disso, vou apreciar a vista: ah, sim, foi um grande desafio chegar até aqui, mas é uma bela vista daqui de cima.