"We should all be feminists, because feminism, at its root, is about recognising what is a fundamental role for society and that it doesn't even depend on gender, on being a woman or a man. It's a way of being that we should maintain and teach our children. The whole process that we do [at Nova] is to show that the value is in diversity and to guarantee that we all have the possibility to contribute in a complementary way. Therefore, respecting the essence of each one is a great asset for this idea of building a more collective and prosperous world," began Marta Pimentel, recalling that Nova SBE Executive Education has several programs dedicated to boosting female leadership.
"All the work we have been doing at Nova is to accept and take advantage of those differences. I would say our biggest mission is to do what we call power balancing, to give the opportunity for everyone to be able to contribute equally, from an equal place. I think that is the great asset and that today democratic societies are ready to make that move."
For the Director of Executive Education at Nova SBE, the challenge of the "giant historical asymmetry" between genders must be answered with firm measures that foster representativeness, because "research says it will take over 200 years to correct the disparities" if nothing is done.
In addition to this, Marta Pimentel also stressed that efforts must be on both sides:
"On the women's side, to take the lead, to come out of their shell a little bit, not to be afraid, to be able to express themselves and pursue their goals and achievements, whatever their career choices may be. And it is also on the other side, in men, in those who allow this space and recognise that there is a gain on the other side", she stated, guaranteeing that cultural heritage often leads women to be less assertive, despite the fact that "from a technical point of view, they are super-prepared. Sometimes they lack the belief that they are capable of meeting the challenge. This is a work that we have been developing [at Nova]: helping women believe in themselves".
Want to know more about this topic? Watch the full conversation in the video below.
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