Leadership: A Woman’s Perspective

The topic of leadership—what leaders think, what they feel emotionally, how they view themselves, how they withstand setbacks and failures in their careers—has fascinated me since childhood. And, because my mother was a successful executive, I have also been keenly interested in women who rose to positions of great responsibility and authority in business.

One question that comes to mind quickly when I mention the topic of women leaders to many people is, “Are they really different from their male counterparts, or is it just that there are fewer of them, compared to men, in leadership roles and that is the reason for your curiosity?”

That’s a fair question, but it’s one that needs a contextual reference. For example, my mother was climbing the ladder in the 1950’s in the United States and I can assure you that it was a man’s world in business at that time. Since then many things have happened in the Western world—policies of non-discrimination, etc.—in an attempt to level the playing field. As we move farther east to the post-Communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, however, one might ask if there is less of a cultural imperative to recognize rising female talent and put women in positions of leadership.

There are many different contexts in which one could discuss leadership as it relates to women. The context in which this series will be written will be here and now in Central Europe and, more specifically, the Czech Republic.

Recently I spent several hours in two interviews each with four highly regarded and recognized Czech women, who are truly leaders in their chosen fields, talking to them about their individual journeys to positions at the top. They represent distinctly different industries: insurance, finance, telecommunications, and strategy consulting as well as distinctly different career paths—research chemistry, accounting and law.

But, the one thing these women share and have in common is their success and the fact that it didn’t come easy for them. Before I introduce them to you, I would like to thank them each for their openness and frankness in sharing their thoughts and experiences so that others might benefit in some way or gain a new perspective on their own careers, which may advance them on their own path to the top.

In alphabetical order, our interviewees are: Alena Ludrovska, Executive Committee Member and Head of Central European Zone for Cetelem, a BNP Bank Paribas company; Renata Mrazova, former Chairman of GDII (DIRECT pojistovna), a start-up direct insurance company in the Czech Republic, who is now taking some time off with her newborn second child; Zuzana Reznickova, Chief Sales Officer for Telefonica 02 Slovakia, and Klara Starkova, who was a Prague-based Partner in what is arguably the top strategy consulting firm in the world, McKinsey and Company and now is a Board Member of PPF Generali Holding.

Each of the columns that follow this one will address a different phase of their development: “The Early Years” will look at their childhood, adolescence and early careers when they discovered they would rather lead than follow. In “Becoming a Leader” we’ll look at how each of them grew into the role of leadership, what challenges they faced and how they overcame them in their ascent. “Lessons Learned”, will focus on sharing the wisdom of what these remarkable women have learned about success, some of which may surprise you. The final column “Some Concluding Thoughts” answers the questions, “Are challenges different for women, and which sex makes better leaders?”

So, what does all this mean to you? If you are a woman who has questions about her career path, or are frustrated by what you are currently experiencing as regards your own career growth, you will find some answers. No matter what your gender, you will find an inspirational message in what these women have achieved, how they did it and what they learned from it. In addition, their stories and insights might even be instructive for those of you who are leaders today, men included, in identifying some of the hidden talent in your own organization.

Good luck on your way up!