Women in Leadership @ Alasco - Meet Julia, Maria, Lisa and Sarah

International Women’s Day (8th March) is a global day celebrating women's social, economic, cultural and political achievements. It marks a call to action to accelerate women's equality, celebrate their achievements, and raise awareness against gender bias.

“Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.”

Internationalwomensday.com

Alasco is a workplace where everyone can thrive, feel appreciated, and has the power to influence change.

To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, we’re sitting down with four inspirational female leaders from Alasco: Julia (VP Product), Maria (Head of Marketing), Sarah (Head of International) and Lisa (Head of Growth) to find out more about their personal experiences of becoming a leader.

We want to inspire you to stand against biases and discrimination and to pursue your personal and professional goals.

Who inspired you to be a leader, and why?

Julia: "I never actively chose to have a role model, however, I was heavily influenced by my parents who have built up a company together. In the beginning of my career, I thought that a good leader needs to be tough and make confident decisions and that it is a weakness to show emotions - because my dad was successful with it. However, starting my professional career I learned that being tough does not make me a good leader and especially did not let me unfold my full potential - because I was not authentic. Reflecting on that, I started to realise how much my mother has been leading my dad and the company in the background and she did not do this by being tough. She was empathic and sensitive to the needs of everyone in the company and, therefore, was one of the pillars that helped my father be successful. In the end, it's not “either-or”, it's diversity that makes a team and a company successful."

Maria: "I can relate to Julia since I’ve had many moments of inspiration. At the start of my career, I met many women who were in leadership positions, and there were also many male role models that inspired me. But when I think of my very first role model, I think of my grandmother. She showed me how a woman can hold her own in a male-dominated world and how a woman can achieve her goals. She was the director of a kindergarten where lots of kids and grandkids of important people went, so it was a challenge to not only manage the employees, but also the parents. I was impressed by how she managed everything while taking care of me and my brother on the side. My grandmother could do everything!"

What made you decide to take on a leadership role?

Lisa: "I never actively had the goal to take over a leadership position nor did I have a specific role model. The idea of getting into a management position had to start as a possibility in my own mind and then grow over time. That’s why I’m so happy that the entire management team always encouraged and motivated me to take on this responsibility. In moments of doubt, Julia always said to me: "Who should be able to do this better than you?" I knew that I wanted to work independently and be self-motivated since I have noticed over the last few years that you have to tackle many things yourself if you want to change them. Now, in my current position as Head of Growth, I can!"

Julia: "Yes, I can remember those conversations with you, Lisa. I feel like many women are in doubt of being capable of taking over a leadership position and maybe those doubts make them such good leaders - because they reflect much more on what they are doing. Compared to Lisa I always knew that I wanted to take over a leadership position. It always felt natural to me to lead a group and many times I just found myself in a leadership position without actually pushing for it. However, it took me some time to really make use of my strength. I realised that my emotions are a big advantage in management. I dare to say what I’m thinking (and feeling) and in our management team, my sensitivity is an? “early warning signal” when things in the organisation are a little "off". Unfortunately, it is sometimes more difficult for men to allow and articulate their emotions due to societal expectations. And again, that is why diversity is so important."

Maria: "I could always imagine myself in a leadership position as well. As a child, I always took over responsibility at summer camps or at school. I have noticed early on that I enjoy working with people, leading teams and conceiving strategies. At Jimdo, my first employer in Germany, I knew right away that a management position would be right up my alley some time. However, I’m glad that I had the opportunity to develop maturity in product marketing at Alasco before taking over a leadership position. In my opinion, it takes experience to bear the responsibility that comes with this role."

Sarah: "I agree with Maria! In a management position, you have to motivate employees and get them excited about something, while having the company vision in mind. Showing empathy with employees is also crucial in building up a team that performs at its best. Like Maria, I was good at managing people and guiding them."

What does Women’s Day mean for you?

Maria: "The perception for International Women’s Day has changed for me over the years. I originally come from Eastern Europe and moved to Germany 10 years ago. So, it was quite a journey for me!? Interestingly enough, the origin of this day comes from Western Europe, when women fought for their rights to vote. However, due to the political powers back in the days, it became a big deal in Eastern Europe and USSR very quickly. I do think that the motivation behind this day has changed a lot in Eastern Europe, as they are mostly celebrating women and mothers, and showing them appreciation, instead of celebrating the feministic movement. Women’s Day in Eastern Europe is a lot like Mother's Day here. That’s also the reason why I’m happy that Women’s Day is becoming a symbol of feminism in Germany in recent years as this discussion is way more important than just a day where women get flowers – it is a matter of the holistic, feminist story. We want to remember that women have fought for their rights for a very long time and that the question of equality is far from over."

Sarah: "Even if everyday women should be celebrated like on International Women's Day, a selective focus is needed to raise awareness of the issue of equality, which justifies the importance of this day. Neither in Germany nor the whole world is equality fully-executed yet. But it’s important to note that we do not want to represent women as victims. Issues of equality and diversity are much more complex and require discussion on several levels."

What does it need to drive equal opportunities further?

Maria: "It’s important to me that we value and live this diversity at Alasco. Sadly, this is not the norm everywhere, so we need initiatives that shake up a dusty way of thinking and shed light on the issue of equality for all women, men and the whole LGBTQ+ community. We should share stories on the complexity of this topic and not be intimidated when dissenting voices say, "We don't need that!" Remember, you are never alone and there are always people with the same views!"

Sarah: "I can only agree. I am a huge fan of open, honest communication! As Maria said, you are never alone, and talking about those pain points in communities is a good path towards empowerment."

Lisa: "In any case, this is a very complex problem. In our small Alasco-cosmos, diversity is fortunately already upheld to a high extent. This not only strengthens our culture but also promotes creativity, which is just two of many reasons why diversity is beneficial for everyone."

What advice would you give to the next generation of (female) leaders?

Julia: "I want to tell everyone, “You are good just the way you are!”. I recommend following your intuition as much as possible. Learn to listen to yourself, your gut feeling and your heart is the most important thing as a leader. You have the right to strive for what fascinates you, without being restricted by imposed rules or societal expectations."

Sarah: "I like to say, “The sky is the limit!” Dare to think and dream big and don’t shy away from a male-dominated industry. Women can often be overly self-critical and lower their value, even though we don’t have to! Everyone has critics, and you have to learn to ignore them because being aware of your worth is not only important at work but throughout life!"

Maria: "And being able to stay true to yourself is important for each gender and each leader. You should be aware that you have come this far with your personality and good work, so be proud of yourself. Nevertheless, you must develop yourself further to be a good leader because it’s not a given that people follow you. For me, being a good leader and a good role model is a combination of character, authenticity and continuous work on yourself."

Lisa: "I also see it as crucial that you follow your instincts and learn to trust them. Find an encouraging environment where you enjoy your tasks and get treated with respect, trust and appreciation. An environment like this will empower you to surpass your own expectations! Also, Sarah already mentioned open, honest communication. I can only recommend to everyone to exchange ideas with others because it was incredibly beneficial for me, to talk to Maria and Julia as confidants. To have a peer group internally, as well as externally, where you can exchange thoughts about topics that bother us, is incredibly enriching."