Carla DiBello On The Need For More Female Representation In A Male-Dominated Business World
The entrepreneur and celebrity style insider reflects on how increasing female representation in the business world adds new perspectives, a different status quo and untapped opportunities for growth
What is it that makes a rebel? Do we become one when we break all the rules just for the sake of breaking them? When we take wild deviations from the norm? Or is it also possible to be a rebel when we do follow the rules – but maybe just not the ones set out for us?
A week ago, I briefly left the table at a business meeting only to return to a table of my all male colleagues sharing a good laugh. ‘We were just chuckling, asking ourselves, what if you were a man?’ After seeing my perplexed expression, they elaborated. ‘We can’t help but speculate that the fact that you are a woman must present multiple obstacles for you in business. And yet, here you are at the table, guiding us ahead of the curve and leading the conversation. If you were a man, just imagine how limitless you could be.’
I’ve always considered my being a woman in the world of high-profile business a double edged sword. Without a doubt, there have been certain doors that were opened due to the fact that I am a woman. However, there are just as many doors, if not more (and often invisible) that are closed for the exact same reason. I am often, at first, not taken seriously regardless of how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am. And there are still those who criticise the unconventional path that I took, regardless of the fact that had a man taken the same route, they would be applauded for the same actions.
This might sound controversial, but quite frankly, I do not believe that men and women are the same. But I also think that the differences between men and women are precisely what makes the genders so valuable. And when it comes to business, men and women have the potential to offer different merits in every field and sector. The business world is still very much a man’s world. And that means by default, it remains hegemonic in view.
But bring a woman to the table, and all of a sudden, you’ve got a whole new perspective. She recognises unique needs and offers different ways of doing things that add dimension and untapped opportunities for growth. And considering that currently, women control over 85 per cent of consumer spending in the United States and $43 trillion of global consumer spending, these days, having clear insight from a woman’s perspective is literally invaluable.
Personally, I’ve benefited greatly from the generation of businesswomen who came before me and shattered glass ceilings, making room for more women to come to the table. In order to break down those walls, the first pioneers had to adapt their personae, taking on more masculine qualities in an effort to in turn, be taken more seriously. After all, softness is often considered a weakness. But in doing so, they unintentionally conformed to a different status quo.
These women were true rebels in their own right and their breakthroughs were hard fought. They smashed down seemingly impossible roadblocks to success. But much like a willow that bends in the wind, my resistance towards the status quo is more gentle – but not weak. A bending willow can withstand a storm far better than an uncompromising oak tree. And it is precisely the nurturing nature of the lioness that makes her so ferocious. The lioness must be strong in order to protect, guide and support her cubs.
As women in business, we possess the same role. Sheryl Sandberg wrote in her book Lean In, “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” Bringing feminine energy to the business world does exactly that. We are the lionesses and our businesses are our cubs – and we will do anything to foster their growth.
Our intuition, nurturing tendencies, compassion and vulnerability are our superpowers. By owning everything that feminine energy is, this time around, our rebellion is quiet, yet poignant. And the effects will be everlasting.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2022 issue