12/7/2012 1:18:00 AM
NEWS BRIEFS
Cardillo Tells Fastener Women: “Take Ownership, Find Your Voice and Use It.”
Women in the Fastener Industry co-facilitators Mary Lou Aderman (left) of Aderman Co. and Pam Berry (right), Advance Components, with speaker Sandi Cardillo
Photo courtesy of Tracey Lumia, Link Magazine
To develop leadership capability, women “need to understand ourselves and understand the organizations in which we lead,” Sandi Cardillo told the Women in the Fastener Industry meeting.
“Take ownership, find your voice and use it,” she advised.
Taking a role in corporate world today is different than the 1970s/80s when “women began to rise in the corporate world wore bow ties and suits to dress like guys,” she recalled.
Cardillo, president of Omaha-based Conrad Associates, has 20 years experience in management, human resources, organization development and internal consulting. She is a Certified Coach Practitioner.
WIFI met in conjunction with the 2012 National Industrial Fastener & Mill Supply Expo in Las Vegas.
Cardillo advised fastener women that it is important to recognize differences between females and males.
“We are wired differently,” Cardillo observed. “We can’t fight biology.”
“Physically, more than 99% of male and female genetic code is the same, ” Cardillo noted. Male brains are larger and female more compact.”
“Female brains have 11% more neurons than male brains,” Cardillo quoted Female Brain author Lou Ann Brizendine. “The brain circuitry for language, hearing and observing emotions is larger in the female brain.”
“A female’s ability to relate is immediately apparent in infancy,” Cardillo added.
Comparing leadership and gender styles, the masculine is more structured, autocratic, instruction giving, business oriented and transactional. The feminine style is participative, socio-expressive, people-oriented, considerate and transformational.
Men are traditionally the “hunters” and women the “gatherers,” she noted.
A dilemma for women in the workplace is if a woman acts feminine she is perceived as incompetent,” Cardillo observed. “If she acts masculine she is perceived as inauthentic.”
Cardillo cited research by Carol Gilligan that women have “a different voice,” than men. “Relationships are first” and “women’s ways of ‘knowing’ are deeply connect to their worldview, family and social groups. It’s about caring, connection, collaboration and community.”
Cardillo said companies need to be inclusive. “We can no longer ignore or marginalize 50% of the workforce. We need all the brains.” ©2012 GlobalFastenerNews.com
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