I believe that every job and position, especially work in management and supervisory boards, which represent the most complex and stressful responsibilities in today’s turbulent environment, requires certain knowledge, skills, abilities, and of course results regardless of gender. Only capable and qualified people can successfully perform that job.
This is stated by Gordana Kovačević, president of Ericsson Nikola Tesla and the new most powerful woman in Croatian business according to the selection of Lider weekly. Therefore, she is not an advocate of legally regulating mandatory quotas because it does not take responsibility for the consequences of such intervention in the management of companies in a global competitive environment.
– We need quality people, equally women and men. Therefore, they should be given equal opportunities and choose the most capable among the candidates. I am convinced that relationships in society can fundamentally change positively, including the desired representation of women in leadership positions, only when everyone, regardless of gender, builds their success on personal abilities, knowledge, and quality results. The same criteria should apply to all who have the ambition to engage in such work. From my own experience, I can say that no woman will have success handed to her, but she must fight for it, and the best measure is the result. I believe that a quality result is not determined by gender but by numerous other characteristics and qualities that differentiate us and qualify us much more for a job than the fact that we are a woman or a man – says Kovačević on the topic of gender (in)equality in the business world.
The president of ENT believes that it is imperative to create and maintain social relations in which the so-called glass ceiling would disappear, and women would truly have equal opportunities for work, proving themselves and advancing as men do, regardless of the environment in which they were born, grew up, were educated, and worked. Such a strategic goal requires a change in social paradigms and the removal of prejudices that still exist in some of our environments.
– We certainly need to fight against those prejudices with the most effective means: knowledge, lifelong learning, sharing quality examples, and networking around positive changes. Women in these processes need to have a key role, but also a proactive approach – says Kovačević, adding that it would greatly help if mechanisms of support for balancing work and private life were created in society because these are not problems that only women face.
In the fast-paced business rhythm, everyone exposed to high demands and pressures has an equal need for services that would facilitate their daily functioning.
– It is important that everyone loves the job they do. I have chosen just such a job – I have tied my career to telecommunications and the ICT industry. In this industry, as you know, the statistical ratio of men to women is eight to two, which is a consequence of the fact that women less frequently study natural sciences, especially technical fields, so they are also in the minority in the labor market in that segment. However, those women who have oriented themselves towards such faculties and jobs are usually just as good, capable, and innovative as their colleagues. I have always been most interested and motivated by interesting and demanding things – the most complex projects and tasks. That is why I chose FER, and after that, I tied my professional and expert career to Ericsson Nikola Tesla – emphasized Kovačević, also calling on young people, especially women, to choose technical faculties, as the ICT industry provides opportunities to showcase all individual and team potentials.
– I am proud that, through my example, women in Croatia and beyond can learn how to live their own dreams and achieve quality results that are socially relevant and competitive with the results of male colleagues in similar business positions and responsibilities in the world. There are things about which there is no compromise – by them, people recognize and value you. These are: expertise, professionalism, and knowledge, as well as human qualities and true values that are acquired already in childhood within the family circle – emphasizes Kovačević.
In the historical annals, numerous works of art, innovations, business and social successes remain, representing a step forward in the development of our civilization and benefiting new generations. Today, it is irrelevant, says Kovačević, how many men and women worked on the development of ICT technology, which is the foundation of the interconnected society of the future – the important thing is the result and how it will affect life and the sustainable development of our civilization.
– In this context, I find it necessary to openly discuss these topics to convey important messages and advice that can help women in making key decisions for their lives and careers, keeping in mind that success is defined by continuous stable results and good interpersonal relationships at work, in society, and in the family. Of course, women and men are inevitably dependent on each other, and a healthy society is based on synergy among people and teams. That is why our voices must be equally heard and respected in all important topics of modern society – concludes Kovačević.
