Female leaders perform better when they have female role models, says Associate Dean Jan Ketil Arnulf of BI-Fudan MBA Program. He contributed with research and new perspectives when Volvo (China) Investment Co., Ltd. arranged their Female Leadership Forum.

- You need to have a career plan and believe in your dreams. Because if you don’t believe in them, nobody else will, said professor and Associate Dean Jan KetilArnulf of at BI Norwegian Business School  Fudan-University MBA Program.

Share experiences 

- He contributed in a panel discussion with April Li, Vice President of Marketing Sales Region China , Volvo Construction Equipment Investment (China) Co., Ltd. , Carolyn Jiang, Business Unit Director of Flextronics Technoloy (Suzhou) Co., Ltd , Vivian Woo, CEO and Co- founder of Female Achievers Union and Rachel Xiao, Talent and Competence Management Director of Volvo (China) Investment.

-   Sharing personal and professional challenges of female leadership is the best way to make people conscious and have more confidence, said April Li.

Be ready for the opportunity 

- Even if there are no major skill differences or differences in leadership styles between men and women, the statistics tell us that there are still very few women in the top management jobs all over the world. Focusing on the challenges and listening to the experience of other female leaders, is thus extremely important. Research tells us that female leaders perform better when they have female role models. Role models make it easier to be ready to take the opportunity when it comes, even if it seems hard and impossible, Jan Ketil Arnulf said.

Perceived less ambitious

      He also talked about how both men and women often perceive women as less ambitious than men.

- This research indicates that women have to be even more consistent of having a career plan than men. Women do not only have to convince the managers or gatekeepers of their qualification and ambitions, but also the “perceived” lack of ambitions, he said.

Need more guidance

- More career guidance and training and personal career development for women is also the main concern of the female employees in Volvo China. In a survey conducted by the company, 373 female employees gave their input on the challenges, needs and expectations of being a woman in the company.  58 percent want to work hard and get promoted to a bigger role, but 48 percent claim they lack a clear career plan.

Make women aware

- This is important, but expected news for us and our work for gender equality in the company, said Rachel Xiao, Talent and Competence Management Director of Volvo (China) Investment.

-   We strive to hire more senior female leaders, and find methods to do it. Through our Female Inclusive Network, we arrange forums like this. The main aim is to make people aware of the challenges, but also use the results to make everybody think about how they as individuals and company can improve the situation, she said.

Change of mentality

63 percent of the respondents thought female professionals undertake more pressure than male professionals, because of their responsibilities as mother and wife.

In China there is still a social expectation that women have the major responsibility for the children and the family. In order to increase the number of female leaders and make a better work – life balance, we need a change of the value system. I think we can see the beginning of this in urban China, but the husbands need to be educated so they can support their working wife and make a more equal family life, she said.