ABU DHABI // Young women today need someone to look up to for inspiration and guidance in order to become the leaders of tomorrow, experts said yesterday at a mentoring workshop.
"This is especially important for women in male-dominated companies," said Ailsa Bernard, a coach and mentor based in Abu Dhabi. "It's also about managing perceptions."
Once women have families, outside perceptions often change, Ms Bernard said at a Big Sisters workshop at the Abu Dhabi International Centre for Organisational Excellence (ADICOE) training centre. But this must not discourage them, she added.
The Big Sisters/Little Sisters programme - the first of its kind in the emirate - was established by ADICOE and the Women's Excellence Group. The cross-cultural programme brings together women of different backgrounds and pairs them up based on their professional experience and career aspirations.
"Mentors help their mentees step outside of themselves and ask, 'how do I want to be seen by my colleagues, family and friends?'" she said.
According to figures shared during a Women in Leadership conference last year, women who have mentors are three times more likely to achieve their ambitions and overcome any obstacles along the way. However, this is only if the appropriate techniques are used, which was the goal of yesterday's workshop.
Some of these techniques include mentors asking open-ended questions about ambitions and helping their partners to set goals and keep a journal noting challenges faced.
Ruba al Hassan, the social development adviser and general secretariat at the Executive Council, said that despite government initiatives to provide career opportunities, the percentage of women participating in the labour force is still considerably low, at 15 per cent. This number is far lower than the average for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, which stands at 58 per cent of the population, according to the 2006 OECD factbook.
"There are many factors that contribute to this," Ms al Hassan said. "Yes, we do have to work on establishing work/life balance policies and services, but another important factor is the lack of role models in certain industries."
Speaking at a networking event by the International Business Women's Group last week, Amanda Nimon Peters, the managing director at a talent development agency, emphasised the importance of mentors and role models.
"Women are more likely to view obstacles as barriers, while men view them as challenges," she said. "Studies show that successful female role models increase a girl's belief in her own abilities, but don't decrease male beliefs in his own abilities."
However, changing these views is not only the responsibility of the mentor.
"Of course, young women also have to be willing to learn and to take in the feedback provided to them," Ms Bernard said.
This presents another challenge when recruiting women in the workforce, Ms al Hassan added.
"After the government invests so much in these women's education, they have the responsibility to contribute to society," she said. "We're always talking about a women's rights and entitlement, but never her responsibilities."
