Let’s see more women breaking down the walls and ceilings in technology
It was my very great pleasure to help to coach a session on building your professional reputation through #networking with the #Women4Tech group at the Mobile World Congress (#MWC17) in Barcelona last week. For those who don’t know, the #GSMA run the Mobile World Congress every year. It is a mind-blowingly huge and impressive operation – your feet will ache from the miles you walk each day from one end to the other of the venue.
We met many great and amazing female technology/mobile professionals at our event, yet in the nearby exhibition halls what I really noticed, as a first-time visitor, was that this is an industry still largely dominated by men. So what heartened me, even more than our audience giving us a good and kind reception, was how much our audience all valued meeting each other.
It’s imperative that bonds forged, made both at our event and in a half day dedicated to women in technology the following day, should not be broken. Progress has been made, but women in this industry told me that they still struggle to break down walls and ceilings. So I urge all women in technology (and elsewhere) not to hesitate to develop every contact made, participate wherever they can in networks and generally help each other as much as possible.
There is much more of course that men can do to make the big changes that will help women in this industry and every other. But big changes can also happen from many small actions – when many people make small changes in their daily habits.
So make a start today – and begin with the way you build and maintain your networks.
Trevor Merriden is the founder an owner and MD of Merriborn Consulting – a business dedicated to helping businesses and indivduals to build relationship and networks via engaged online communities and effective collaborative technologies. He is also Head of Collaborative Learning Technologies for10Eighty and was working with Think Purple during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Merriborn Media is a business dedicated to developing clever content, engaged online communities and effective collaborative working and learning for clients. Both Merriborn Media and its founder Trevor Merriden were ranked in the Top 3 of social learning evangelists for 2016 in a recent major study.
i agree with you . mwc was amazing and the lack of women palpable. however those of us there did enjoy meeting each other and there was always a common thread of support and encouragement.- no bitchiness.
i then went onto wtc ( wearable tech show) and more or less the same applied.
the following week at smart iot also in excel, the dearth of women was extraordinary.
i would like to suggest that us women keep strong, wear bright clothes and celebrate our specialness not moan about where is everyone! makes much more fun.