In this episode we explore a timely and vital question: What can women bring to leadership that men can't? Joining us are two accomplished women leaders from traditionally male-dominated industries: Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, a former BASF board member, and Evelyn Chau, a director in the global banking industry. Together we dive into the unique contributions women bring to leadership, the challenges, and what we can all learn from a more diverse approach to leadership.

KEY MESSAGES AND LESSONS

Authentic Leadership
Melanie and Evelyn stress the importance of authenticity in leadership, particularly for women. Rather than adopting traditionally male leadership styles, women can excel by embracing traits like empathy, collaboration, and open communication—qualities that enhance trust and innovation in teams.

Overcoming Gender Bias
The discussion tackles stereotypes, such as the perception of assertive women as "too aggressive" or the tendency for women to underestimate their abilities compared to men. Evelyn shares strategies to navigate biases, build confidence, and network effectively.

The Business Case for Diversity
Research shows diverse leadership teams outperform less diverse ones. Melanie and Evelyn argue that women bring critical skills to crisis management, including emotional intelligence and an ability to integrate diverse viewpoints. These strengths create a more resilient and innovative organizational culture.

ACTIONABLE TIPS

• Be vocal about your career goals and achievements while staying authentic.
• Build internal networks with mentors and allies.
• Clarify your personal priorities, including work-life balance, to ensure a sustainable leadership journey.
• Lean into empathy and collaboration while confidently claiming space at the table.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

• Are you creating opportunities for all voices to be heard on your team?
• How can you, regardless of gender, mentor and support diverse leadership in your organization?
• What steps can you take to ensure your leadership is authentic and values-driven?

ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner: Former Chief Technology Officer at BASF, now a non-executive director focused on sustainability and innovation.
Evelyn Chau: Director of Corporate Banking at HSBC Sweden, with expertise in international finance and mentoring emerging leaders.

ABOUT SECOBD CRACK
Learn more about us and our work at secondcrackleadership.com. For questions or feedback, email us at hello@secondcrackleadership.com.

Follow us on LinkedIn
Martin Aldergård
Gerrit Pelzer

We explore how to achieve success in corporate transformation.
The discussion starts with the fact that many organisations still seem to rely on traditional top-down approaches, despite evidence that this method leads to disengagement, resistance to change, and change fatigue.
We conclude that there is a need for organisations to rethink their approach to transformation by putting people at the heart of the process. This means inviting people to co-create at scale, tapping into the collective intelligence of the organisation. Important is also to address both the rational and emotional side of change. Technological advancements, like AI, offer new ways to scale involvement, but the human aspect of leadership remains crucial.

Key Themes

1. The Problem with Top-Down Change

• Research indicates that 75% of organisations still use top-down strategies, with management deciding and expecting employees to follow.
• This approach often results in change fatigue (50% of employees report feeling overwhelmed), disengagement, and resistance because employees are not sufficiently involved in the process.

2. The Importance of Involvement

• When employees can influence their own work and understand the rationale behind the changes, their engagement and resilience increase.
• Failing to tap into the collective intelligence of employees not only slows implementation but also misses valuable insights from those who know the work best.

3. Start with ‘Why’

• Organizations tend to focus on what needs to change, but a people-centered approach should start by exploring and understanding why the change is necessary.
• Employees need to understand both the outside-in perspective (bigger picture) and the inside-out perspective (personal motivation). This alignment creates a common language and helps employees see how the change benefits them and the organisation.

4. Scaling Change Involvement

• Involving more employees in change increases the chances of success. A study shows a tipping point. Minimum of 7% employee involvement is necessary for a positive return on transformation efforts.
• New digital platforms and AI, make it easier to involve employees at scale, overcoming delays and logistical challenges of traditional approaches.

5. Balancing Rational and Emotional Factors:

• Change isn’t just a rational process; it’s heavily influenced by emotions. Leaders need to acknowledge and address the hopes, fears, and potential resistance employees feel during times of transformation.
• Creating an open dialogue where people feel heard builds trust and reduces defensiveness.

Reflection Questions

• Purpose: Why does your organisation exist? How does it contribute to a larger purpose? How does that impact the way you approach change?
• Leadership Presence: How can you, as a leader, make time to personally engage with frontline employees to better understand their perspectives?
• Focus on People: Instead of focusing solely on what changes are needed, how can you help your people change and grow? How can you make change personal and meaningful for them?

About Second Crack
More information about us and our work is available on our website: secondcrackleadership.com

For questions, feedback, or suggestions, or to explore how we can help you develop your leadership, email us at hello@secondcrackleadership.com.

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Martin Aldergård
Gerrit Pelzer

Gerrit Pelzer and Martin Aldergård delve into an unexpected but insightful theme: what leaders can learn from horses. Joined by guest Ed Renshaw, an executive coach with expertise in equine-assisted leadership development, they explore the parallels between interacting with horses and leading people, providing a unique perspective on leadership dynamics.

Highlights:

Purposeful Leadership: Horses, like people, respond to clear, authentic leadership. Ed explains how horses mirror human energy and intentions, offering leaders immediate feedback on their behavior. Horses thrive under purposeful direction, and this mirrors what human teams expect from their leaders.

Horses as Mirrors: One of the central concepts discussed is how horses, being prey animals with a heightened fight-or-flight response, serve as perfect mirrors for human behavior. If a leader approaches a horse with too much anxiety or uncertainty, the horse will react similarly, providing an unfiltered reflection of how leaders might be perceived by their teams.

Non-Bias and Vulnerability: Horses don't care about a person's title or position—they only respond to how a person shows up in the moment. This non-judgmental nature strips away ego, requiring leaders to be truly present, vulnerable, and authentic—traits that are critical for fostering trust and followership in human leadership contexts as well.

Feedback and Self-Reflection: Working with horses brings up powerful insights quickly, potenitally much faster than traditional coaching or leadership development programs might. Ed shares real-life examples where leaders were humbled by the honest feedback provided by their equine counterparts, leading to profound realizations about their leadership style and impact.

Key Takeaways:

Instant Feedback on Leadership Style: Opposed to collecting feedback from humans, horses provide immediate, visceral responses. If a horse doesn't follow you, it might indicate that something is off with your leadership approach.

The Importance of Connection: Building a connection with a horse is similar to building human relationships at work. A leader must create trust, be aware of energy, and be able to shift between directive and supportive behaviors. This reflects a core challenge of leading people in today's complex work environments.

Overcoming Skepticism: While leaders may be skeptical about learning from horses, Ed shares examples that demonstrate how unconventional methods like equine-assisted leadership development can offer powerful, lasting lessons for corporate leaders.

Reflection Questions:

• How do I show up as a leader in critical moments? Am I purposeful and clear, or am I sending mixed signals to my team?
• What feedback do I receive from my team's body language or non-verbal responses, and how can I become more attuned to this?
• How can I create more opportunities for honest feedback in my leadership, even without access to a horse?

About Ed Renshaw
To learn more about Ed Renshaw and his work with equine-assisted leadership, connect with him on LinkedIn.

About Second Crack
More information about us and our work is available on our website: secondcrackleadership.com

For questions, feedback, or suggestions, or to explore how we can help you develop your leadership, email us at hello@secondcrackleadership.com.

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Martin Aldergård
Gerrit Pelzer