Female leadership or leadership: Do we need a gender for leadership?

More and more women are entering the labor force. Although the proportion of women in the workforce has increased in recent years, the proportion of women in each occupational group has changed little since the early 1990s. Above all, this means that only one of three leaders is a woman. Would you believe it?

This picture is also reflected in the European Union. At 29.2%, Germany is in the bottom third of all EU countries in terms of women in leading positions. That's why we took a closer look at women in leadership at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems.

_{Structured and goal-oriented appointments with female leadership}

Quiet work at a desk is rare for Inken. Since February 2022, she has been group leader for hydrostatics and theory at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Most of her day is filled with appointments for technical discussions and team training, overall project planning and process design.

Inken doesn't limit herself to female leadership but describes what leadership in general means to her: “For me, leadership is a role model function: showing the way, setting the goals, and accompanying the way. Trust and loyalty are particularly important to me.” She is inspired not only by individuals, but by her entire team and the idea of what can be achieved together.

And what is the best way to assert yourself as a female leader? “Personal contact often helps me in difficult situations. I communicate politely but firmly and persistently, backed up by professional certainty,” says Inken.

When it comes to career development and promotion to leading positions, women always face challenges. One challenge is their own self-image. “In most cases, it starts with the image every woman has of herself and the image her private environment has of her,” says Inken. In particular, the social or work environment still has certain role perceptions and is less friendly to the idea of a woman in a leadership position. Still, female leaders have a positive impact on company culture. “I think that just the presence of a woman changes the tone. I also have the impression that meetings are a bit more structured and goal-oriented,” says Inken. And for any young and aspiring female leaders, Inken has one more thing to say: “Don't worry so much, just go for it.”

_{Diversity enriches any corporate culture}

From apprentice to leader. In 2006, Jessica started her apprenticeship at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and is now a senior leader in program management.

In a management position, no two days are the same. “To put it simply, you can imagine the day-to-day work in program management as a spider in a web. Keeping an eye on all the threads of the project, moving forward together with the team, and finding solutions to challenges,” Jessica describes.

So, what exactly does female leadership mean? "For me, female leadership means equal rights for women and men in leadership positions,” explains Jessica. thyssenKrupp Marine Systems does not yet have an equal number of women in leadership positions. “But at tkMS we have already reached a very important point: equal opportunities. At our company, performance counts, regardless of gender,” says Jessica.

Along the way, Jessica has been inspired by female leaders, including her mentor Heike Denecke-Arnold, COO at thyssenkrupp Steel, whom she met through the LeadHERShip network: “For the past year and a half, she's been giving me insights into her wealth of experience and leadership roles.” Mentoring is important for personal development, just as women leaders are important for corporate culture. “In my opinion, female leaders increase diversity and bring different impulses. In the end, diversity is always an enrichment, including for the corporate culture,” says Jessica.

_{Men also do not think about failure}

Claudia has been with thyssenkrupp Marine Systems for 9 years and currently holds the position of Head of Claim Management Execution. Her responsibilities include discussions with employees on personal issues, coordination with project managers and interfaces, and technical support for the team.

For Claudia, it is clear that there is no gender division of leadership: “Leadership is managing people. It means achieving common goals and visions with a motivated, diverse team. It is important to support every team member, to always represent the interests of the team and to take responsibility for actions and results.”

In general, there are far fewer women working in a technically oriented company. So, what is the status quo at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in terms of female leadership? “The 50:50 ratio in management is difficult to implement in practice,” explains Claudia. However, the ratio of male to female employees is constantly changing and converging: “We are able to attract more and more highly qualified women to management positions.” In this respect, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems promotes women and ensures that equal opportunities are considered when filling management positions.

One woman has played an important role in Claudia's journey so far: “A role model for me is the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who changed the world for American women with her fight for equal rights.”

And what makes a leader for Claudia, and how does she best assert herself? “As a leader, I take the authentic approach of being true to myself, strongly representing the interests of the team, making clear decisions and communicating them,” Claudia said. “Female leaders have a very positive impact on company culture. It becomes more communicative and empathetic,” says Claudia. Her advice to young professionals is: “Believe in yourself and don't let it get you down. With a wink: Men don't think about failure either!”

For more insights into our technologies and our crew at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, check out our stories.