Release:
May 3, 2023

Women of NATE Today Newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 5

In Quietness and Confidence

With this issue of the WON Newsletter, I would like to take a moment to recognize the incredible women among us. Women who inspire us with their resilience, intelligence, and creativity. Women who are making their mark in every aspect of our industry.

When I was young, there was a wall hanging in our home that read, “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” As I have come to know many of you, I realize just how true this verse rings of so many women here who have faced adversity and overcome obstacles, all while remaining steadfast in their determination to pursue their passions.

Their stories - your stories - remind us that strength can come from unexpectedly quiet places. It takes a strong character and unwavering courage to live according to your values and principles, especially in a world that is constantly changing and challenging your beliefs.

Hold Fast to Your Values

The great author, CS Lewis, wrote a half-century ago, "The diseases that will certainly end our species… if it is not crushed, (is) the fatal superstition that men can create values; that a community can choose its 'ideology' as men choose their clothes.”

A dire warning for our times indeed. We live in an era where it is easy to get swept away by popular trends and ideologies. In such times, it becomes all the more important to hold on to our core values and beliefs. It is in quietness and confidence that we can find the strength to be the best versions of ourselves, unwavering in the face of adversity.

When my dear friend and mentor, Steve Hudson, died tragically in 2013, I struggled to write a brief announcement of his passing. As I agonized over finding words that would do justice to a life so well-lived, I realized that he had crafted his legacy himself, brightly and definitively throughout his life: Just do the right thing.

What are your values, and what will you be remembered for?

Define Your Success

This month’s feature article, How 7 Female Leadership Skills Breed Success for Organizations, by Michelle Symonds, highlights some of the unique strengths that women can bring to help drive success within organizations.

Success can be defined in different ways, but here are some common definitions:

• Achieving your goals and objectives
• Feeling fulfilled and satisfied with your life
• Making a positive impact on others and/or the world
• Overcoming challenges and adversity
• Having financial stability and independence
• Finding happiness and contentment in your personal and professional life

Regardless of how you define success, let this be an opportunity for you to reflect, and to recognize and cultivate the unique contributions that you can bring to the table.

Take Time to Connect

As always, the WON newsletter profiles amazing women in the industry and we know you will enjoy this month’s feature! Our community is so diverse, yet we all share a common goal: to support and uplift each other as we navigate our careers and lives.

In these challenging times, it is more important than ever to take time to connect with others. Whether it be through virtual coffee chats, mentoring relationships, or networking events, building and maintaining relationships can help provide a sense of support and belonging.

Finally, make note of the upcoming events and activities. Let's celebrate our resilience, intelligence, and creativity together. When we support and empower each other, we all benefit.

WON Profile: Jenine Renaud

Her strengths are primarily focused in the areas of program management, colocation management, contract negotiation, and cross-functional team leadership. 

Renaud holds an MBA from Fontbonne University and a BS in Business, Management and Marketing from the University of Central Missouri. She currently resides in Illinois with her husband, three children, and a very well-behaved golden retriever. 

Where will you find the Women of NATE?

Take Women of NATE with you!

Are you traveling for work or taking a leisure vacation?

Take a creative photo holding a Women of NATE (WON) logo in front of a landmark that lets us know where you are. 

(Above) Women of NATE Committee Member, Erin Smith of Thayer Wireless LLC, poses by her booth at the 17^th Carolina Wireless Association Annual Golf Tournament.

(Above) Women of NATE Committee Member, Loui McCurley of PMI Rope and Vertical Rescue Solutions spent the last three weeks traveling a total of 4,366 miles to three different industry events: AFPM Safety Conference in New Orleans, the ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Meeting in Chicago, and the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis. 

Upcoming Events

Early Bird Registration – $75 (through May 10, 2023)
Advanced Registration – $100 (May 11 – June 5, 2023)

Registration for the event includes:

• Monday Welcome Reception
• Access to all Tuesday Expo events at the Valmont site
• Tuesday Lunch
• Tuesday Networking Dinner

Note: NATE has a new payment portal! You must set up an account to checkout. Please follow the registration instructions.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and celebrate mental illness recovery. For the past 20 years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has recognized Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) every May to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being.

This year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month with the More Than Enough campaign.

It is an opportunity for all of us to come together and remember the inherent value we each hold — no matter our diagnosis, appearance, socioeconomic status, background, or ability. We want every person out there to know that if all you did was wake up today, that’s more than enough. No matter what, you are inherently worthy of more than enough life, love, and healing. Showing up, just as you are, for yourself and the people around you is more than enough.

For more information on Mental Health Awareness Month, click HERE.

Recent Event Highlights

Women of NATE Committee Member Jyoti Ojha Receives Award for Two Patented Inventions

In 2022, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted patents to CommScope for Jyoti’s inventions, and therefore, CommScope awarded Jyoti with plaques to memorialize her achievements and inventions.

Jyoti Ojha has about 15 years of professional experience in the Telecommunication Industry. Within her current role at CommScope, she designs new products and works on upgrades to existing steel products. She also provides technical support for several A&E, carriers, and customers, and delivers educational presentations. She is also currently serving on the Telecommunications International Association (TIA) committee as an active chairperson for the TIA TR-14 Rooftop Ad Hoc group. She is also a committee member for the Women of NATE and NATE OSHA Relations Ad Hoc Committees.

Congratulations, Jyoti!

(Above) Taylor Jones and Candace Bronaugh, both of Precision Communications, LLC, stopped by to visit Retired WIN Director Scott Krouse at the NATE booth during the NAB Show.

How 7 Female Leadership Skills Breed Success for Organizations

Understanding how organizations, their leaders and their workforce can benefit from male and female approaches to leadership can result in more successful businesses.

Female leaders bring a different approach to the traditional view of what being a leader means but, more importantly, research has shown that organizations with more women in senior roles are more profitable, employees are more motivated and consequently retention rates are higher.

While many industries are making a real commitment and real progress towards a diverse workforce, unfortunately, still only 15 percent of CEOs at Fortune 500 companies are female according to a McKinsey report. So perhaps it’s time to look again at the benefits of female leaders and how their particular skills breed success.

There are, of course, good and bad leaders across all genders. However, the instincts and qualities of males and females do play a role in the characteristics they are able to bring to leadership roles, so this is worth exploring in more depth. Then we can better understand how male and female leadership styles influence a team to achieve success and learn from each other, so organizations can benefit from the different leadership skills.

Let’s delve into what females can bring to a management role and what we can learn from this.

Is it still a man’s world in the C-suite?

Gender-specific obstacles have not been eradicated, as the McKinsey data shows, although we are making improvements and moving closer to greater gender-balance. However, many female managers report that they struggle to overcome the typical stereotypes and gain acceptance at a senior level. There has also been a scarcity of female role models at senior levels in many industries, such as the project management profession and the construction industry.

With females under-represented in leadership positions, there is a misconception that they ought to be more like males in business. Yet we know from research by McKinsey and others that when there are more females in top leadership roles then profitability, revenue, employee engagement and retention rates are all higher. That suggests females already have the skills to succeed in leadership roles, and perhaps we should encourage more exchange of ideas and approaches between men and women at senior levels for the benefit of all, and, not least, the bottom line of an organization.

We also know that most men lead by focusing on strategy and goals, whereas women tend to focus on communication and collaboration, plus planning and processes. It seems that having a senior leadership team that has all of these qualities can be nothing but positive. What might be viewed as more typically female approaches to managing: communicating, empathizing, motivating are not just HR tick box exercises – they actually make for more profitable businesses.

Men and women have different qualities. For instance, they approach risks and problems differently. This can be an advantage in the workplace, recognizing that both male and female leaders can bring different characteristics to the table. Combining these different characteristics also enriches the business landscape, making it a more enjoyable place to spend so much of our time.

What specific qualities can female leaders offer?

1. Encouraging an innovative environment

The best female leaders combine a meticulous and logical way of working with creativity, and this combination can bring about innovation, which is often the way to true business success.

We talk about successful projects time and time again. We talk about meeting business objectives and deadlines. Not only that, but we talk about building the right strategy, but it is only when a strategy is executed effectively that it leaves a lasting impact, exceeds expectations and delivers something truly innovative.

2. Discouraging a blame culture

Female leaders also appreciate that any project will fail when egos are allowed to get in the way of the end goal, and different departments or groups do not work together in a collaborative way to reach that shared goal. That’s why their greater focus on communication and collaboration can benefit all areas of business. This is especially true in work environments that have allowed a blame culture to develop or flourish.

Instead, female leaders seek a culture of acceptance when something has not gone to plan and place the focus on finding a solution. A non-judgmental environment will help teams to be open about their challenges and their needs.

3. Seeing all perspectives

Females, in general, are more empathetic – that doesn’t mean all females are empathetic, or no males are empathetic, but empathy can be used to gain a business advantage. Every good leader has the ability to view situations from a macro perspective, but understanding a varied point of view or “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes” is also an essential leadership quality. Sometimes, what may seem trivial on the surface can end up being a critical business driver. When a leader truly understands their individual team members, then the team as a whole can share the same vision and desire to succeed.

4. Motivating teams effectively

Female leaders are also known to be good motivators. One of the reasons for this is that they are effective communicators. They have a tendency to take a personal interest in individual team members. They want to build motivated and loyal teams who are willing to adapt and be flexible. When it comes to delivering a successful outcome, especially in complex situations, motivated teams are always going to have a distinct advantage.

This is not to say that men cannot motivate teams but women more instinctively know when to criticize and when to praise. Because of this, female leaders can bring out the best in a team. They discourage individual team members from trying to compete against one another.

They are also highly effective when it comes to defusing conflict. A high emotional quotient enables female leaders to spot interpersonal conflict before it flares up. Combine this with effective communication skills and team building expertise, and women in leadership positions are able to excel.

5. Simplifying complex problems

Female leaders tend not to use technical jargon or complexity to overwhelm or impress their peers. Instead, they will only add complexity if it is needed to clarify requirements. Even then, the best female communicators can describe complex problems or tasks in an uncomplicated way.

6. Effective communication skills

Female leaders like to talk to others, and they will instigate impromptu conversations. Simply being chatty does not make someone a good communicator. However, the inclination to talk and explore topics in more depth can be of great benefit in a leadership role.

Frequent, informal conversations with staff can make everyone feel more valued and, hence, more motivated. Team members will find it easier to highlight issues or raise any concerns that they may have. This means that potential issues can be acted on quickly before they become serious problems.

7. Creating environments where people thrive

Female leaders want to nurture their teams, and this is one of their distinct advantages over male counterparts. This innate ability to nurture and motivate, and to encourage their teams to improve their skills results in better career growth and development for everyone on the team.

Collaborative projects tend to flourish with female leaders. They are able to get people together to work effectively towards a shared purpose. This means that there are fewer delays and better on-time performance.

Final words on female leaders

There is no denying that more female leaders could bring a different approach to the traditional view of what being a leader means but, more importantly, research has shown that organizations with more women in senior roles are more profitable, employees are more motivated and consequently retention rates are higher.

Of course, not all female leaders will have the qualities mentioned above, and many male leaders will have those qualities. But understanding how organizations, their leaders and their workforce can benefit from male and female approaches to leadership can result in more successful businesses.

This article was previously published on morethandigital.info. 
https://morethandigital.info/en/how-7-female-leadership-skills-breed-success-for-organizations/