My Power
When I was young, I became Scandinavia’s first female master sailmaker. Later, when I became a senior executive and board chair, I was again working in male-dominated fields. But I achieved my goals through courage, determination and ability, without dwelling on gender barriers. I was brought up to judge people by who they are and how they act. I have a deep-rooted trust that others do the same, until proven otherwise. No man challenged that trust in a way that stopped me from achieving what I wanted. Perhaps that is why gender barriers never became a mental barrier for me.
My advice to women who want to enter male-dominated fields is informed by my own experiences: Believe in yourself, and give others good reason to do the same. Never let yourself be limited by the thought that you might face discrimination if you follow your dreams. Don't become your own biggest barrier.
But maybe a change is coming. I find that the young entrepreneurs I work with have the curiosity and humility to seek experience where it is – regardless of whether it is a man or a woman who has it. And they show that they dare, want and can do a lot without talking about gender as a limiting factor. That makes me optimistic on behalf of everyone, because they are the leaders of tomorrow.