Women empowerment is high on the agenda for both government and business sectors worldwide.  We speak to Veronica Vazeri, who empowers

women through training and mentorship in workplace confidence and gendered communication skills. 

- What are the top challenges women are facing in the workplace today?

- Even though research in the 1970s predicted the disappearance of gender pay gap - in today’s male-dominated professional landscape, it is continuing to remain difficult for women to succeed. While there are many legal and social barriers to gender equality, one of the main barriers preventing women from reaching top leadership potential is a lack of confidence, workplace resilience and gender communication skills.  One would think it would be easier for women - especially seeing as girls continue to outscore boys academically.

- How can learning diverse communication skills positively impact women’s confidence?

- Because men originally designed the workplace, they infused masculine norms in the workplace, which shape expectations for conduct and communication style. This makes it supremely difficult for women to fit in and navigate. If they engage in a traditionally feminine communication style, they are not seen as confident, not recognised as leaders and are not marked for promotion. On the other hand, if they act like a man, they are labelled as unfriendly, cold and even aggressive. Learning gender communication styles helps women to adapt in the workplace better, gain confidence, resilience and communicate effectively. It also helps men to recognise and appreciate the different strengths women bring to workplace.

-What can organisations do to create more equality for men and women?

The first step to gender equality is in an appreciation and respect for the different communication styles and strengths. The second step is to train teams in diverse communication styles to foster effective communication between genders so they can work better together. Such training will also aim to eliminate unconscious bias and gender stereotypes so that they can benefit from each other’s differences and strengths. The third step is to mentor organisations on how to create women-friendly policies and an environment that fosters work-life balance.

- Should we encourage more women entering the workforce?

- While numerous studies confirm that a gender diverse workforce brings multiple advantages to any organisation, I believe in creating equal opportunities for women in whichever life path they chose to follow. From rising up a corporate ladder or engaging in politics to being a homemaker or raising children – each path should be equally respected and supported. It is all about free choices.

- How does your work help organisations in bridging the equality gap and boost gender diversity?

- I offer workshops to empower women from entry-level to top executives in workplace confidence, resilience, healthy boundaries and executive presence. I also train teams in gender communication skills. The organisations can either register their employees and members to attend my workshops (please see my website for upcoming workshop locations on www.veronicavazeri.com) or hire me to deliver training for their teams or speak at their events.