From Left to Right: Patty Kruiswijk, Manuela Roth (RSM ‘10), Dianne Bevelander, Camilla Bjorkqvist (RSM ‘10), Eleonore Breukel, Saskia Trurniet, and Ursula van Rozemeijer.

Women comprise about 30% of the students in the OneMBA and the percentage of women faculty is even less. While there are complex factors that might explain this, members of the 2010 and 2011 classes have decided to put women on the agenda.

The effort lead in large part by Camilla Björkqvist and Manuela Roth has focused on securing eminent business women to speak at OneMBA residencies. By connecting with women across the OneMBA community as well as the European Professional Women’s Network( EPWN), the kick-off on during the Spring 2009 RSM Residency featured Mirella Visser, Owner of the Center for Inclusive Leadership and the EuropeanPWN President. This conversation was continued when the class went to Istanbul and met with local women business leaders.

In September 2009 another panel took place with a group of Dutch women executives on the topics of “Women – the saviors of our economy?” With several courageous men participating in the audience, there was a lively and honest discussion.

At the EGADE Residency in November 2009, a Cemex executive, Irma Gomez shared her perspective on women, employment, and the economy in Mexico.

Events are in the works for Hong Kong and the the U.S. All alumni are invited to attend a session at the RSM Residency on April 8 2010 with Carien van der Laan, co-owner of Women Capital, and executive search firm specialized in women and placing them on top level positions. Van der Laan will address what to do with once you get an MBA and the value that women add in the executive ranks.

Some interesting statistics from the United States are worth sharing. According to the report The Economic Impact of Women-Owned Businesses in the United States by the American Center for Women’s Business Research and funded by the National Women’s Business Council and Wal-Mart, women-owned businesses contribute nearly $3 trillion to the U.S. economy and create or maintain 23 million jobs. If women-owned businesses were their own country, they would have the 5th largest GDP in the world, ahead of countries including France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Anecdotally, many women say that they start their own business because they want to balance work and family and that they cannot break into the traditional male-dominated positions—or do not want to.

Members of the 2011 class are taking leadership to continue the discussion of the women in the OneMBA. Anyone in the OneMBA community can join the events organized by Women@OneMBA, men included. If you would like to know more about this initiative, please contact Manuela Roth or Camilla Bjorkqvist in the OneMBA2010 class.

For more news about the one MBA programs and to see the full newsletter click through to the one MBA website.

In our training sessions, we regularly receive this type of question from participants: “Why is my Russian colleague always so negative? Is it something I did wrong?” asks Tom from London. Our answer is: “On the contrary Tom, your Russian colleague trusts you enough to share his concerns with you. Actually he is trying to be friends and bond with you.”

Bonding by complaining

In Western Russia, many Eastern European cultures and various cultures in Southern Europe and Latin America, people try to bond with others by complaining. Complaints about the boss or about tasks to be performed or simply about the food, places people ‘together’ in a common situation in which they can relate to each other - bonding with the suffering majority. These complaints are usually expressed with emotion. However, it is passive and is not followed by an action to change the situation that is complained about. An outsider will get the impression that something terrible has happened and that the complainer is deeply unhappy. This however is not the case. There are many reasons for such behavior depending on the context. Some of the underlying reasons may be uncertainty, risk avoidance, xenophobia, fatalism and the feeling of not being in charge as well as being unable to create or accept change.

Jackie Cuthbert: Senior Vice President Global Recruitment & Learning

December 7^th 2009, Renaissance Hotel, Kattegat 1, Amsterdam

DSM: Passion for People, Commitment to Diversity

Jackie Cuthbert: Senior Vice President Global Recruitment & Learning

Jackie Cuthbert is the Senior Vice President Global Recruitment & Learning at Royal DSM N.V. She started her career in her homeland UK where she held various senior HR positions in Retail, Merchant Banking and the ICT industry (Sainsbury’s, Credit Suisse and Unisys). Having worked amongst others in the US and Germany, Jackie moved to the Netherlands when she joined DSM in 2002.

Jackie’s career focus has primarily been on establishing best practice performance management programs to develop and retain highly skilled resources within international businesses. Her current responsibilities also include Diversity and Change Management in DSM.

Royal DSM N.V., a € 9.3 billion company, creates innovative products and services in Life and Material Sciences. End markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrical and electronics, life protection and housing. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands and employs about 23.500 people worldwide.

At DSM the Passion for People strategy has been a major driver in strengthening the diversity of the leadership team, not only in terms of gender and nationality but also in terms of leadership styles. A key element of Passion for People is to support employees in dealing with the challenges of a changing company in a fast-moving global marketplace. The intensified efforts with regard to diversity pay off: the number of non-Dutch and female professionals entering DSM continues to grow and we will hopefully see many women crossing the board border.

Jackie Cuthbert will talk about the Diversity at DSM and her view on the critical success criteria. In addition, her colleague Xander Wessels, President DSM Food Specialties, will share his experiences from a business perspective. Following their presentations, Dana Krueger from Russell Reynolds Associates will facilitate an interactive discussion.

Registration and Guest Policy

Registration is required for members (free including dinner and drinks) and guests (guests are welcome at a cost of 25 Euro which includes dinner and drinks). Guests are allowed to attend two EuropeanPWN-Amsterdam functions per year.
Please contact Caroline van Leuven, our VP Membership.

From NRC on October 22, 2009, pointing to the list of “100 Most Powerful Women” from Opzij magazine, covering areas such as public works, politics, sports, law, business, healthcare, education, culture, media, and non-profit:

• Zapkliklees: De honderd vrouwen met meeste invloed
• De 100 Machtigste Vrouwen van Nederland

Dutch telecom giant KPN is launching an affirmative action programme for women in top management posts.

In an interview with the Volkskrant, KPN CEO Ad Scheepbouwer notes the number of women among its top management currently accounts for just 17 percent. The figure, he says, is too low and needs to be raised. As prior attempts to do so have produced little improvement, the company has decided that from now on only women will be considered for certain posts. The company still needs to determine the exact number and nature of the functions. KPN is thought to be the first large company to start an affirmative action policy for women. On Monday Parliament is to discuss a proposal by the Labour Party aimed at boosting the number of women in top management to 30 percent.

Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide

From FT.com:

• FT top 50 women in world business

• Download this presentation

Let’s go GOLFING!!

Dorhout Mees B.V.
Strandgaperweg 30
8256 PZ Biddinghuizen (NL)
Tel.: 0321-331138
Fax.: 0321-331057

Meeting at the club house 13:00
Tee off for experienced golfers at 13:30
Lesson for beginners at 13:30
Borrel at 17:30 with prizes

Our golf pro is Peter Ackerley. Peter is a golf pro since 1966. He has twice won the Dutch National Golf Championship and has played on the European Tour Circuit. Since 1984, Peter is a professional golfing instructor.

The Course “http://www.dorhoutmees.nl”

Dorhout Mees is in Flevoland (about 45 min/1 hour from Amsterdam and Utrecht). The course is good and there are 4 9-hole courses, which means that we can play at our leisure. Flevoland can be windy which makes a bit of a challenge to the average golfer. The course, while challenging, is not exceptionally difficult.

Peter suggests the following program.

for the golfers: 18 holes tournament
for the beginners: 1.5 hours learn a bit of golf: swing, chip and putt + 0.5 hour break + 1 hour on the par 3 course to play some holes

Peter will provide the lesson and take care of the beginners while the experienced golfers are on the course.

Early birds are welcome to reserve a table in the restaurant for lunch before-hand.

Folks that rather stay on after the borrel are also encouraged to make dinner reservations with the restaurant. (You are free to adapt the pre/after program to your Saturday schedule).

Anna is handling the web & logistics.

FEES – the precise cost will vary based on the number of participants. We are trying to keep the lesson, green fees, and practice balls inclusive golfing price to about 50 Euros (very very reasonable).

If you are less mobile – we have not yet included the cost of a golf cart (for example) that would cost extra. Just let me know and I will make the necessary arrangements. Also if you are an experienced golfer but need to hire clubs – that is also not presently included in the price. (not to worry: Clubs are included in the lesson package).

REFRESHMENTS – are not included in the “inclusive” golfing price and will be paid per consumption on site.

Andrea van der Loos is our member golfer-liason with the pro and course. (She will answer “inhoudelijk” questions).
Rieke is the instigator of this activity. (She gets credit for organizing).

We look forward to welcoming you on the links!
If you don’t want to golf but do want to join – you are also welcome to keep Anna company in the clubhouse.

If the weather is truly terrible we can reschedule for the 24th.  Do come rain or shine on the 10th.  The weather in Amsterdam is not the same as in Flevoland.

If you need transportation – please contact Anna and she will be happy to help you to coordinate.  Please also specify if you will be joining the lesson or the round with Andrea.

Organisational Savvy for Women

What makes an individual successful in the “political arena”? According to research successful politicians possess both mental empowerment (they “think and feel” positively about politics) and the skills to build a powerful reputation, network and presence within the organization.

Plenty of women excel at public relations, relationship building and conduct themselves with style and grace. All of this comes easy to women. Research shows that women are more intuitive, able to use both the right and left side of their brains simultaneously and more emotionally intelligent. They possess the skills that lead to success in the political arena.

So why do women struggle with “being political”?

Michelle Brailsford, founding partner of Jupiter Consulting Group, will codify the rules of the game to help you identify our power source, how you are perceived, and to read the organisational politics in situations. With this knowledge you will be able to develop strategies to gain power, build alliances, manage perceptions about yourselves and your teams and to be “political whilst maintaining your ethics”.

If you have ever:

• Been unable to sell a great idea

• Failed to receive credit for work well done

• Been underestimated or pigeon holed

• Felt left out of a key network

• Found you had a negative image or reputation within your company

• Been unable to uncover the hidden success criteria of the organisation

… you may have underestimated the impact politics can have on your success. This event will open your eyes and help you to be more successful in the political game.

Participants are welcome to network from 19:00 to 20:00.
The program begins at 20:00.

Registration and Guest Policy: Registration is required for members (no charge) and guests (guests are welcome at a cost of 25 Euro which includes snacks and drinks). Guests are allowed to attend two EuropeanPWN-Amsterdam functions per year. Please contact Caroline van Leuven, our VP Membership.

From Forbes.com:

• The World’s 100 Most Power Women