A dozen women who hold leadership roles in the animal health industry talked about their careers, challenges and corporate life in a panel discussion during Global Animal Health Week in August. Different than discussions like this just a decade ago, the group agreed it is important to forget the gender differences and focus on showing team members what you can do or accomplish.
Source: Today’s Veterinary Practice, August 2017.
Renee Hall, U.S. head of commercial excellence at Boehringer Ingelheim, said she strives to “increase my relevance.” She urged women who coach younger female colleagues to stress the need to improve business acumen “because that makes them relevant.”
Sadly, we have to keep striving at each stage of our careers to “be relevant” when men don’t seem to share the same struggle. They are automatically deemed “relevant” regardless of level of experience. My peers and I have almost 20 years of unique industry experience each, and fight daily to maintain an equal footing at the proverbial table. An ugly reality in this industry that no one seems to address! …Ignore the gender inequality? I don’t think so. Not until it is no longer acceptable practice and behavior in Animal Health in this or any other industry. Ignoring it (and denying it) won’t create the change we need. We need open, honest discussions on what really goes on. This is yet another article which fails to address the REAL challenges women face in Animal Health.