“Today I ask doubting female colleagues: Would you do it differently if you were a man?”

In the run-up to International Women’s Day on March 8, we have decided to revive the “Hall of Femmes” series on the WU Blog – kicking off our series is Alexandra Kick, 24 years old and co-founder of Thinkubator, a think tank for circular economy and sustainability with three pillars: Education, research and consulting. The WU graduate (Bachelor’s degrees in IBWL and Socioeconomics) is currently studying in the Climate Change and Societal Transformation master’s program at Boku Vienna.

WU Blog: Who is your female role model and why?

Alexandra Kick: There are two answers to this: the first is Frida Kahlo. I find it incredibly inspiring how this woman pursued her passion even though she was physically limited for so long by her accident. Not giving up and continuing to believe in your dreams despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles is an absolute superpower.

The second answer to this question is women in my immediate environment, especially my mother. For as long as I can remember, she has taught me that I can achieve anything if I really want to. The basic optimism of “anything is possible! If you are really enthusiastic about something, you can move mountains” still makes me smile today. I also try to convey this basic trust in myself to others: Authenticity and passion can definitely trump experience or network.

I have the feeling that we have forgotten how to listen sincerely. Sometimes you realize that the other person is just waiting until you have spoken to tell their own appropriate story. I try to do things differently – listening attentively is the basis for effective support.

WU Blog: How do you promote female colleagues in your environment?

Alexandra Kick: What I started doing some time ago is asking female colleagues who have doubts: “Would you do it (differently) if you were a man?” Surprisingly, most of them answer “yes”.  Sometimes that’s exactly the motivational push you need. I generally try to radiate optimism and emphasize the positive when female colleagues tell me about new jobs or changes, for example.

I have the feeling that we have forgotten how to listen sincerely. Sometimes you realize that the other person is just waiting until you have spoken to tell their own appropriate story. I try to do things differently – listening attentively is the basis for effective support.

WU Blog: What tips do you have for female managers and those who want to become one?

Alexandra Kick:

1. Clear communication solves many problems before they arise.
2. Leadership is not a skill that you can learn with a standard protocol. That’s why you probably never feel 100% ready. I think it is more effective to understand leadership as an attitude that allows you to react flexibly to different people and situations.

WU Blog: How important are female managers when it comes to sustainability and new models for the circular economy, for example?

Alexandra Kick: The statistics couldn’t be clearer: Companies in which women are significantly represented in management, the board or the founding team perform better – also in terms of sustainability. Diversity of perspective is a competitive advantage, especially in crisis situations. 2/3 of female founders in Austria set up a company with an ecological or social impact.

In short, female managers are a key component of the transformation.

More about the WU Hall of Femmes

The “Hall of Femmes” project aims to increase the visibility of women at WU and related to WU and to empower other women by creating role models. In short interviews, the women interviewed describe their career paths, report on decisive success factors for their professional development and give personal career recommendations. The interviews will be published in a series over several weeks on the WU blog.