For a long time, the tech industry has been predominantly male-dominated, with women being underrepresented in various roles. Recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the tech sector, leading to a greater emphasis on empowering women and encouraging our active participation.
Women bring unique strengths and qualities that are vital in shaping the future of technology. In addition to technical roles, it is important to recognize that tech companies require a diverse range of skills and roles. Many of these roles emphasize characteristics often associated with women, such as strength is empathy, active listening, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, fairness in negotiations, resilience, and perseverance. One area where these qualities are particularly valued is in Channel and Alliance Management.
Channel and Alliance Management involve building and maintaining relationships with partners. This requires effective communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills to ensure successful partnerships and mutual growth. Women often excel in these roles due to their ability to listen attentively, understand the needs of different parties, and find balanced solutions that satisfy everyone involved.
The empathetic nature of women allows us to establish rapport and foster strong relationships with channel partners. By understanding the unique challenges and goals of each partner, women can navigate through complex negotiations, seeking win-win outcomes. Our resilience and constancy enable us to persevere in challenging situations and maintain long-term alliances, ensuring the success of the partnership and this empathetic approach fosters trust, encourages collaboration, and helps build sustainable agreements focus on achieving positive outcomes.
We prioritize open communication, fairness, and maintaining trust between all parties involved and also bring a fresh and creative perspective that build meaningful connections with partners.
Furthermore, resilience is another characteristic that women often have. The tech world is highly dynamic, and challenges and setbacks are common. Women have demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming obstacles, adapting to changing circumstances, and pushing boundaries. Our ability to bounce back from failures and learn from them is crucial.
Exploring societal and psychological factors, including personal experiences, upbringing, and individual differences, that may contribute to women often being associated with higher levels of empathy and resilience:
- Societal Factors: Historical and cultural norms have shaped expectations and socialization patterns for men and women. Societal expectations and stereotypes often require women to navigate various challenges and adversity, fostering resilience.
- Emotional Intelligence: Research suggests that women, on average, may have a slight advantage in emotional intelligence compared to men. Emotional intelligence encompasses the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions.
- Biological Factors: Some studies suggest that biological and hormonal differences may influence empathy levels. For example, oxytocin, is associated with nurturing, bonding, and empathy. Women tend to have higher baseline levels of oxytocin, which may contribute to our ability to connect emotionally with others.
- Socialization and Communication Styles: From an early age, girls are often encouraged to develop strong communication and interpersonal skills, which can further enhance our empathetic abilities, creating a foundation for resilience in the face of challenges.
The mix of these factors makes women have a very particular way of dealing with negotiations in channel, with two outstanding characteristics fundamental to reaching agreements:
- Persistence: Women often exhibit remarkable persistence when it comes to reaching agreements. We are known for our tenacity and willingness to put in the necessary effort to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Focus on Key Points: Women possess strong analytical skills and a keen attention to detail, allowing us to dissect complex issues and extract the essential elements.
Furthermore, women often excel in providing support and guidance along the whole path, before, during, and after the negotiation:
- Before the negotiation, women often invest time and effort in understanding the needs and objectives. We engage in thorough research, gather relevant information, and establish open lines of communication. By doing so, we create a supportive environment that fosters trust and collaboration.
- During the negotiation, women’s ability to listen actively and empathize with the concerns of each party allows us to facilitate constructive dialogue. We ensure that all viewpoints are heard, creating a safe space for open and honest communication. By actively mediating and finding common ground, women can guide the negotiation towards a mutually agreeable solution.
- Finally, women’s role doesn’t end once the agreement is reached. We often take the initiative to follow up with parties, ensuring that the agreement is implemented effectively and that both sides are satisfied with the outcome. This post-negotiation support and follow-up demonstrate our commitment to fostering long-term relationships and maintaining the success over time.
The role of women in providing accompaniment throughout the negotiation process is invaluable. Our attention to detail, empathy, and commitment helps establish a foundation of trust and cooperation. By facilitating a smooth and inclusive negotiation experience, women contribute to building strong and enduring relationships in the tech industry and beyond. Women’s contribution in providing support and guidance throughout the negotiation process is vital.
Recognizing the value of these skills and actively encouraging women to pursue roles in channel and alliance management can lead to more diverse and dynamic tech companies. In the case of OVHcloud, our Global Partner Program is currently led by a woman. This demonstrates the recognition of the valuable skills and expertise that women bring to channel management and alliance building. Additionally, various regions have female professionals dedicated to evangelizing the partner program and promoting the collaborative channel model. It is likely that our involvement has contributed to the company’s recent success in growing its channel business.
In conclusion, it reflects the understanding that women possess the necessary qualities to excel in channel management, including the ability to listen, empathize, negotiate fairly, and remain resilient. By entrusting leadership roles to women, OVHcloud not only shows its commitment to gender equality but also leverages the unique strengths and perspectives that women bring to the table.
Partner Program Manager