Blog by Amanda Neuts, Director, Brand Product Management

All women, all people, have their own unique composition when it comes to what motivates them, how they measure their own success and how they prefer to be rewarded. As female leaders, we bring many strengths to any situation; and we can lean into our intuition, empathy and general openness to interpret how best to motivate and support other women in their tech journeys.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

One of the best tools that female leaders possess is being able to lead by example through everyday actions.  Being a strong presence in the workplace, having a voice and consistently bringing meaningful contribution is a powerful message to demonstrate that women do have a robust and valid place in technology. There is much to be said about the motivating thought process of “if she can do this, I can do this.” Dynamic female leaders gracefully couple a leadership presence with a responsive, accessible demeanor. Modeling this is a significant element in building a foundation of support for other women.

CONTINUED LEARNING

Continued education and staying well-informed is a tremendous benefit in any technology role. Leaders can and should encourage women in technology to consider learning opportunities as part of the on-going development process. Supporting women to achieve a healthy work/life balance while pursuing learning opportunities, whether small or large, is another opportunity to inspire longevity in the technology space. 

MENTORING

Mentoring is certainly not a new concept and is still a powerful method for female leaders to support and inspire other women. Technology is a field that offers many opportunities, and as leaders we can constantly educate and encourage women to pursue roles within tech that they would enjoy and bring value to. We need to continue to raise awareness that not every tech career path requires coding skills, as this will unlock many possibilities for women to pursue lifelong careers that can grow and evolve over time. 

Mentorship doesn’t necessarily always have to be a formal process; seeking out informal moments of mentorship can be just as effective and potentially less intimidating. Make an effort to join internal and external technology groups in a leadership capacity and recruit other women into those groups. This can encourage women to develop into incremental roles of responsibility within those groups, building knowledge, comfort and confidence that can then be translated into career advancement opportunities. 

There is clearly no shortage of ways that any leader can support women in technology. At Peapod Digital Labs, we believe in a diversified leadership team and workforce. We know that women are an essential part of a strong technology team and look forward to continuing to grow and support our talented team!

Amanda Neuts is a Director of Brand Product Management residing in Portland, Maine. She loves a good challenge, whether it's a gritty Spartan Race or navigating the ever-changing tech landscape, and is passionate about being a champion for diverse voices in every industry.