Fortunately, the female presence in the labour market is gaining more and more importance, taking into account the educational and professional levels, specific abilities and skills. And in the international market, it is no different, women in business are more popular than never.
However, too often women in business are suppressed by different social and cultural factors, the complexity and difficulty of conducting and concluding good international negotiation is much greater.
Based on readings, reflections and personal experiences, I think there are clear differences between the styles of negotiation between men and women leadership.
Why having women in the business environment is so important
In the international universe, while intercultural skills are important to everyone, they can surely become especially crucial for women in business, because we frequently confront taboos, prejudice, and particularly restrictive stereotypes in various societies where the female presence in the labour market is not so relevant and it still dominated by men, making it difficult to do business “as equals”.
Therefore, women in business who deal with global trades need to establish credibility, and to do so, women in leadership must be culturally aware and competent. Furthermore, in a masculine environment in which stereotypes categorize us, we have to establish an emotional barrier and turn them into autonomy and personality.
On the other hand, it is shown that women in business have essential skills to successfully advance in international relations.
Women leadership can be revolutionary for the enterprise environment
According to recent studies, the female presence in the labour market ends up valuing personal relationships more than men. For this reason, women in business are more inclined to use techniques based on “I win, you win”, essential to create and preserve commercial relationships, since all those involved seek their reward and the continuity of said relationship.
Women leadership can also highlight that possibly being less familiar to global clients (who may be more used to dealing with men), can be beneficial in developing stronger relationships.
The ability to adapt, which favours greater emotional sensitivity, is another skill that is emphasized when we talk about women in business since this is a primary need in foreign trade.
In addition to these core skills, intrinsic characteristics of women leaders, as well as the virtues, strengths, and balance, are usually when we see female presence in the labour market. In some cases, it can also be a great advantage to face intercultural obstacles.
In summary, as quality personal relationships are one of the keys to success in international negotiations, we must bear in mind that women in business are fully capable of working in this type of environment, so women leadership must enhance our negotiating skills and find our space within the international scope.
