Page 62 - MetalForming October 2012

What are the Leading Workforce
Barriers for Women in Manufacturing?
A survey by Bayer Corp. uncovers these beliefs:
• It is more difficult for women to succeed in their field than it is for men.
• A managerial bias exists that favors men over women.
• There is a lack of profes- sional development opportunities for women.
• Women in manufacturing have little or no networking opportunities.
• Promotional/advancement
opportunities are less plentiful
than they are for men in manufacturing careers.
Stated less delicately by General Motors plant manager Teri Quigley, in a 2010 Automotive News article:
“In the manufacturing environment, you (women) have to have rhinoceros skin.”
United States. Next came a foray into the bodybuilding industry with the launching of Vince’s Gym.
“Those early business ventures taught Phillip and I several lessons,” Tauber shares. “Among them was understanding the importance of branding, and the benefits of leading a healthy life founded on sound nutri- tion. That led us to start Kashi.”
Nurture by Nature
Tauber and her husband “nurtured” Kashi for 17 years, growing it into an international company before selling to Kellogg Company in 2000. Tauber used the word “nurtured” often during my interview with her, to describe how the company grew. And that notion struck a common chord as I interviewed oth- ers for this article. That chord: Women in leadership/management roles often challenge themselves to create a fam- ily-like culture where employees feel nurtured and valued.
“As we grew Kashi, we definitely sought to maintain a pleasurable and family-like environment,” Tauber admits. “We set a limit of around 25 employees just to make sure we didn’t lose that family atmosphere. Once we grew beyond the capabilities of 25 peo- ple we turned to outsourcing specific functions to focus on our core strengths of sales and marketing.”
Asked to describe her experiences as a woman entrepreneur, Tauber notes that over time she’s “gained self-confi- dence, which significantly impacted my leadership style. I’ve learned to understand the
importance of
encouraging employ-
ees to grow person-
ally, and also pro-
fessionally...That
approach, I’m
certain, has helped
ensure the suc-
cess of our busi-
nesses over the
years.
“For women in leadership and
management roles, whether in manu- facturing or any other profession,” Tauber continues, “self-confidence is the key. You must come to the table with a foundation of inner strength. As I con- tinue to devote time to mentoring women who are making their way into leadership positions, I strive to instill self-confidence and self-esteem. I find this immeasurably fulfilling.”
One of Tauber’s more recent accom- plishments was serving as president of the Southern California chapter of the International Women’s Forum, an invitation-only global organization that seeks to “advance leadership across careers, cultures and continents by connecting the world’s most preemi- nent women of significant and diverse
achievement.” Among the high- lights of her term as chapter president, Tauber cites the peri- odic panel discussions she led
with members on various topics, and the takeaways that resulted. During her keynote address at the WIM Sum- mit, Tauber will share some of these takeaways—or “insights”—with atten- dees. Among them:
“During one of these panel discus- sions with a group of women that had served as university presidents, it became evident that women ‘power with’ rather than ‘power on,’” Tauber says. “Biologically, women are collab- orators. We are wired to work together to protect our young. We collaborate to ensure we have a support system when we need one, yet we can still make the tough decisions when necessary.”
Compassionate, Yet Tough
Also used to making the tough deci- sions at her metalforming company is Linda Froehlich, co-owner and co-pres- ident (with her husband Rich) of Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc., in McKees Rocks, PA, near Pittsburgh. Froehlich attended last year’s inaugural WIM Summit, and now is a charter member of PMA’s WIM networking group. She enthusiastically supports WIM’s mis- sion and looks forward to building on the networking and mentoring rela- tionships she forged at the 2011 WIM summit. And, she echoes Tauber’s belief
“Over time I’ve gained confi- dence,” says Kashi founder Gayle Tauber, “which affected my leadership style. I’ve learned to understand the importance of allowing employees to grow personally, and professionally... That approach, I’m certain, has helped ensure the success of our businesses over the years.”
60 MetalForming/October 2012
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