Women can make it

Women in the hotel world - it’s my world - I want to see more ladies reaching for the stars.

Can women reach the top of that ladder that so often seems unreachable? I recently met with one of my mentees who asked, “Why are there still more male general managers than female general managers? 

Come on, ladies. We have some fabulous male colleagues in the industry, but they too want to see more female leaders in top positions. Only we can do it.

One key is surrounding yourself with great people. Long gone is the time when women couldn’t even dream of being at the table sharing ideas; long gone is the time when having a woman in a top executive role was merely a dream. Women today have a voice and a presence — at times I would say even stronger than men’s.

Certainly, the road is not smooth or easy to walk. Societies are still influenced by stereotypes, and although changes towards equality are happening, the percentage of women at top levels is still very low. Men are still seen as more equipped and naturally predisposed to be leaders, but what is curiously coming out from the data analyzed in the last decade worldwide is how that low percentage of women who did made it to the top are actually performing better than their male counterparts. So why do women have to be banished from the possibility of building a life of their own, a life of success, just because society has created the stereotyped role of the “housekeeper”? Why can’t a good housekeeper also be successful outside the home? Women can, and they must prove it.

We are now seeing every day an increasing number of women who are out there, fulfilled in their career and in their homes. Women need to be encouraged that a life of their own, an identity, is out there waiting to be grabbed. That’s why many organizations are working towards getting more talented women in senior roles through the creation of groups where women can share their doubts and find solutions, groups that support them through the journey and help them turn their discouragement into the power to succeed.

Women can make it to the top. Never stop finding and forging your way; never stop finding what fulfills you. Let’s see more women in our industry getting into top positions in the hospitality industry.

Debrah Dhugga, managing director, Dukes Collection

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