Expatica editor Natasha Gunn interviews Mirella Visser about her newly released book, The Silk Road to the Top, which focuses on the topic of women and leadership and questions why, in corporate life, so many women perform a ‘vanishing act’ on their way to the top. The book also examines what women can do to help optimise their careers in the current business climate.

What stimulated you to write this book in the first place?

Because I am really shocked by the absence of women in leadership roles. There is some progress, but of a ‘glacially slow’ sort (as the Economist characterised it). In the book I connect my own experiences as an international senior executive with the Frequently Asked Questions that were posed during the many presentations I have given on the topic of women and leadership.

In the theoretical first part of the book, I propose a number of tools to develop your own leadership style and to discover your ambition to take up new responsibilities; taking the lead yourself instead of supporting someone else in the lead. Why would you want to be in the lead? It also deals with questions like ‘Are women really different leaders?’ and ‘Are there specific feminine qualities that help or hinder women in management roles?’.

In the second part of the book--the practical part--I have analysed over 40 Frequently Asked Questions and designed a number of strategies to propel your career forward. The situations are ‘real life’ business cases: ‘Why is my brilliant idea put forward by someone else?’ or ‘Why do they always ask me for a difficult (and unpopular) assignment?’’. ``

Absolutely! The most critical part of my leadership development took place during the years I worked as a senior executive in Asia. It taught me the essence of leadership, which is the ability to create connections, listen, understand and value the differences between cultures.

The concept of inclusive leadership was born there. As you know the ancient Silk Road connected the East and West and led to a flourishing trade of valuable goods, like silk, diamonds and tea. This connection brought prosperity to both sides of the world despite the differences in cultures. I am convinced that a more balanced leadership will bring prosperity to business and society.  

Another dimension of the metaphor is seen in women’s career paths to the top. Women more often than men take time out, work part time for a while and make big career switches.

They seem less inclined to climb the hierarchical pyramid structures to the top. Look at the appointments of women to supervisory boards.

The majority come from other areas than business, like politics, academia, government, universities and other public or private institutions. They did not come through the traditional ranks of business like their male counterparts but took a different road. 

Another dimension of the metaphor has to do with women’s leadership style. We no longer copy the pin-stripe suits or the matching behaviour. We have found our own paths and our own methods.

My book is like a travel guide navigating the road to the top as if it were a long journey through different countries and cultures and with many obstacles.

What is the most important thing you communicate through this book?

The overarching theme of the book is the so-called pattern of power, performance and promotion. When growing from junior to middle and senior management positions, you need to keep track of the changes in leadership competencies you require.

At the start it’s all about performance, executing the tasks as best as possible and competing on results. There is a clear focus on ‘details and doing’. When you are a perfectionist, you expect that your hard work will get noticed and that you will get promoted almost automatically.

This is what I call the myth of meritocracy. One of the most frequently asked questions I encountered was: “Why didn’t I get this promotion since I was the most qualified candidate?” It often comes as a shock when this happens.

But there is a different way of preparing for it. The transition from junior to middle and senior management roles requires different leadership capabilities. Competencies like building and exercising power, delegating responsibilities and effectively promoting your achievements and ambitions, become more important along the way. Do you have an interesting network of contacts and do you use them strategically for your career advancement? If you become aware of the pattern, you can actively influence the turns and twists in your career.

Ignore the pattern and others will decide for you, which may result in de-motivation, not getting the really interesting jobs and not feeling valued.

This is one of the reasons for the so called ‘vanishing act’ of women on their way to the top. .

What essential tips would you offer to women with ambition in the business arena?

The most important thing is to discover what the concept of leadership means to you, why you want to be a leader and what style appeals to you. Without this starting point, you can’t be the architect of your own career.

The second crucial tip is to become aware of the pattern of power, performance and promotion and to actively prepare yourself for the next step in your career. Know which competencies you need to develop and when and how to do it.

Learn from the experiences of others but keep your eye on your goal so you can design your own route to the top instead of having others decide for you.

Mirella Visser is founder of the Centre for Inclusive Leadership, international management consultant and serves on supervisory and advisory boards. Her book,The Silk Road to the Top, is on the shortlist for the title of Management book of the Year 2010. In 2007 she was nominated “European of the Year” for her activities in promoting professional progress of women across Europe.  The Silk Road to the Tops is currently available in the Dutch language only.