Women at the top table: Why it matters

While it’s important to Z to mark International Women’s Day on March 8, we pride ourselves on celebrating diversity and inclusion, including women in leadership roles, every day.

Women are a key part of the executive team, from the board chair to the head of digital and more, and bring different and valuable perspectives to the work that we do.

“Z is committed to everyone being an awesome leader and I think that’s about being authentic and understanding what’s important to you and bringing that to work in your best form,” says Helen Sedcole, Chief People Officer.

What makes Z different in respect to female leadership?

When Z was established in 2011, the leadership set out to build an organisation that was representative of New Zealand and its values.

“Z is very receptive to different ideas and how it can learn from what others do,” says Abby Foote, Chair of Z Energy’s Board of Directors.

“Chief Executive Mike Bennetts has been very deliberate over time about building inclusiveness and diversity, and ensuring the culture of the organisation respects and honours the different views that are represented.”

More than a decade of operation in a rapidly changing marketplace has not diluted Z’s drive for inclusion and learning.

“I think Z continues to be aspirational,” says Debra Blackett, General Counsel and Chief Governance Officer. “Mike believes that work is an opportunity for personal growth, which leads to a different orientation about the way people might push themselves. We have strong values towards gender equity, the Rainbow Tick and visible leadership for all.”

Strength in numbers

Like any organisation striving to continually improve, there are the occasional hiccup. When Abby was appointed to the board 10 years ago, two other women were appointed at the same time.

“I think we’ve come quite a long way. Every now and then as a board we deliberately challenge ourselves to look at things differently.”

Sometimes visibility in leadership can be a burden for the women holding those roles, but at Z the work is shared among a group of female leaders.

“The biggest difference between Z and other places I have worked as a leader is the number of women leaders,” says Mandy Simpson, Chief Digital Officer.

“It’s hard to describe why that matters so much, but at other places I’ve worked I’ve often been the only woman on the executive, and it feels like that's quite a weight to bear. You're not only doing your job, but you’re also expected to be the person who represents all the women, and sometimes I don't feel like I do a very good job of it. It's a bit easier when there are four or five of you.”

What does female leadership look like?

Women lead differently to men. According to a 2021 study conducted by the University of Paris and S&P Global, which surveyed 8,500 companies in 61 countries, female leaders showed greater empathy, adaptability and diversity of thought than their male counterparts.

Empathy drives better outcomes according to research from Catalyst, a non-profit that aims to make “workplaces work for women”. Teams with empathetic managers and leaders are more productive and innovative and have lower turnover, says Catalyst.

“We do think differently and we operate differently,” says Z Director Julia Raue, “but when I think about what's important from a leadership perspective, I think I try to treat people the way I like to be treated myself.”

Women leaders are more likely to share their feelings with their team, which can allow others to feel safe to share their own feelings. “I used to be embarrassed of the emotion I would bring to staff sometimes,” says Nicola Law, General Manager Commercial. “I would try to hide it, but I wear my heart on my sleeve. It's very hard for me to hide how I'm feeling about something.

“Sometimes that comes across as more authentic and it works well for some people – but not everyone. There will be some people in my team for whom my style absolutely does not work, but for some people it absolutely does and it's important for an organisation to have a mix of complementary leadership styles.”

For Helen, the key is that she feels free to be herself, and to bring her experience as a woman to the table – whatever that might mean for her. “I’ve got an incredibly supportive boss who is committed to me figuring out what’s best for me and my development,” she says.

Why does female leadership matter?

Female leadership is a positive element for everyone in an organisation – diversity of people allows for diversity of thought – but it can be especially powerful for women with families.

Working mothers still typically carry the brunt of domestic duties and organisation, and it is important to see examples of women like themselves succeeding in the workplace.

“When women can see other women doing senior roles and balancing family and doing it in a way that looks like it's possible instead of some stretch in which no-one’s happy, that role-modelling can be useful in itself,” says Abby.

“We become what we see,” agrees Debra. “History is littered with women who have done things for the first time, but they are the exception. Most of us need to see and visualise those opportunities for ourselves to be able to grow into them.”

When Nicola Law, GM Commercial, came to work at Z she was upfront with Mike about her family plans. She wanted to have more children, she wanted to take a year off with each, and she wanted to continue to diversify her skill set. He was typically open and understanding.

“At Z, managers across all levels would be supportive to deal with that,” says Nicola. “Combining work with parenting is still a taboo topic – everyone tiptoes around it, but it’s in no one's interest to have mothers returning to the workforce and failing.”

Of course, it’s not just about women with families, it’s about supporting people’s individual situations and removing roadblocks to success – for everyone. It just so happens that is something women leaders are particularly good at doing.