By Barbara de Koning, Senior Account Manager Dealing & Control, Koning & Hartman
Last November I attended the two-day European Women in Technology conference in Amsterdam together with Annie Liu, international Channel Partner IPC based in Paris. Annie Liu and I know each other well as we work closely together through the technology companies we work for, Koning & Hartman and IPC, have been certified partners for years and because of our continuous teamwork we have been able to build a strong partnership that has developed and proven beneficial.
The European Women in Technology Conference enables the sector to connect, learn and act on gender diversity by sharing the experiences of industry leaders and developing women’s skills, both soft and technical.
During the conference we attended diverse presentations and workshops such as: ‘If you are aiming for a management role in Tech, be a Generalist- not a specialist’ and ‘The Journey from an Idea to an IT service’. There were also a lot of opportunities to network with women working in Tech all over the world.
Throughout the event we have met some very inspiring women and have gained many new insights from them regarding their experiences and their take on women in the workplace. I really recommend people working in technology to attend these events as it helps broaden your perspective. You also get to know more about women’s experiences in countries across the world and the changes that are occurring at the moment.
I am a believer in diversity in the workplace, colleagues who complement each other are the most successful and thriving teams. With over 20 years of experience in the Tech environment I have learned that your skills and ability to adapt to the ever evolving Tech environment are most important.
The knowledge required changes daily and can become outdated within a short time period, but if you are able to change and be dynamic to innovations, you will be able to thrive successfully and grow. The Tech environment is not only suited for people that are able to put together a technological solution, but for those that are able to use the technological solutions to add value.I experience that technology now often plays a strategic role in the business and that people with skills and the ability to meet customer demands are needed in order to make it happen.
Therefore, my main takeaway is that you must break the circle: try not to be one of the guys, but be yourself! Use your unique qualities and skills to contribute to the success.
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