Laura Christie, Managing Director, Academic Work
Loud salesmen who push pens and pound the phone have been forgotten for a reason. Not because they failed, but because the world has changed. Today, at the core of B2B solution sales are customer understanding and the skill to connect people.
In this environment, emotional intelligence, the ability to build trust, or empathy is not an added value, but a requirement for success. We know that women are strong in these skills.
We also know that reports and various studies, starting from McKinsey, have for over a decade proved that gender-diverse teams not only work more efficiently but also make better decisions and produce better results. This is especially true in sales.
What, then, explains why the share of women in B2B sales management positions in Finland is vanishingly small?
My own journey to CEO once began with solution sales. From the practical daily life by the customer’s side. Ending up there was actually a pure accident, but very likely the luckiest one of my career.
Would I be a CEO today without sales experience? I don’t think so, because succeeding in sales work opened doors and gave me both the business understanding and the self-confidence that carried me forward.
I have seen up close how staggeringly skilled and successful women can be in sales. That is why I know that women do not only survive in this game, but they shine in it and change it for the better.
I believe that sustainable business is not born without people who dare to challenge and build something new. They exist, and they can be found, as long as we know how to look in the right direction.
And above all: when we make room for them.