Why I joined a women’s network — and you should too!
During our professional life, we are confronted with different challenges that require us to look for advice.
Often we turn to friends and colleagues but sometimes that’s not what we need — no matter how precious their support can be. We are connected to our friends on an emotional level and their advice can be unconsciously biased. Colleagues can be good work companions but sometimes our problem is confidential we don’t want to share it with them.
Where should we turn to then?
I decided to join PWI Brussels in the wake of the #MeToo movement. In fact, all the harassment episodes and revelations made me wonder where I would seek advice in case I would find myself in such a situation.
I am Italian and I live in Belgium, but frankly I don’t know the applicable legislation to sexual harassment or mobbing in working environment.
I would probably not share such a story with my parents to avoid panic and further stress. My dad — who still need to come around to the fact that I have moved abroad for good — will probably repeat his usual “Torna a casa!” (“Come back home” in Italian).
My friends, of course, would be supportive, but since most of them also live abroad and have different backgrounds they are unlikely to help me concretely, for instance, by giving me legal advice.
My colleagues are lovely people but when it comes to such a work-related problem, I am not sure I would be comfortable in talking openly with them about the topic.
So, I arrived at the conclusion that I would need a group, a network, an association where I could find competent and professional peers, where I could find discretion and attention, where I could feel included and at ease.
And I found PWI Brussels.
How I found MY network
As I said, at that time I was looking for access to professional advice, so I was particularly attracted by the fact that PWI Brussels is made up by and for professional women and its members have access to each other’s contacts. This means that if I would have a problem regarding harassment, I would have access to a pool of competent people that could help me out (lawyers, HR professionals, …). But not only: membership is so diverse that I could receive advice on just as many diverse topics.
However, despite being a millennial, I am not so keen in buying online without testing first. All this professionalism could be an advantage as well as a drawback. What if PWI Brussel turned out to be a very formal gathering of successful women? What if events where just a reproduction of the networking events of the EU bubble?
So, as PWI Brussels was hosting a free event open also to non-member, called Sharing Bubble, I decided to go. I have already described my experience in another blog post but let me summarize it like this: it was impressive. Forget the formalities, forget the awkward networking events.
I discovered the power of a women network
Not only I got confirmation that joining PWI Brussels would give me access to useful contacts, but I discovered the power of a women network. At the end of the event I walked out with the feeling I could be whatever I wanted in my life and there would be a group of women backing me up on this.
Why a women’s network?
Again, there are some topics that you would rather discuss with your friends than with your boss. Likewise, there are some work-related topics you would rather discuss with a woman than with a man. This is not to say that women networks do not enhance dialogue with men and want to split society in two parts, men and women. It is to say that a women’s network can offer a comfort zone and that at the end of the day our society needs some sisterhood.
at the end of the day our society needs some sisterhood
Women can and must cooperate. Let’s stop with this stereotype that women cannot bond. Who believes that has one more reason to attend a women’s network event.
Joining in a women’s network will pay off because you will:
- get to know interesting women: you will meet wonder women that will be your model and “normal” women facing challenges like you;
- be included in an environment where you feel comfortable in addressing your professional and even personal issues and that offers you the means to overcome them;
- be part of a positive change because you will help your peers too.
Are you selling me something?
No! This post is not meant to be an advertisement for PWI Brussels but simply the recognition that joining a women’s network is a great choice!
There are so many networks for and by women in Brussels that offer support that I am sure it will not take any woman a lot of time to find the one that fits her needs and expectations best. Look at their websites, drop them an email and attend one of their events: I am sure you will find yours too.
But since you are here…
But since you are here, if you are interested in knowing more about PWI Brussels and how we can help you grow and succeed, how we can support you through one of our programmes or simply by being there for you, please get in touch with us or even better: join one of our events. We love to hear from you! If you want to follow my experience, the Sharing Bubble takes place very first Tuesday of the month and is open for free also to non-members.
