Like it or not, women rule communications consulting

“You’ve come a long way, baby!”  For the communication business, that tagline has even more meaning than the old Virginia Slims ad that got scores of women hooked on smoking.  In Canada, women rule communications consulting and it’s time the industry acknowledged it.

It’s no secret that two-thirds of employees at communications consulting firms are women and many of these companies are also run by women.  My company, NATIONAL Public Relations, is predominantly female.  

More women than men are enrolled in communications programs at Canadian colleges and universities – nearly two-thirds are women. (More females than males are graduating from university in general, but the fact that so many are drawn to communication is of note.)

At a recent information session held in our firm, 100 per cent of the people attending were women – all York University communications studies students.  As a member of the female gender, I did not have a problem with the lack of males in the room but I imagine the managing partner of our firm, who generously gave of his time to address the students, may have felt a slight tinge of “odd man out.”

Why should it matter that so many women are drawn to communications?   It’s true that most women by nature are good communicators and multi-taskers, both qualities a good consultant should possess.  We also rely on our instincts about people to size them up and determine how best to reach them – again positive attributes for consulting.  Women are often good coaches and mentors because they believe in listening to others, collaborating in teams, and gathering input from a wide variety of sources to ensure the best outcome and advice is offered to clients.

Where the plus side of the equation potentially falls down is biology.  In order to continue life on our planet, most women need to take time off at some point to start a family.  This is not a small challenge for a woman.  Good companies will have a plan around how to manage maternity leaves, including preparing for the time off, offering training during the leave and developing an individual reintegration plan that includes the use of technology to help the employee manage the new realities of family life.

Many women find that going back to work after starting a family is trying due to the mental and physical exhaustion of motherhood.  There is nothing wrong with slowing down to manage career and family simultaneously!  Balancing work and family life are serious matters that should be openly discussed and embraced.  In our firm, several women changed gears after starting a family, taking on new job titles or positions. Our firm also uses technology to allow for greater flexibility – not only for new mothers but for all employees, recognizing that the needs of every individual are unique.  Some women have left entirely to start their own business, but for a company, the loss of a good woman executive is never a good solution.

Baby has come a long way, but there’s still further to go.  The big elephant in the room is all the women who have yet to take their turn at maternity leave.  Today’s communications professionals should be able to approach their employer with confidence, knowing that many others have already paved the road before them.  There is strength in numbers, and according to statistics, women will continue to reign as the queens of communications.

Sandra Upeslacis is the Manager of Talent Retention and Acquisition at NATIONAL Public Relations, Canada’s largest public relations firm with more than 325 employees in nine offices across Canada, in London and New York. www.national.ca Email,supeslacis@national.ca.

The Last Waltz: Vaira Vike-Freiberga in Canada

The end of an era is approaching. The September 2006 state visit to Canada of outgoing Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga and her large delegation of business and government representatives was like the farewell tour of a beloved rock band.

The usual suspects -- Latvian National Federation in Canada members, Canadian Latvian Business Association stalwarts, several tables of the Spidola sorority, and assorted representatives of other local Latvian organizations, raced to acquire tickets to the Empire Club luncheon held in Toronto on September 21. Rumours buzzed about who would be invited to the posh reception at the Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre that evening hosted by Latvia's Ambassador to Canada, Atis Sjanits, known for his excellent gastronomic taste.

Die-hard fans shelled out plane and hotel fares to be part of the Baltic Evening on Parliament Hill in Ottawa held on September 25. The hand-picked Girl Guides and Scouts who attended the September 20 Quebec City luncheon with the Latvian President and Canada's Governor-General, Michaelle Jean, sat wide-eyed in their recounting of salmon carpaccio, Brome duck and superb Canadian wines that were passed around as they'd mingled with political elites..

Just as it's difficult to imagine that the Rolling Stones will actually do a farewell tour that will be their last, Latvians in Canada are struggling with the reality that their vaulted status as "friends" or "acquaintances" of the President of Latvia will soon come crashing to an end. Our time in the sun is over.

Let's be realistic. Latvia is doing well on her own, thank you very much. (If you can put aside for a moment the political situation, which has become a cesspool of corruption as rag-tag Saeima representatives continue to line their pockets with dirty money.)

Many exile Latvians are hanging on to the outdated view that "we know better," and "Latvia needs our help" because we are somehow superior. This is a fallacy. Vaira Vike-Freiberga sheltered and protected Latvians in Canada, allowing us access to the highest office in Latvia through her unselfish attendance at numerous exile functions, and by including exiles in many of her own official events. Through Dr. Vike-Freiberga, we achieved a distorted view of our own significance, convincing ourselves that exiles have all the answers because one of our own was wearing the President's shoes.The question is, did we step up to the plate, roll up our sleeves and get to work, like the President did? How did we embrace our brothers and sisters in the homeland? Have we made a difference? How will the next President of Latvia view our contribution to the nation?

We cannot expect Latvians in Latvia to treat us as equals. History handed us different roles. Exiles bathed in considerable wealth for half a century while Latvians in the homeland suffered the indignities of an impoverished, communist-imposed existence. There is no escaping this fact and we must come to terms with it or we will not be able to move forward.Vaira Vike-Freiberga has carried us on her shoulders. Maybe that's why we love her so much. She singlehandedly soared above the clouds to bring Latvia out of the depths of her misery and allowed her to walk tall on the international stage. Whatever role Dr. Vike-Freiberga takes on in the future, we will support her. Vaira is our mother Latvia. Have we been good children?