"In the decades I've known Gretchen, I have watched her grow and excel as a mother, a civic and business leader, and an influencer in the construction industry. We are so fortunate that Gretchen carved out the time to write this seminal book on women's leadership and I am confident that all will benefit from the knowledge she shares. Gretchen is a remarkable leader and role model who cares deeply for the construction industry, and her passion for helping women thrive helps us build a more inclusive industry."
-Mary K. Rhinehart, Chair, Johns Manville Corporation.
Practical leadership guidance, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies for women and their male allies to elevate their careers in construction
Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction is a guide to becoming a successful female leader in the construction, engineering, mining, and energy industries. Featuring real-world case studies, inspiring stories of successful women leaders, and actionable strategies, this book serves as a catalyst for transformation, enabling organizations to harness the untapped potential of their female talent and drive innovation and growth.
Leveraging the author's 40-year industry career as a construction industry executive, female trailblazer, and advocate for women empowerment in the workplace, Building Women Leaders includes information on:
Techniques for navigating a male-dominated industry, including understanding "dominant culture" and unconscious bias
The qualities of successful leaders in these industries, including what it means to lead versus manage and how Grounded Self-leadership is critical to authenticity
Guidelines for building strong relationships and leading a diverse team with confidence, courage, and humility
Ways to handle difficult conversations and conflicts, and the role of trust and vulnerability in these situations
How to build support via professional organizations, networking groups, and training and development opportunities for women leaders
Building Women Leaders is a timely, essential, up-to-date resource on the subject for leaders of all genders and at all levels and occupations in the engineering, construction, mining, and energy industries looking to harness the power of women in the workforce.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Produkt-Hinweis
Broschur/Paperback
Klebebindung
Maße
Höhe: 228 mm
Breite: 152 mm
Dicke: 24 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-394-25138-4 (9781394251384)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Gretchen Gagel, PhD, an influential leader in the construction industry, overcame discouragement from her father to study mechanical engineering and forge a successful executive career. She has advised some of the largest corporations on effective construction execution and in 2021 was inducted by her peers into the National Academy of Construction. The last chapter of Gretchen's career is dedicated to driving inclusivity in the construction, engineering, mining, and energy industries as founder of Women Thriving in Construction: A Global Institute. In this book, Gretchen brings together research and insights from over 120 global thought leaders to empower women and their allies. She candidly shares personal experiences - balancing executive leadership with motherhood and caregiving - while providing actionable strategies to accelerate the success of women and transform workplace culture. Connect with Gretchen on LinkedIn or visit www.gretchengagel.com.
Autor*in
Southern Methodist University; University of Denver; Regis University; Colorado State University
About the Author xiii
Foreword by Janice L. Tuchman xv
Foreword by Hugh L. Rice xvii
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxiii
Testimonials xxv
Introduction 1
Part I "Me" - The Lived Experience of the Construction Industry 7
1 Exploring Unconscious Bias and Dominant Culture 9
Introduction 9
The Lived Experience of Women in the Construction Industry 11
Understanding Unconscious Bias 14
Understanding Dominant Culture 19
Conclusion 23
References 24
Part II "Me" - Grounded Self-Leadership - Introduction 27
2 Defining Leadership and Your Leadership Aspirations 31
Introduction 31
Defining Leadership 33
Leadership Styles 34
Leadership Versus Management 36
Your Leadership Aspiration 41
Conclusion 43
References 43
3 Living Your Life Purpose and Value 45
Introduction 45
Personal Purpose 46
Personal Values 49
Conclusion 55
References 55
4 Feeling Courageous and Confident with Humility 57
Introduction 57
Belonging 58
Courage 60
Confidence with Humility 63
A Note on Imposter Syndrome 69
Conclusion 71
References 71
5 Thinking Critically, Learning, and Reflecting 75
Introduction 75
Utilizing Your Brain - Critical Thinking 76
Utilizing Your Brain - Learning and Curiosity 79
Utilizing Your Brain - Becoming Comfortable with Failure 82
Caring for Your Brain - Reflection 84
Caring for Your Brain - Creativity 87
Conclusion 89
References 90
6 Telling Your Leadership Story 93
Introduction 93
Having Voice 94
Your Leadership Brand 97
Storytelling 99
Conclusion 103
References 103
Part II "Me" - Grounded Self-Leadership - Conclusion 105
Part III "We" - The Supporting Cast - Introduction 107
7 Learning from Mentors, Sponsors, and Coaches 109
Introduction 109
Mentors 110
Sponsors 114
Coaches 117
Conclusion 120
References 121
8 Experiencing Allyship 123
Introduction 123
Defining Allyship 124
Woman-to-Woman Allyship 125
Male Allies of Women 128
Conclusion 132
References 133
9 Building Powerful Networks 135
Introduction 135
Your Industry Networks 136
Networking Outside of Your Industry 139
Conclusion 141
References 141
Part III "We" - The Supporting Cast - Conclusion 143
Part IV "We" - Building Strong Relationships - Introduction 145
10 Being Present, Listening, and Asking Great Questions 149
Introduction 149
Being Present 150
Listening 151
Asking Great Questions 153
Conclusion 156
References 157
11 Utilizing Power to Influence 159
Introduction 159
Defining Power and Influence 160
Regulating Our Power Level 163
Conclusion 165
References 166
12 Leveraging Emotional Intelligence 167
Introduction 167
Defining Emotional Intelligence 168
Emotional Self-Awareness 168
Emotional Self-Regulation 171
Emotional Social Awareness 174
Conclusion 175
References 176
13 Building Trust and Psychological Safety 179
Introduction 179
Defining Trust 180
Actions That Build Trust 183
Psychological Safety 186
Conclusion 189
References 190
14 The Three "C's" - Communication, Collaboration, and Conflict Resolution 193
Introduction 193
Communication 194
You as the "Sender" 194
Understanding the Receiver 198
Speaking in Public 200
Collaboration 202
Conflict Resolution/Negotiation 205
Salary and Benefit Negotiations 207
Conclusion 208
References 209
15 Clarifying Expectations and Providing Feedback 211
Introduction 211
Clarifying Expectations and Providing Direction 212
Providing Feedback 213
Conclusion 221
References 222
Part IV "We" - Building Strong Relationships - Conclusion 223
Part V "Us" - Leading and Influencing Teams and Organizations - Introduction 225
16 Defining Purpose, Goals, and Objectives 227
Introduction 227
Team/Organization Purpose 228
Team/Organization Goals and Objectives 230
Conclusion 233
References 234
17 Building Organization Culture and Values 237
Introduction 237
Defining Organization Culture 238
Measuring Organization Culture 245
Conclusion 246
References 246
18 Executing Strategies and Tactics 247
Introduction 247
Defining Strategies 248
Defining Tactics 251
Conclusion 254
References 254
19 Utilizing Team Norms and Social Contracts 255
Introduction 255
Defining Teams 256
High-Performing Teams 257
Conclusion 267
References 268
20 Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining Diverse Talent 271
Introduction 271
Attracting Diverse Talent 272
Hiring Diverse Talent into the Right Roles 275
Keeping the Right People 277
Selecting the Right Managers and Leaders 279
Conclusion 281
References 281
21 Creating Agile Teams and Organizations 283
Introduction 283
People and Change 284
Defining Organization Agility 286
Leader Behaviors that Support or Inhibit Organization Agility 291
The Role of Organization Ambidexterity in Organization Agility 296
Conclusion 298
References 299
Part V "us" - Leading and Influencing Teams and Organizations - Conclusion 301
Part VI "us" - Leading An Inclusive Construction Industry 303
22 Leading an Inclusive Construction Industry 305
Introduction 305
Individual Actions to Lead the Industry 306
Conclusion 319
References 319
Conclusion 321
Appendix A Construction Industry Leaders Interviewed for This Book 325
Appendix B Greatness Podcast Guests Included in This Book 327
Index 329
