Women in communication: interview with Sara Buluggiu of Rubicon Project
Coming of age is certainly an important milestone, both for a person and for a brand and, in this very particular case, for ours.
As the female turns 18, we have decided to start a Women Empowerment project that focuses on women who work in the field of communication.
Sara Buluggiu, Managing Director Italy, Spain and MENA of Rubicon Project, answered 5 significant questions for us, explaining how the beauty of the diversity between men and women should not be an obstacle for the latter in the workplace.
1. What is "being a woman" like in the world of work?
I would like to be able to say that I don't think there are big differences between being a woman or a man at work, but it is clear - and perhaps even healthy - that there are; especially because I have the (un) luck of working with the Middle East. However, I am not one of those women who feels the urgency of homologation between the sexes: we are different, fantastically different! Surely we have to put in more energy and skills to get recognition but it is a fact and crying on yourself is useless. I think the best compliment that is given to me at work is "but how do you do it all?", Because let's face it: we "girls" are capable of disfiguring a skilled juggler to make everything work.
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2. What was "women empowerment" for you at 18?
Having said that at 18 I had no idea what "woman empowerment" was, I think I can say that for me they were the women of my family: my grandmother Rosetta, my aunt Lidia, my aunt Rosa. Exceptional women who did not have and do not need recognition to be successful women in their lives. They are daily leaders, tough amazons who resisted unspeakable pains with a smile on their face, strictly framed by Valentino red lipstick because you never leave home without it! I think they would have reacted with a resounding "oh my, how many stories, if you really want to do something there is no one who can stop you!" To the communication campaigns dedicated to pink quotas and the like.
3. Three words you associate today with "women empowerment"
The first is the title of a book "Antifragile" by Taleb; what it is doing with me and with the women I value who we are is the ability to find resources in obstacles that make us infinitely better than what we would have been without. The second is "motherhood" because a woman, a mother who knows how to bring the sweet aspects of being the fair sex into her managerial model is worth more than 1000 company leaders; just as, on the other hand, women who mimic men become very bad for more. The third is "solidarity" because when women team up, nobody stops them! They are capable of incredible results when they pool their resources.
4. What would you recommend to the 18-year-old you?
Thinking about the 18-year-old "Bulug" makes me feel infinite tenderness because she was full of insecurities and fears. First of all I would show her a photo of me today and I would say "Oh look, that's you!". Then I would advise her to always play sports (I started at 35 and I can't stop thinking about what I would be like if I had always done it !!) and to expect more respect from the people she loves. I have to be honest, I had a lot of luck in my life: I have met exceptional women and men who believed in me and allowed me to be the person I am today. I would like to say that the thing I am most proud of is my son, but it wouldn't be like that if I weren't a mom worker; therefore I would advise her to ignore the feelings of guilt that will come when she leaves him with the nanny at 8 months to go back to work!
5. How much need is there to talk about women empowerment today and what should be done?
The need is there, especially for women who do not live in big cities, for those who have been raised on "women's bread and duties"; the revolution is cultural rather than legislative, because as long as there is a need for laws it means that people will have to be forced to recognize to women what should be natural. We must "take them when they are small", teach our children that there are no women's jobs and men's jobs, women's homework and men's homework, obviously without extremes, because the first beard will always be done with dad!
