LEAN (IN) ON ME
Women’s liberation paved the way for us four decades ago, but the modern women’s movement has a feeling of a different kind.
Women’s liberation paved the way for us four decades ago, but the modern women’s movement has a feeling of a different kind.
When the new women’s movement was reinvigorated around the world during the #womensmarches in January, it shone a light on the sexism, misogyny and gender inequality that now faces American politics and in turn the political agenda around the world. But it also shone a light of a different kind: one of solidarity, of sisterhood, of women supporting women. And mentoring each other.
The notion of females mentoring each other – supporting through passing on experience and trusted advice – is gaining pace around Australia. Sometimes it is concerted: many businesses have formal mentoring programs; and sometimes it is simply learnt.
Like most women, businesswoman Jeanine Bribosia, the founder and director of The Cru agency, which specialises in
high-end restaurant and lifestyle brands, cites her mother as her “greatest guide”, but she has also received guidance in unexpected ways. She became chronically ill with anorexia nervosa in her late teens and relied on “a few strong women” who had recovered from similar illnesses, and some health professionals. “In the absence of clarity in my own mind, I decided that following their advice and wisdom was my greatest hope,” she says.
That experience inspired Bribosia to build a nurturing environment in her business – “I really set out to build a culture where my employees would never be scared to ask me a question” – and also volunteers with Raise, the youth mentoring foundation.
Supporting women has recently been at the forefront of cultural discussions from Hollywood to local government bodies such as Screen Australia, which introduced the Gender Matters policy last year to address the gender imbalance in the screen industry. Part of the program is access to mentorship support.
Actress, writer and director Mirrah Foulkes has already benefitted from this, by working with industry veterans Jane Campion and Jan Chapman, who have both become mentors.
“When you’ve got those few people around you who are generous with their time and their enthusiasm, it’s really wonderful,” Foulkes says. “This sense of giving back to the industry creatively and supportively, it makes a world of difference.”
Sometimes it is done more surreptitiously. Screenwriter and director Alethea Jones was recently invited to join the Alice Initiative – a women’s club of anonymous female studio executives and producers in Hollywood whose aim is to promote members throughout the industry. “They told me they had been having dinner for years, hanging out, swapping stories, helping each other from all the different studios,” Jones says. “It’s really great; they’re working behind the scenes and I’m getting better scripts.”
Jones was one of the speakers at the Women in Film panel Vogue hosted during the Oscars weekend in February, featuring six Australians including producers Angie Fielder ( Lion), Polly Staniford and young actress Danielle Macdonald ( Patti Cake$), all of whom espoused the benefits of being mentored.
In music too, women are demonstrating solidarity. When singer Tina Arena was inducted into the Aria Hall of Fame in 2015 and was asked to sing her hit Chains, she shared the moment with young female talents Jess Mauboy and the Veronicas twins.
“My work would never be what it was if it wasn’t for the other people that helped make it happen and I know that and those girls were absolutely vital to that performance,” says Arena. “It was powerful, us coming together and supporting each other.”
The fashion industry has also long enjoyed an organic nurturing of talents who find each other through their likeminded creativity, but recently, organisations such as the Australian Fashion Chamber (AFC) aim to solidify these mentoring relationships to help broaden the opportunities of new designers who are growing an international business.
Beth and Tessa MacGraw cite the AFC community, as well as their parents, as helping guide their relatively young eponymous label, which they formed in 2012.
“Our mentors have given us confidence in business and also in ourselves and our ability. You can never underestimate having a good sounding board in those big decision moments,” says Beth.
Alice McCall was mentored early in her career as a fashion designer by Heidi Middleton, who taught her about “grace, integrity, kindness, strength, persistence and determination”.
However, she notes that men can lend a hand, and she now seeks advice from David Briskin, former CEO of Sass & Bide. “I was ready for that level of mentoring … my questions are always concise and so are his answers. To the point and direct.”
Westpac CIO Anastasia Cammaroto says she has benefitted from the wisdom of many men, especially working in a maledominated industry. “But I’ve always tried to balance the male and female mentors, because they give a different perspective.”
Alice McCall says that no matter who your mentor is, or what type of mentee you may be, everyone shares one common trait: you can never stop learning, even after decades in business.
“To have teachers or guides, advisors or mentors along the way is worth its weight in gold. The best way to learn is to find mentors that are doing what you want to do, that you gravitate to, whether they are artists, designers, business entrepreneurs and the list goes on. Experience is knowledge and knowledge is the key.”