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NO BIAS – Network of Brilliant Institute-leaders (HoDs) at SDU

Submitted by Eva Sophia Myers, leader of SDU’s Gender Equality Team

- ongoing

NO BIAS – Network of Brilliant Institute-leaders (HoDs) at SDU

In early 2019, I was approached by three female heads of department from one of SDU’s faculties, with a request to establish a network for female HoDs, in order to provide a forum for open exchanges and collegial support. As SDU’s HR development supports and facilitates other networks, including for leaders, this was an easy request to accommodate.  
In May 2019 the network was therefore established on the basis of accepted invitations by all-female HoDs at SDU.  
Since then, 11 meetings have been held in the network, most of which are based on structured reflections and facilitated the exchange of experiences. We have also been able to invite four external experts to give workshops on specific topics, such as negotiation practices seen from a female perspective, bias in leadership practices, leading Primadonnas and distance leadership of specialists.  
During the lockdown, meetings were held online. During the past 2,5 years, the network has gained new members and lost others, but is now a firm supportive factor in members’ leadership practices, and is made a certain priority in very busy schedules.  

COMPASS PERSPECTIVE – in what way(s) was the measure C O M P A S S?

O for being open for and responsive to initiatives – and for the members’ openness and inclusive approach to each other

M for providing ways to actively and effectively mitigate bias – a supportive and safe forum to collectively reflect on own leadership practices as well as the larger organization both in general leadership terms and specifically in terms of being a female leader

A for the responsible and diligent reflective praxis and collegial support and mutual challenging and qualification on responsibility and leadership both towards own employees, to the strategic agendas and to the larger organization and university management

S for providing support and sustenance to peers – and contributing to a more well rounded worklife as a leader in an otherwise harsh and exposed position

ACTORS AND STAKEHOLDERS

Members of the network are female HoDs, facilitated by head of SDU’s Gender Equality Team.

AUTHOR’S REFLECTIONS

What would you do the same/differently another time?
What have you learnt? Do you see relevance for this in other contexts?

The network members have recently evaluated the personal value of the network – and we have gone through its short history, covering the activities and the members' entry and exit. What surprised me was the deep need for this kind of forum and the uniqueness and specific quality it offers its members by providing a mildly structured frame for exchanges. The resultant sense of belonging, support and community as well as concrete ideas for direct implementation are valued far greater than input by external experts. A crucial element in this was the establishment of a psychological contract at the beginning that emphasizes confidentiality and how to deal with conflicts. Another feature has been a group of three members who meet to plan the coming network meetings. These planning meetings are a forum for important exchanges also. The planning group changes every year, with one member staying on.  
For me, this setup confirms the necessity of letting the group establish itself over a period, at first providing a recognizable frame and gradually insisting on more structured and facilitated exchanges within the group itself, in order to slowly build trust and support and openness. We are now at a place where members trust each other and make it a priority to participate in meetings.