Being a full time citizen –instead of a full time woman employed

Last summer I was fired from Banco Español de Crédito: it coincided with the first round of laid offs as a result of the world finantial crisis. It was a negotiated exit, after six years of full-time dedication to a senior position. Difficult to explain to family and  neighbours, anyhow.

In the Fall I took time to rest and reflect on my career. Reflections were guided by an expert coacher for high performance executives: Agnes Lee. She has been a great choice, and she han made easy many difficulties. Most of the people with whom I share this experience see coaching as an expense. For me it is still an investment.

Once I had clear what I wanted to do in the next few years -going back to Academia is on the list- I started rebranding. Agnes suggested me to make a list of people I would like to volunteer with while and I chose my project for the future. Thus arose Ana Mª Llopis, a PhD in Physics from Berkeley, and borned in Venezuela. I’m working with Ana Maria Llopis in ideas4all as an “advanced learning experience.” Ideas4all is based on a technological platform collecting ideas from anyone, filtered by sector. These ideas may help improve businesses and institutions, for example. ideas4all also sells the platform to third (Banco Sabadell is a recent case) and provides these capabilities temporarily to third parties. Now we are working with Universia and Santander Universidades collecting ideas from students, teachers, researchers, managers … who can not attend the meeting of Deans in Guadalajara 2010 (http://ideasparaguadalajara2010.ideas4all.com/). I’m learning a lot with Ana Maria, who is a great example of enthusiasm and a reference of professional success in Spain, a country were merit is little recognized, and less of all in a woman.

Beside, I am looking for work, which is itself a full time job. In these months I have found several interesting groups to join the University and I am now talking to them. EOI, UEM, UPM and URJC are possibilities in Madrid. I am investing heavily in personal branding and contacts. I invite you to see the video http://ciclodedebates.fundacion.telefonica.com/entrevista-a-olga-gil/ on my personal page (www.olgag.net). On this website, I‘ll soon have all my research available, 10 years fully dedicated to research. Did I ever told you that my thesis was honored with the higest award from Asociación de Ciencia Politica y de la Administración (AECPA) to the best book in 2003?

At the moment I am studying the use of technological tools by political parties: for example, social media in the Obama campaign Obama y los medios sociales: http://bit.ly/9KmKpZ). In the future I want to finish my doctoral dissertation on telecommunications and Brazil, started in Instituto Ortega y Gasset and abandoned since 2000.

I am planning to travel to the World Wide Web Conference in Raleigh (April 26-30) focusing on open government. I would like to visit you and other professors from UNC and Duke, and I would like to know which dates would be better to step by in Chapel Hill. I would love to have your suggestions to plan the meeting together.

I have been working on presentation skills with Pascale Bang-Rouhet (www.expresarte.es), a superb specialist trained at Actors Studio who now trains senior executives. Pascale has taught me to prepare to talk in conventions and meetings and manage difficult people in meetings. It is simply magnificent. Since I’ve gone through her programs I dissect all presentations.

As for leadership I am deeply involved with the Spanish Fulbright Association. I am member of the board and tech-enabler. This year I am very committed to the acts of the 20th anniversary of the Association. I am also a member of the Advisory Board of EPWN in Spain – European Professional Women Network, whose president, Marijo Boss has recently been elected President for Europe. EPWN is an Association of Professional Women, with regional headquarters in various European countries. In Spain it is only three years old, but it has over 360 members and 300 supporters (women and men who know us and participate in our activities or the sponsor). The Federation EPWN brings together 17 national networks in Europe, with 3,500 members. The Association is not exclusive to women, it helds breakfast with CEOs and presidents of companies on a regular basis, so that the capabilities of women are known (European Professional Women Network: http://bit.ly/ccVnPl). I often recommend to my friends to be professional member of this Association. Usually I find that the associationism is consider a waste of time and money, not as an investment –neither the possibility of discovering that giving is many times wonderful than to receive.