May 2025

Charlotte Eblinger-Mitterlechner attended the IIC Partners Global Meeting in Madrid - a wonderful reunion with colleagues from all over the world!

The focus was on topics related to AI in headhunting. From “Cracking the Code: AI, Agents & the Future of Headhunting” to “AI in Boardrooms – Opportunities and Risks.”

Inspiring ideas, intensive exchange, and the energy of a strong network. It is precisely these kinds of meetings that drive us forward again and again!

We thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful conversations with our international colleagues, including Agnieszka Jablonska, Keamogetse Moula Mokhobo-Amegashie, Nagore de Ugarte, Mike Wall, Nora O'Brien, Bob Clarke, Ewa Kuszelewski, Gonzalo Mata, and Cleveland Justis, MBA, PhD.

A warm welcome to the new IIC Partners members, GR & Partners, Brussels, Omera Partners, Sydney, and Miles Advisory, London!

Don't fix the women, fix the system

... said Patricia Neumann in conversation with Charlotte Eblinger-Mitterlechner during a fireside chat on the topic of female loyalty in top management – how do women support each other in their careers?
 
The women-only event took place on the Bel Etage of The Natural Gem on Universitätsring. At the invitation of Eblinger & Partner Executive Search, women from management positions in various industries attended the after-work event to join in the discussion.

Female loyalty in top management: How do women support each other in their careers?
 
Success in your job, your career, and a fulfilling job are not individual achievements but depend not only on your own performance but also on the people who work with you and support you. People live and work in groups and are not solitary beings. The more support we receive, the better things go.

But who supports whom?
 
In line with the motto “Once you've reached the top management level, send the elevator back down and bring more women up!”, we are seeing a great trend in terms of loyalty among women. The key here is to keep at it!
 
Female loyalty—the solidarity among women—differs from the way men stick together. Although we live in the 21st century and have never been closer to gender equality in society, men's careers tend to follow a different path than women's careers.

For centuries, men spent time outside the family in male groups, whether in the army, sports clubs, or, for a long time, at work. Women were dependent on men (husbands and fathers) and reduced to the family. Loyalty among women was neither rewarded nor encouraged; historically, it was often underestimated and hardly recognized, even though it releases high synergy effects, especially in a professional context. But women are catching up!

On the path to equality in the workplace – in management positions, on supervisory boards – women will progress more quickly if they are supported by men and women, by superiors, peers, and colleagues. Not being held back is the first step. Don't put obstacles in the way. Active support is the second step.
 
What does that mean? How does female loyalty work at all levels?
 
- Speak well of each other – even behind their backs

- Speak up – actively intervene when someone speaks badly or discriminatorily about another woman

- Eliminate unconscious bias and evaluate the performance of other women objectively or even benevolently
 
- Actively promote, support, and mentor women

Further LinkedIn-posts see here