Women in communication: interview with Cristiana Cristaldini of Zenith Italy
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.
Cristiana Cristaldini, Business Director of Zenith Italy, answered 5 significant questions for us, telling us about the beauty and difficulties of being a woman in the world of work, without giving up on her family.
1. What is "being a woman" like in the world of work?
"Gently complicated" although I think the correct question is what it is like to want to reconcile your desires, projects and the world of work.
I would like to think that those who have an idea of a life in which work, family and personal interests have the right weight, regardless of whether they are a man or a woman, find themselves facing the same critical issues.
For me, who as a person I have chosen to invest in my career but also to have a family and be part of it, not to lock myself up in a cliché of "career woman", "working mom", I say that it is not easy, that there are days when you can't wait to turn off your brain in front of the TV and you don't go to sleep because if you close your eyes tomorrow comes and the carousel starts again. Days when you look at the clock and realize that it is 6.00 pm and you still have a thousand things to do in the office and you envy those who do not have to go to retrieve their child in the pool and run home to prepare dinner. Days when someone makes you feel that work isn't your only priority. But they are days, fortunately few.
For the rest, having a life outside of work, believing in certain values is an advantage even at work speaking: it teaches you to manage priorities, to organize yourself, it helps you to understand the needs of colleagues / customers, to "relativize".
I cannot deny that having three children and especially three pregnancies did not impact my career, it slowed it down, I took steps back and perhaps "more willing" people were privileged.
See also
2. What was "women empowerment" at 18 for you?
My mother used to say: "if I am reborn I want to be reborn as a man", I never thought of it. Honestly at 18 I was very focused on myself, committed to wanting to build a life, to understand who and what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have always taken gender equality for granted and taken female emancipation for granted. Despite being aware that there were cultures and religions in which discrimination against women was and is a reality, I have always believed that "will is power", that determination and commitment were sufficient to achieve one's goals. The reality of the facts is a little different, there are forms of discrimination that are less evident, more subtle: women who occupy prestigious roles are less than men, are paid less, often suffer stereotypes, they have to make choices that men do not. have to face. Not all of them have the same freedom and the same opportunities reserved for the other half of the sky.
3. Three words you associate today with "women empowerment"
Equality, solidarity, freedom.
4. What would you recommend to the 18-year-old you?
The same things I would say to my daughters and my son: “believe in yourself, have no limits, always look ahead and be open. Evaluate and judge the people you will meet on your path without stopping at appearances. Find a partner, a friend who shares your same values and together you grow, build, improve. "
5. How much need is there today to talk about women empowerment and what should be done?
More than talking, we need to do, educate, spread the culture and the value of diversity / complementarity. Fighting more or less obvious inequalities and working for future generations.
We can all make our contribution, helping our new mother our colleague, evaluating people for the quality of their work and for the real contribution they can make. We raise our daughters and sons by teaching them that men and women have the same rights and duties. Not with words but with deeds: prejudices and stereotypes are broken down by working today, even starting from small things.
The differences are there and they are wonderful, they are not a limit.
We teach them not to limit themselves, to question themselves, not to have barriers, not to raise barriers.
