Reflets Magazine #155 | Clara Moley (E13): ‘An Assertive Woman is Still Seen as Transgressive’
In the run-up to our Equality Week, Reflets Mag #155 devotes a 20-page feature to ESSEC members committed to the cause of gender equality in the business world. Among them is Clara Moley (E13), coach, mentor, author and conference speaker.
‘On completing my studies, I went to Brazil to become a raw materials trader. For almost six years, I was the only woman in my market.’
A reality check which sometimes landed her in difficulty; she experienced unease and even anger with certain behaviour, but this period would play a decisive role in her career. ‘I created a podcast, Les Règles du Jeu [The Rules of the Game], around this experience, which was later adapted into a book under the same title. My view is that inequality is embedded in informal discussions, meetings, and in moments that seem unimportant or trivial but can make or break a career. I thus offer advice and ways to act on this “micro” scale.’
Because in her view, change comes first on an intimate level. ‘Many women express experiencing imposter syndrome, a fear of how others see them, an attitude to authority, etc. They are in fact closely affected by these issues.’ Men are obviously not exempt from these concerns, ‘but there is nevertheless a huge imbalance, linked partly to the way we perceive a woman who does everything she can to succeed, and partly to the inner limits women struggle to overcome.’
Clara thus encourages women to break down these inner walls. ‘Asserting oneself, in the position we hold in a company today, is still seen as transgressive, whether we like it or not. We have no other choice than to take this on board.’
This is the message she now transmits as an instructor, press columnist or speaker in companies. ‘I also launched a second podcast, Le Starter Pack, and co-founded the Femmes & Travail [Women & Work] collective with five peers for more political actions.
Because Clara has not lost sight of the fact that gender equality must also by driven by public powers, at a time when the gender wage gap in France is still at 15% excluding part-time, 9% for equivalent positions, and the same gap between couples stands at 42%.‘In 70% of cases, it is the women who earn less, which explains why an overwhelming majority of them reduce their working time or exit the job market, either temporarily or definitively, once they have children.’Published in Reflets Magazine #155. Read the issue exceptionally in free access. Subscribe to read our upcoming issues!
Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni
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