“I don’t know how to ask for a salary increase.” “I’m the only woman in the meetings and they don’t listen to me.” “I want to grow professionally”. With these concerns, women approach Lean In Network Barcelona, ??an association with more than 1,500 members inspired by the book of the same name by the former director of Facebook operations Sheryl Sandberg that provides a space for meeting, information and connection between professional women in the city . The American bestseller, published in 2013, makes visible episodes and dynamics that women experience at work on a regular basis, which prevent them from growing and reaching leadership positions and which, however, they often do not know how to identify.
Ikuska Sanz founded Lean In Network Barcelona in 2016, with a group of 17 women. “We exceeded one hundred participants in a month and I entered the leadership program that the organization has in the United States,” says Ella Sanz. This certification catapulted the growth of Lean In in Barcelona, ??which is currently the largest network of its kind in Spain. The association promotes the professional development and labor equality of women through two activities: the program of circles and regular events. The circles are autonomous groups that meet regularly to receive guidance on a topic related to the professional field. The idea is to learn and grow with the support of other women.
Eva Blanco, leader and director of institutional relations at Lean In Network BCN, explains that there are no requirements to create or join a circle and that this is “the differential value” of the association. The largest circle in Barcelona has 148 members and is dedicated to communication skills. Esther Sandarns, leader of the circle, explains that “sometimes women think it is better to shut up before we are considered stupid or hysterical” and adds: “It is important that we validate ourselves through communication when we ask or demand something”.
The association also develops meetings and workshops for companies, which may have corporate circles or receive support regarding equality issues. Among the companies impacted are HP Iberia, Swarovski and Boehringer Ingelheim. Lean In Network Barcelona hopes to solidify alliances and launch a mentoring program and also set new remuneration criteria, based on a salary survey that has already received more than 400 responses, so that women have references to negotiate their salaries .
