Great Leaders Serve Others

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While women are taking on more board roles across the Middle East, there is still a long way to go before women achieve equality in leadership. We speak to Iman Al Qasim, Executive Vice President Human Capital at Emirates Global Aluminium, the world’s largest ‘premium aluminium’ producer and the biggest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas, on the defining learnings that shaped her career.

What one learning has had the biggest impact on your career?

To quote a VP of mine when I was working in a US company: “You are always teaching, and you are always learning.”

Even when you have reached a senior position, you should keep an open mind and continue to learn and grow. You can learn from anyone - from those older and wiser, to young children. I always aim to learn myself and foster a learning culture in my teams.

What drives you to succeed?

Having a clear purpose is so important. I believe that success should be an outcome of achieving an internal purpose and not a motivator in its own right. My goal is to make an impact on humanity and serve my country.

A good leader understands that their role is to enable others, and not an opportunity to sit at the top while others enable them.

What key drivers have enabled you to get to where you are today?

I have a huge passion for self-development and have always actively sought mentors and role models to coach me. It is important to recognize that you cannot achieve success in isolation; you need a support network.

What advice would you give to future female leaders or future women on boards?

I would say to take things step-by-step. When you start on your purpose, and if you believe you have the potential to serve at the top, it can seem overwhelming - especially for women, who can tend to say, “I can’t do it.” We all need to start somewhere. If you break the journey down into a manageable progression of milestones, it will seem more achievable.

In terms of overcoming the challenge of rising through the ranks as a woman, I think a lot of it comes down to confidence. I had the opportunity to develop the confidence muscle early on. I have had days where I had to go to the bathroom and cry, and then ask myself what I am going to do with that. I have had some defining moments where some very senior men have put me down – but I learned to put them in their place. The first time was very hard, but it gets easier and easier. Confidence is a muscle.

Can you describe some defining moments in your journey to success as a female leader?

The first one was a conversation I had with my father about whether I should pursue a career in the private sector or go into government. He encouraged me to go into the private sector, where you can learn so much so quickly, and then use that knowledge in a government role. After two or three years he suggested I had done enough in the private arena. But by that point, I knew I wanted to strive to reach the director level where I could really make an impact.

The second defining moment for me was an interaction with one of my Managing Directors early in my career. He was a very important person, but he was so humble and always made time to take my call. His desire to serve was apparent and it confirmed for me the essential truth that leadership should be about serving, rather than being served.

The interview was conducted by Mina Paul, Consultant at Russell Reynolds Associates, Dubai. Mina is passionate about building authentic and long-term partnerships with clients, teaming up with leadership teams to identify and attract diverse talents.