The Düsseldorf campus of WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management – hosted its Ladies@WHU-Event “Mut zu Kindern und Karriere” (A bold move: Raising children while pursuing your career) on January 25, 2017. The focus of the well-attended evening event was on a reading by business journalist Stefanie Bilen. Forty working mothers – including Procter&Gamble’s general manager, founders of start-ups and many others – shared their stories on how they strive to strike a balance between their careers and a fulfilling family life. These insights appear in Stefanie’s book “Mut zu Kindern und Karriere.“
Amid the Ladies@WHU gathering, Stefanie Bilen began by reading from the chapter “Wunschkinder – gibt es den perfekten Zeitpunkt?” (Planned children – is there a perfect time to grow your family?) The chapter examines options women have to reignite their careers after periods of parental leave. The group also looked into the “existential question” as to whether it would be best to go back to work part time or full time. Women who are turning part time positions into full scope careers were introduced during this part of the event.
Subsequently, author Stefanie Bilen and her book interview subject Caroline Gilles as well as WHU alumna Mirja Gerlach (class of 1995) discussed the topic of work and family life balance with the event attendees. A get-together followed this lively session. Finger food and wine were served during this networking opportunity.
“It is possible to strike a balance between raising children and pursuing a career. It’s a fact, not a myth,” Silke Strohe concluded as she recapped the insights gained at the event. “There are many options we can choose from to achieve both. There is not just one perfect solution – there are many different ways to approach it,” observed Isabel von Korff.