“In the past, being the only woman meant carrying the entire gender on your shoulders,” Bénédicte Tilloy
The 15th anniversary of the EVE Program is something to celebrate! The “Practice” section of your newsletter marks this anniversary by introducing you each month to an emblematic figure of female leadership. Who are the women who have shaken up the entrepreneurial, cultural or political landscape, and how have they forged a path for others who want to dare? For this first edition, we met Bénédicte Tilloy, former CEO of SNCF Transilien, speaker and painter. Interview.
What changes have you seen in women’s leadership since you joined the EVE Program in 2014?
Bénédicte Tilloy: There have been some huge changes in the last 10 years. Women are finally being heard; they are daring to be themselves more in leadership positions. In the past, being the only woman meant carrying the entire gender on your shoulders. Now, there is a plurality that means everyone can assert their identity without being accused of “hysterics” or slapped with clichés. It’s easier to dare to be yourself when the collective has earned the right to exist.
However, despite all the progress, we still have a long way to go. Large groups are investing more and more in the promotion of women to positions of responsibility, but small structures or start-ups without the means for major development policies are still very much affected by stereotypes. It is precisely these gendered representations that assign women to marketing or communications functions, while key functions such as development or finance remain predominantly male. There is still a long way to go!
What are the qualities of a female role model for you?
Bénédicte Tilloy: As I see it, the most important—and also the most delicate—quality is the ability to balance, to navigate simultaneously between the infinitely large and the infinitely small. And I think, as a leader, I have managed to pay attention and listen to each individual, while maintaining an overall vision.
I have also sought to allow rather than prohibit, by showing that doors were open when others may have thought they were closed. We wrongly think that the role of a leader is to prohibit, but on the contrary, it is about helping people to dare, and then to succeed. I feel that I have charted my own course with this mindset, even when it went off the beaten track. It was no coincidence that I left the SNCF at 55, that I wanted to be a start-up artist, that I became a painter and that I told everyone about it on social media… But I allowed myself each of these trajectories and I think that I managed to allow other people to do it as well. When I meet former employees who thank me for believing in them, it makes me proud.
Finally, one last quality that is essential in my eyes: courage. I have had to deal with rare and incredibly intense crisis situations, and I have learned through those experiences that there is no point in putting up barriers to shield yourself. The key is to preserve your humanity at all costs. I still remember situations that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Meeting families after terrible accidents, a conductor fighting for his life after being stabbed on a train; his wife holding my hand during the trial against his attacker... That day, she saw me as a human person and not just a company representative, and I will never forget that.
What practical advice would you like to share with the EVE community?
Bénédicte Tilloy: First, build a network before you need one. Unlike men who are literally immersed in networks from the day they are born, women must actively develop their own. Outside the company. Attend conferences or events that interest you, because that’s where opportunities and connections happen. It’s a job in itself, but it brings power and real influence.
Second, when you are climbing the ladder, don’t pull it up behind you. It is vital to support and encourage other women to succeed, rather than giving in to the fear of being chosen through “positive discrimination”. And to follow on from my previous point, stay open and receptive rather than creating a hard shell, so you can lead thoughtfully and with humanity. Maintain both your strategic perspective and your empathy for others. This ability to combine the intellectual and the emotional will allow you to be an impactful leader.
Finally, don’t try conforming to please someone specific or to match an imaginary ideal. You were chosen precisely for your ability to do things differently! So don’t wait for validation before daring to be yourself, because validation comes when you are truly yourself.
