Radka Máchová, Czech, manager and professional pilot, flew the lead plane of the awe-inspiring OWP air show over Lake Geneva. OWP participants watched the planes fly in formation with absolute symmetry and precision.

Martha Maznevski, IMD Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Director of the Strategic Leadership Program for Women, was fascinated by the show and wondered about Radka Máchová’s experience as a woman in the male-dominated world of aviation. Here is a summary of their exchange:

Martha Maznevski: How did you become a pilot?

Radka Máchová: I just love flying and anything to do with being in the air. I made my first parachute jump when I was 15. Aerobatic flying, and especially formation aerobatics, really is the summit of our profession. You have to know how to handle the plane in all kinds of situations. After a busy day, shuffling papers at my desk, it is great to step into the cockpit and frolic in the air!

What was your biggest challenge?

Well, not so much the technique of flying but more the fact that I am not a man! Before the Czech Velvet Revolution in 1989, the only place to study aviation was at the military university. However, women were not allowed in. So, I decided to study air transport operation at the University of Transport instead and obtained a private piloting licence on the side. Still, these papers did not enable me, a woman, to become an airline pilot or even an air traffic controller. At that time, I could only become an aerobatics pilot which I decided to “settle for.” Fortunately it was, and still is, a challenge and a wonderful thing to do!

How did you respond to being considered the "wrong" person for the job?

The positive effect of being considered unsuitable is total motivation and dedication. I know I have to be perceived as being better than any male pilot. I work very hard to always be on top of anything new in aviation. But frankly, in the cockpit, you take your decisions alone, you carry your responsibility as a pilot and there are no differences between men and women. It is a good thing more and more people are starting to realize this.

What do you say to women who face challenges in pursuing excellence in their fields?

Women, even if we know we are just as good as or better than some of our male colleagues, have to come better prepared. We must use our brains more! I also think that we should not consider the family as an obstacle to a career or a career an obstacle to having a family. I have managed to fulfill my dream, yet I am married and have two super sons!

Coping Mechanisms

Martha Maznevski recognizes some of Ms. Máchová’s remarks as coping mechanisms for career women. This is a theme that, together with ‘tokenism,’ frequently comes up in her own program at IMD for women in top positions (Strategic Leadership for Women) who are often, like Ms. Máchová, the only female in a team of men. "As a society we are slowly removing the official barriers women like Radka faced, but we are still not used to women in positions of power. Almost all the women I have worked with and interviewed over the past five years feel pressure to perform better than men just to get recognized, and say they constantly fight for credibility. But most are also deeply satisfied with their career and life – they are conscious of their choices and trade-offs, and appreciate them," comments Professor Maznevski. " It has been such a pleasure to watch this team fly, and it’s inspiring to learn from Ms. Máchová."

Alessandro Sofia
IMD Media Relations
Tel: +41(0) 21 618 0636
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