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Blog. 

Manja Greimeier on Building your Personal Brand and the Power of “Yes”

1/10/2023

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​Manja Greimeier is a rarity. A senior leader shepherding Continental’s global Autonomous Mobility business, she’s one of only 16.9% of women holding executive-level positions in vehicle manufacturing. She’s working diligently to change that statistic.
 
Known for her skills as an outstanding problem solver with the ability to grow business, lead global cross-functional teams and transform organizations, Manja not only leads by example, she advocates for other women to seek out new challenges and leave their comfort zones behind.
 
Women in Autonomy’s Jennifer Deitsch sat down with Manja to learn about her career, her advice to other women and why she stopped trying to fit in long ago.
 
WIA: You are the SVP and Head of ADAS Segment at Continental. Tell us about your role.
 
MG: As Senior Vice President and Head of the ADAS Segment at Continental, I'm in a general management role, responsible for growing the business in all markets, executing projects, taking care of manufacturing, purchasing and quality, while developing the organization and changing the culture. I’m responsible for a talented global team of around 7500 people.
 
We have, over the last several years, also extended the portfolio from ADAS to providing autonomous mobility solutions for cars and trucks, aiming for making those available anywhere, at any time.
 
We offer a comprehensive portfolio of sensors, including lidar, radar, camera and ultrasonics, but also high performance computers and entire systems and functions, in addition to the needed engineering platforms and the ecosystems for our global customers. We have talented teams in all markets, which is the backbone of our success.
 
All of this aligns with Continental Automotive’s mission to realize Vision Zero - zero fatalities, zero injuries, zero crashes - and to make safety available to everyone. I'm proud to be part of such a meaningful vision that positively impacts human lives.
 
WIA: You’ve spent five years at Continental, and - before that - 14 years at Valeo in progressively senior general management, sales, project management and engineering roles. How have you approached your career, and gone about advancing into different roles?
 
MG: I think it's really due to continuous learning and being curious. And then, when opportunities came my way, I said yes, even if I didn't feel 100% ready yet. I took the opportunity when there was an interesting job offered to me. I was also lucky to have really good people around me who trusted me enough to give me big challenges and big tasks and saw my strengths and sponsored me.
 
Over the years, I was also much clearer in what I wanted and expected. I became more confident in growing within the organization and saying, “here’s what I want to do and achieve in a certain period of time,” and to also make myself more visible with my ambitions. Today as a leader, I do the same. I love to encourage people to take on more responsibility and, with that, to also develop and grow the organization with very strong, intelligent people, which ultimately leads to better results.
 
WIA: How important do you think that is - having a clear definition of what you're aiming for - in growing your career and being successful?
 
MG: It depends. On the one hand, it shows your confidence - that you know what you want. On the other hand, it's important that you are still flexible because the world is changing so fast, opportunities come around, and knowledge becomes outdated very quickly. So it's a balance between being clear about what you want in terms of a leadership position, or in terms of progressing your career over time, but also being flexible when new opportunities emerge which you may not have thought of, or that offer an opportunity to build and grow yourself. It’s important to leave room to say “yes” to something that you maybe didn't expect.
 
WIA: You also mentioned stepping out of your comfort zone when you maybe didn't feel like you had 100% of the requirements, but you went for it anyway. I think that a lot of times women don't pursue certain opportunities because they don't check every box, so it’s interesting to hear that you too, as a very senior executive, have had those moments where you said, I might not check every box, but I'm going to go for it anyway.
 
MG: Yes. And I have also experienced that during sharing and networking with other women that we tend to say, “I need to do this training,” or “I need to do this experience first, before I can dare step up.” I also see that men tend to say, “Yes, I can do it,” much faster than women do. When you have the ability to envision yourself in the role, and you surround yourself with talented people - and are curious and ready to learn - you will grow into it.
 
WIA: Along those lines, there are few women in leadership roles in automotive. Have you experienced roadblocks along the way, and how have you handled them?
 
MG: There were many roadblocks and I would say I perhaps almost saw them all: “You are too young, you are not patient enough, you are not loud enough, you are not strong enough. You are not enough.” At the beginning of my career, I tried to fit in to overcome these roadblocks, to adapt - even wearing black suits, like my male colleagues sitting at the table did. Over the years, I changed a lot. I'm not trying to fit in anymore. And I try to be really authentic. I also try to be more colorful and try to change and influence the environment I'm in. I am also putting more focus on networking and encouraging other women to speak up. I learn from other female leaders who are also role models to me. And it's important that we have those role models. In the end, it's not to adapt and fit in - it's to use your own power to be different, to be authentic, to make your own brand and make an impact. This is the power of diversity in the end.
 
WIA: When I spoke with former CAR CEO Carla Bailo, she spoke about being a mentor (teaching) vs being a sponsor (directly advocating) for other women. Have you done this, and do you have recommendations for other men and women on best practices for either?
 
MG: I think they are both powerful. I have two mentees every year and I love that because we can exchange thoughts about what's going on in the organization, and I can give reflections or recommendations. It's helpful for me to mentor someone and to share my experience and support. On the other hand, I also experience the reverse.
 
Mentoring is a very powerful tool, which means that you're actually learning from a younger generation. We’ve learned from the digital transformation that experience and age does not mean you know everything. We also need to be strong as leaders to unlearn certain things and to open up and say, “Okay, I don't know. I want to learn from you.” Mentorship is a powerful tool in both directions, and it’s important to take the time to support young talent.
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When we talk about sponsorship, I have experienced that, and I can also influence that by sitting at the table. I couldn't have progressed my career if I hadn't had sponsors who would vote for me or who would say, “Okay, she's still young but I have a lot of confidence and I trust her to take this role.” For me, it’s also important to make different types and approaches of leadership visible. Not everyone has to lead in the same way. When you sit in a talent management round with other leaders to look at the talent pool and see who is the best fit for a role, it's important to take a stand and use your influence, and to bring diversity to the team.
 
WIA: It feels like there just has to be a level of intentionality because oftentimes people recruit from their network and their network is who they're familiar with. And so it's really intentionally looking outside of that network sometimes.
 
MG: Absolutely. And I think unconscious bias trainings are important, because of what we call the Thomas Principle - the problem that you always promote men into leadership positions. It basically says that you tend to hire yourself, and that's a problem and that's why you need to know your biases. You need to know it and push yourself to have perhaps somebody else in the decision-making process say, “What is really the best fit and why don't you take the risk,” or “Why do you think the person cannot do it?” I think it's very powerful to learn your own biases and to overcome them.
 
WIA: Does Continental do unconscious bias training?
 
MG: Yes. We also talk a lot about it - to really reflect on our decision making and also to invite other people into interview processes and to push ourselves to have more gender equality and more diversity in general.
 
WIA: I understand that you are also involved in a women’s group in Germany called Mission Female. Can you tell us about the group, and what inspired you to get involved?
 
MG: In early 2022, I joined Mission Female which represents an exclusive network which is based on trust and a regular exchange between female leaders who support each other in their personal and professional development. There are about 100 networking events every year to increase career opportunities and also to support women to become more visible. We use LinkedIn, conventions, and different tools to support each other.
 
Mission Female takes a strong stance in business, politics and in society to support gender equality. I think there's this true belief that diversity really is the key factor for organizations to become more successful and to achieve their goals. That’s what drives Mission Female. I appreciate being part of this network because it's women from different industries and different backgrounds. They are company founders, members of executive committees, and of board of directors. It's very diverse and we meet on a regular basis to share experiences, learn together, support one another’s careers, and to have a lot of fun.
 
WIA: Do you have advice for women who want to advance their careers in automotive?
 
MG: I have a lot, actually. The first one, which we talked about, is confidence. Be confident. It’s also important to take time to network. I often hear women say that they cannot go to a  convention or take time in the evening to go to a networking dinner or event because they need to work. Work is not only about execution and delivery. It's also about networking. And when you take time to do that, make yourself visible. Work on your own brand. Explain what you are standing for, what is important to you, and go out there and be loud so that you can be seen as well.
 
Another piece of advice I have is to take a role that is interesting. Even if you don't feel 100% ready for it, look for sponsors. And know when is the right time to make a change. When you feel there is not much in it for you anymore and you feel the environment doesn't support diversity, it's nothing you can change, and you feel stuck, don't be afraid of change. That's also what I have experienced over the years. Be willing to change the organization, the function, or the country. Train the change muscle because that’s where you’ll find the biggest opportunity.
 
WIA: These are really good pieces of advice and sometimes a little counterintuitive for women. I have one last question: What advice would you give to your younger self?
 
MG: I think we mentioned most of the advice I would give to grow a career. But I think when I reflect back, I worried far too much. So I would give the advice, worry less. The best is yet to come!

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The United State Department of Transportation Equity Action Plan Summary

7/12/2022

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Women make up half the population, but jobs in innovation, tech and infrastructure aren’t reflecting that. Research shows that of the 15 million jobs in transportation, less than 15% of those are held by women. In the tech sector, fewer than 19% of women are STEM graduates and only 1 in 4 computing jobs are held by women. This leads to the so called ‘pink tax’ where women pay sometimes twice as much to use transportation, and without women designing systems, we see inequities grow. So how do we overcome this massive challenge to overcome the fact that - without action - it will take 200+ years before the US achieves gender equity? 

In April 2022, the United State Department of Transportation (USDOT) and 90 federal agencies released a comprehensive Equity Action Plan. The plan targets underserved, overburdened, and disadvantaged communities and seeks to help them increase transportation access, economic prosperity, and engagement. With new investment from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, USDOT has more resources to enhance the US transportation system.  

To lessen inequitable impacts in transportation, the USDOT’s Equity Action plan focuses on four focus areas: (1) Wealth Creation, (2) Power of Community, (3) Interventions, and (4) Expanding Access. USDOT hopes these goals will support communities historically underserved and advance jobs and economic growth. To reach these goals, the department developed a strategic plan that identifies key performance indicators, outcomes and critical gaps to hold them accountable to this five-year plan. This plan includes a ‘Gender Justice’ team at the USDOT to ask how these goals advance gender equity for women and women of color.


  • Wealth creation will increase transportation in areas with limited transportation options and help move workers and people from place to place.  To enable more projects in disadvantaged communities, the USDOT will provide resources and technical assistance to help navigate their contracting processes and available opportunities. The major performance indicator of this area will be a 22% increase of USDOT’s direct contract dollars to disadvantaged business by FY26. To drive those goals and continually provide technology assistance to small, disadvantaged businesses, USDOT launched a dashboard for the public. 
  • Power of community: This goal focuses on increasing public engagement in project planning. This encourages public involvement and allows organizations to identify needs that historically have not been addressed. Historically, disadvantaged communities have been unable to effectively participate in stakeholder engagement. To combat this, USDOT will be establishing and implementing new ways to engage with communities.  One of USDOTs key performance indicators is increased incorporation of community stakeholders when selecting transportation projects and designs. Another indicator will be increased adoption of quantitative equity screenings in state DOTs, metropolitan planning organization (MPOs), Statewide Transportation Improvement Programs (STIPs), and Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs). 
  • Interventions: This goal is focused on closing the critical gap to provide more resources and economic opportunity to communities so they can compete for federal grants and reduce systemic barriers. USDOT will provide proactive ‘interventions’ focused on giving direct technological support in the planning, development, and implementation of projects. A performance indicator includes seeing an increase in first-time and total discretionary grant applications from disadvantaged communities. In December 2022,  USDOT expects to launch a program that will increase funds to underserved and overburdened communities through a national equity accelerator. 
  • Expanding Access: The last area focuses on transit-oriented development and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure projects to decrease transportation cost and increase options for individuals to connect with business and other communities. Key indicators of success will be a reduction in travel time while increasing individual trips, and overall access to essential services and businesses. To aid this, by December 2024, the USDOT expects to complete the National Transit Map project, which will improve transit data system quality, efficiency, and access.  ​

USDOT notes that the Equity Action Plan is a living document. A major piece of legislation that supports the Equity Action Plan is Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The order will be implemented by the Equity Leadership Team (EQLT), which consists of individuals well-versed in topical areas.   

The Equity Action Plan is also a way of implementing the President’s Justice40 Initiative, a program that allocates 40% of government investment in clean transit projects and support to marginalized communities’ transportation systems.   

Women have been historically underserved and disadvantaged within the transportation, technology and other systems. It’s critical that they receive support from the federal government and male allies to ensure that we take action. Key actions include learning about the federal government’s equity goals, sharing information about this work with colleagues, and volunteering to act as an ally to women in your industry. 

The federal government’s emphasis on equity presents a window of opportunity for women and women of color to make sure that they get the resources they need. Whether it’s government funding for your small-business or making sure we remove barriers to growing women in your field, the Equity Action Plan actively supports disadvantaged communities in getting the technological and financial resources needed to enhance their economic well-being. Additionally, it ensures that women’s voices are heard as important investment decisions are being made. As the poet Amanda Gorman wrote, “For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it.” 


About the Authors

Kristin R. White. J.D. 
Chief Operating Officer

Intelligent Transportation Society of America

Kristin White is the Chief Operating Officer of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America). As COO Kristin’s role is to promote policies that advance the development and safe deployment of emerging transportation technologies to advance safety, equity, access, mobility and sustainability. This work includes overseeing the strategic direction of future transportation policy, developing a cohesive national vision for AVs, empowering local communities, engaging thought leaders, and promoting equity and economic prosperity. In this work, Kristin champions MobilityXX – a public-private partnership to advance gender equity in transportation.

Kristin is a lawyer, policy strategist and innovator who brings empathy and leadership into the transportation sector, challenging us to harness revolutionary technologies and grow new partnerships to build tomorrow today.

Previously, Kristin was the founder and Executive Director of Minnesota's Office of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV-X), one of the nation’s leading tech startups and idea incubators within government that researches and deploys transformational technology and policy. The CAV-X program’s innovations have garnered national attention, including winning the National Cronin Award, WTS Innovative Solutions Award, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce/AASHTO America’s Transportation Award.

Kristin has a B.A. from St. Olaf College, law degree from Hamline University School of Law and global arbitration certification from Queen Mary University of London. She began her career as a Fulbright Fellow with the US State Department and has since represented Fortune 500 companies, cities, and states to advance equitable and sustainable policy.


Email: kwhite@itsa.org
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinrwhite/
Program website: www.its.org

Victoria Christopher
Summer Intern
Intelligent Transportation Society of America

​
Victoria Christopher is a Summer Intern with the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America). She currently supports the ITS World Congress, MobilityXX initiative, and assists the communications and policy departments as needed. Victoria is a student at the University of Redlands, graduating in the fall semester 2022. She is obtaining a B.A. in Public Policy and Business Management with a minor in Spatial Studies.
 
Her experience includes working as a research assistant for the University of Redlands Environmental Science department, participating in the University of Redlands student government by representing her class as a Class Senator, and serving as an event organizer assistant for the University’s first Worldwide Teach-In on Climate and Justice event. She hopes to pursue a career in energy and transportation policy. In her work, she hopes to facilitate collaboration between parties to provide solutions for public policy problems.

Email: vchristopher@itsa.org
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-christopher
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