Leading in a male-dominated industry with Myrto Lambrou

When your industry consists of mostly men, establishing yourself as a leader can be extra challenging! Architect and project manager Myrto Lambrou gives first-hand advice on how to lead in a male-dominated industry, and how to give your intuition space to contribute instead of just relying on your head.

I’ve jotted down all key takeaways for you below so you don’t need to scribble along as you listen. And don’t forget to download the leadership checklist featuring Myrto’s key insights at the very end!

Myrto Lambrou is an architect and project manager. She studied architecture in Greece and graduated in 2009. Since then, she has worked at architectural firms in Greece and Cyprus and as a freelance architect and project manager. She has been involved in a range of projects, residential and commercial, architectural competitions, and more. Her passion project is Materics, a research, collaboration, and productivity tool especially designed for architects, interior designers, and others in the construction industry. She was inspired to launch it through observing and experiencing the everyday processes of professionals in the industry. During the last year, she has been working on architectural projects, designing and attending to their construction, while acting as a project manager on a number of other projects and attempting to fit in her pottery, yoga, reading, and all beautiful things in life. Myrto is an architect and an innovator, creative and restless.

Learn more about Myrto: LinkedIn | Instagram

Having extensive experience in project management, Myrto has picked up a trick or two to what makes teams function successfully.

How to lead a team:

• Build a cohesive group: Make sure that your team members collaborate & work together as much as possible. Plus points if you get to choose who is part of the team – don’t just focus on what makes them strong as individuals but how they would complement each other.
• Get them organized: One of your key tasks as team leader is to ensure you have the overview and help team members keep it too.
• Keep the happy: As Myrto says, above all, observe what makes every team member light up and try to find work that feeds into their passions.

Myrto started out operating purely logically and had a rude awakening when she got told time and again by role models she needed to also trust and use her feelings.

How to use your intuition:

• Humans aren’t machines: Don’t judge others solely based on their work. Everyone comes with their own baggage and you need to see – or better said feel – the whole picture.
• Trust your intuition: Don’t ignore feelings you may have because there is no logical explanation for them. There’s a reason why people say, “Trust your gut.”

While she was completing her MBA, Myrto learned a key lesson: It’s important to get an outside perspective on your skills to be able to grow and improve.

How to get a fresh perspective on your leadership style:

• Meet role models: They will see parts of yourself that you can’t.
• Be curious: Approach others and ask them questions in an informal setting whenever you get the chance.
• Get personal guidance: Don’t just ask for general information – ask for specific feedback about you.
• Apply the lessons: Don’t get stuck on just learning. Make sure you actively apply the lessons you learn.

Earning the respect she deserves as the architect on a construction site where most of the time everybody else is male has not always been easy for Myrto.

How to be a strong leader in a male-dominated space:

• Know what you’re talking about: You’re the person responsible for the success of a project. Be firm in your opinions.
• Be stronger together: Share knowledge and experience with the other women around you. Myrto for example tries to talk to all women she sees in the industry about being assertive.
• Pave the way: Lead by example. As Myrto says, “we need to be the change we need to see.”
• Know your worth: If you know what value your presence brings to the industry, your confident behaviour will start to shift attitudes and make others recognize it too.

Myrto admits this is something that is often easier said than done, but we are all more successful if we can learn to let go of micromanaging.

How to empower your team:

• Be a teacher: It can be easier to do something for people, but make a special effort to teach them how to do it to help your team be more self-sufficient.
• Be a multiplier: By creating a strong group of people working together, you multiply possibilities for all of you.
• Give space: Give your team space and time to learn new skills. It will make them feel empowered to take on more responsibilities.