Strong Role Models Motivate and Inspire the Next Generation of Female Leaders within the Life Science Industry
By: Pia Prip Hansen, 25.03.2025
Role models inspire and motivate individuals to strive for personal growth and success by demonstrating their own career achievements and the paths they have taken. In the mentoring role, the significance of being a good role model becomes even more important. It is not only about inspiring but also about creating a safe space where the mentee can learn, grow, and find their own way. A mentor who succeeds in being an authentic role model leaves a long lasting impression and contributes to the mentee's development on a personal and a professional level.
WiLD Mentoring Programme – Paving the Way for Future Leadership
Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD) is a professional networking organisation established in 2022 within the Danish Life Science sector. Its purpose is to contribute to value creation in the Life Science industry by supporting and promoting talent diversity at leadership levels and among senior specialists – both in companies and within research institutions.
The ambition is to create an inspiring and science-centric networking forum for women in leadership positions across industry and academia while increasing the visibility of women in top executive roles. The mentoring programme is one of the organisation’s initiatives to achieve these goals. Through the programme, female leadership talents have the opportunity to reflect on their own ambitions and competencies and to learn alongside an experienced leader. The mentoring programme helps promote diversity and encourages more female talents to develop and sustain a career in the Life Science industry.
Through the mentoring programme, WiLD members become visible and active role models, driven by a motivation to inspire the next generation of women to realise their full potential and take on greater leadership roles. One such role model is Signe Uhre Guldfeldt, who has agreed to be a mentor in WiLD’s mentoring programme because she believes leadership experience carries an obligation.
“If you have extensive experience, I believe you are obligated to offer yourself as a mentor. You can make a huge difference for others – especially by supporting younger women in advancing their careers. Being a mentor is incredibly rewarding because it allows you to utilize all the experience you have built up. I have 25–30 years of experience in the Life Science industry, with a particular focus on developing others. I’m a trained coach, but whereas coaching is often about providing answers, I wanted to use myself in a broader way, exploring what mentoring can achieve. Being part of a strong network also makes a significant difference,” says Signe Uhre Guldfeldt.
One of the women who has benefited from Signe Uhre Guldfeldt’s vast experience is Tanja Villumsen, who applied for a mentor through WiLD’s mentoring programme in the autumn of 2023 and was matched with Signe.
“The reason I joined the mentoring programme as a mentee was that I was in the middle of a major career transition. I was moving from being a trade union leader back into corporate life and was unsure how to build on my achievements and determine my next career step. Signe encouraged me to aim for a leadership role, and shortly after, a leadership position within my field became available. I discussed with Signe how best to seize the opportunity and position myself. Having Signe by my side has been an incredible gift. She has supported me both before I secured the leadership role and afterwards – guiding me through the challenges that come with being a new leader: managing upwards, collaborating across teams, and handling the dilemmas that arise. She has given me tremendous insight into the direction I needed to go – she has truly been jump-starting my leadership career,” says Tanja Villumsen.
The fact that both women work in the Life Science industry significantly enhances the impact of their conversations. Their shared background ensures a deep understanding of the industry's unique challenges and opportunities, making their communication more nuanced and effective. There is an inherent understanding of the sector’s complex interconnections, regulations, and dynamics, allowing them to bypass explanations and get straight to the point. Signe Uhre Guldfeldt elaborates:
“It makes a huge difference to speak the same language, especially in a complex field like Life Science. I can focus entirely on Tanja without needing extra time and effort to understand her context or industry – because I already know it. We can get straight to the core of the discussion.”
This creates a unique dynamic where both mentor and mentee can quickly identify and address the challenges they encounter in their professional lives. Their mentoring conversations become a direct pathway to developing competencies and advancing career growth.
Role Model, Developer, and Discussion Partner
The mentoring role is often a thought-provoking experience for the mentor, as they gain insight into themselves by observing how the mentee responds to their questions and input. It provides food for thought and learning when one takes on the significant responsibility of being a role model, developer, and discussion partner all at once.
Being a role model is not just about showing the way forward; it is also about being honest about one’s own mistakes and challenges. It takes courage to share personal experiences – both the successes and the setbacks – to give the mentee a realistic picture of what it takes to achieve their goals. An authentic role model inspires not only through successes but also through showing vulnerability and honesty.
As a developer, the mentor helps the mentee unfold their potential and gain new insights. This requires an awareness of not imposing one’s own solutions and experiences but rather asking questions that encourage reflection and self-awareness. When the mentor transitions from being an expert to a catalyst, the development process becomes truly transformative.
The role of a discussion partner requires a delicate balance. A mentor must challenge the mentee constructively while creating a safe space where they feel comfortable thinking aloud and exploring new ideas. This is where deep conversations emerge, and both mentor and mentee experience moments of significant insight. A great discussion partner combines empathy with sharp questions that drive the mentee forward.
Being a mentor requires not only experience and knowledge but also a high degree of self-awareness and a clear understanding of one’s own values – as well as a willingness to continue learning themselves. Ultimately, the mentor’s own growth is closely linked to the mentee’s development journey.
The Modern Pippi Longstocking
"I’ve never tried that before, so I’ll probably manage just fine" – the classic Pippi Longstocking phrase has, for generations, inspired countless girls and women. Eighty years later, Pippi remains a relevant role model with her self-confidence, independence, and courage to fail. Her fearless approach to life and her ability to be comfortable in her own skin still speak powerfully to us today.
It is no secret that women continue to struggle to be seen and heard at work. Although outdated norms and restrictive structures often maintain the status quo, Signe Uhre Guldfeldt points out that change is on the horizon:
"It is true that women face resistance, but we have so much more to offer in our modern society. Younger men are rejecting the old, traditional male roles and striving for a balance where men and women are equal."
Another factor affecting women and career advancement is the perception that pursuing a career comes at the expense of family life. However, when you ask Signe Uhre Guldfeldt, it comes down to priorities:
"I have had three elite sports children over 20 years, and that does impact one’s work effort, so you have to make some choices in life. You need to be aware of the profile you want to have."
Tanja Villumsen elaborates:
"Don’t hate the player, hate the game – if you want to achieve something, you have to keep going. You need the will and the inner belief that you can succeed. No matter who you are, you will always face resistance."
"I haven’t sat around waiting for tasks to come to me. You need to know what you want and ask for it. One of the conditions is that you risk getting a ‘no’. But remember, it’s only ‘no’ for now; it’s not a ‘no’ forever. You must not let resistance stop you from moving forward."
Signe Uhre Guldfeldt agrees and adds:
"You should be aware of whether your leader is interested in your development, and ensure that you are visible all the way up in the organisation. If this is not the case, you need to move on – this applies to both men and women. You cannot change your boss."
"No, that's right," says Tanja Villumsen:
"I have been fortunate to have had leaders who wanted to develop me. That’s essential, because if you don’t develop, you wither away."
Women – and also men – need to bring out their inner Pippi Longstocking. By embracing every part of the learning process and learning from and applying each other’s differences, we can create workplaces where innovation and diversity thrive.
Mentoring Matters! Role Models are Important!
Through mentoring – through professional, confidential conversations with great role models – both mentors and mentees experience inspiration and personal learning. Mentors find that their experiences create value for others, both by sharing their knowledge and by asking insightful, challenging, and curious questions. Mentees gain a safe space to share their ambitions, uncertainties, and questions, and together with their mentor, they find new answers for themselves, stepping into their next career phase with greater confidence and clarity.
Thus, mentoring creates a space where mentors and mentees share successes and setbacks, reflect together, and discover new meaning and solutions. Mentoring becomes the bridge between generations, inspiring each other to reach new heights.
