SAN FRANCISCO-Continued support of commercial real estate programs that provide both undergraduate and graduate-level education and ongoing professional education for women is vitally important, Sandra Boyle, director of corporate occupier and investor services for Cushman & Wakefield in San Francisco, tells GlobeSt.com. Boyle, who will be speaking at the BOMA conference in San Diego today about this subject, gets frank with us about how CRE should support women in the industry.

GlobeSt.com: What are some of the necessary traits for women to succeed in the commercial real estate industry?

Sandra Boyle: From my personal experience, it is simply persistence, self-confidence, integrity, work ethic and never acknowledging boundaries. Upper-level education and CRE designations lead to a successful journey.

GlobeSt.com: How do women differ from men in the way they approach the industry, and how does this help or hurt them?

S.B.: Let's explore a few areas of those differences: gender stereotypes, education and career positioning. There has been a notable gender imbalance based on a male-dominated and fraternal culture of what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry. One example in brokerage is a male's innate ability to wrestle, negotiate and take their opponent to the mat. The next day, all is forgotten, the negotiation set aside and completed, and men then have the ability to move on with future business. Generally, women, on the other hand, have a hard time separating all that; inherently, we may negotiate differently and more amicably while never forgetting the experience.

With respect to education, traditionally men achieve higher levels of education and choose positions in areas of real estate that are rewarded with higher average pay, such as investment banking, financing, development and brokerage. Men armed with master's degrees enter the industry at the high-octane executive tiers.

Women have traditionally entered the industry and found their career by accident, starting at entry-level positions and climbing the ladder. Their education more than likely was not in finance or business, and they have achieved success by being opportunistic.

GlobeSt.com: What else should women in the industry know about ways to succeed vs. fail in this industry?

S.B.: The door to our industry has opened for women, and as an industry, we need to create a pipeline of opportunities. We need to achieve a solid work/life balance and NOT get sidetracked by the balancing act as men take greater roles in helping to raise a family. It is OK to be “off balance” at times and yes, a bit insane, because your success is in your control today more than ever! Also, we probably need to stop engendering success and reach a point where success in commercial real estate today knows no gender!