Representation.

It’s no secret that in most organizations, women aren’t well represented in leadership roles. The consequence is two-fold. First, young women don’t have role models to aspire to. Second, women and men often present the same desired leadership traits differently. When a hiring panel for example isn’t gender-diverse, it often simply fails to recognize those traits in the woman which puts her at a disadvantage.

Likeability versus Leadership.

Women have a ‘narrow ideal’ within which to act in order that they fit into the ‘prototype’ of what the workplace says it takes to be a successful leader and still remain LIKEABLE. For example, when a man acts assertively, he’s seen as demonstrating leadership which has a positive impact on his career.  When a woman acts assertively, she’s often seen as harsh and unbending, which can have the opposite effect on her career.

Potential vs Accomplishments.

Studies show that women are more likely to be judged based on their accomplishments while men are judged on their potential. This has an impact on women’s careers as it makes them less likely than men to advance early on.

Obstacles to Senior Leadership.

Statistical reality. Additionally those women who do succeed are typically appointed to Human Resources / Customer Service roles vs the critical functions of Sales / Operations, which has the effect of limiting the advancement opportunities for women.

Gender diversity is not seen as a priority.

Despite what they say, gender diversity is not seen as a priority in terms of the resources and effort organizations are willing to dedicate to making material changes. Meaning, while gender diversity often makes an appearance as an initiative or internal campaign, meaningful actions to institute KPI’s, train managers to develop female talent, and provide coaching resources to young women rarely make it to the table. 

Portraying confidence.

Men are more likely than women to ‘raise their hand’ when they’re uncertain.  However, women seem to be answering a different question than men.  Consider this example.  When considering whether they’ll apply for a job, women hear – do you possess 100% of the skillsets necessary to do this role?  Men on the other hand hear – do you believe you can develop into this role?  Men are therefore much more likely than women to even APPLY for a job that they are equally qualified for. 

Networks.

Men generally place a much higher priority on networking than women do and at a younger age. Further, the composition of men’s networks are much more likely to include leader and senior leadership positions. By virtue of having more senior members in their network and earlier on in their careers, men are in a much better position than their female counterparts to advance.

Erosion of Ambition.

The toll of workplace challenges for women is the eventual erosion of ambition—which is unfortunate as, by this time (which is normally mid-career), organizations have made a considerable investment in their development.  And they miss out on being able to take advantage of it and often end up losing them altogether from their workforce.  That contributes even further to the lack of females in senior leadership roles.

Have a career plan.

Having a career plan doesn’t mean you have to plan out the rest of your life—nor does it mean you can’t change your mind. But have a plan. Think about what your potential long-term ‘destinations’ are and work backwards. What short-term milestones will get you closer to one or more of them?

Ask for feedback.

Now that you know where you’re headed, ask for feedback to determine where you are now—and most importantly, what you need to do in order to reach a short-term milestone.

Build your network.

The more people who know about and who are INVESTED in your career, the better! And don’t think of it as shameless self promotion. Remember that it’s your organization and their leaders who are the greatest beneficiaries of your developing career.

Find a mentor / sponsor.

It’s definitely important to find/have a mentor to provide guidance and helpful advice. But more importantly, actively seek out a ‘sponsor’. Mentors advise their mentees; sponsors advocate for their protégés and drive their career vision!

Be persistent.

Don’t give up just because someone says no. Think of ‘no’ as your starting point. It gets the conversation started. It’s the perfect opening to understand exactly what your obstacles are. It gets you in ‘the fray’—e.g. applying for a promotion that you ‘probably won’t get’ signals to the organization that you’re interested in advancing and forces them to provide developmental feedback.

Project confidence.

I get it that you don’t always FEEL confident—but the thing is, NO ONE does. Even that uber-confident guy that everyone loves in your office! The thing that he knows that you don’t, is that you GET what you put out there. Project what you want to get back!

Be someone people want to work with.

Effective leaders have integrity, they inspire and motivate their people. They lead with empathy and compassion. You don’t have to sacrifice who you are in order to succeed.

Take on challenges / stretch assignments.

This is a great way to gain experience, visibility, and build your confidence. It’s also a great way to expand and build your network. Don’t be timid—remember, the words ‘challenge’ and ‘stretch’ imply that they’re outside your comfort zone or experience so you won’t be perfect!

Connect with senior female leaders.

Trust me, the successful female leaders in your organization have been through and/or face the same challenges as you. Don’t be shy—these are the women that can both provide valuable insights and guidance and potentially be a great ‘sponsor’ for your career!

Invest in a coach.

As I said, these things are simple—but definitely not EASY! A coach with experience in this area can help you navigate the challenges of a gender-biased workplace as well as other things that can stand in the way—like confidence, courage, understanding your own power, and having the clarity on what you really want.   

Framework.

‘Formulate a systematic and organization-wide approach for identifying female talent at the earliest career stages.’

Feedback.

Studies show that women don’t receive the same type of actional feedback that men do—which has an impact on their professional development.  Don’t assume that managers understand HOW to develop their female reports as well as they do their male counterparts.  Coach/incentivize managers to help early-career women build their confidence and competence through actionable feedback. 

Coaching.

Systemic bias in the workplace as well as differences in the way women and men behave and process information contribute to women’s difficulty in career advancement. Therefore, it’s important for organizations to provide coaching for female talent to help them navigate their unique challenges and thrive in their careers.

Opportunities.

Provide opportunities for female talent to grow and develop by giving them stretch assignments—meaning projects or assignments within the organization that give them more responsibility, expand their network, and test their leadership skills. Just remember that stretch assignments are designed to challenge a high performer and put them outside their comfort zone. Whether it’s a man or woman, this shouldn’t be a ‘pass / fail’ scenario—mistakes are growth opportunities, failures build character and otherwise hard-to-develop leadership skills.

Connect.

Connect young female talent with senior women business leaders. One of the things that women generally lack in the workplace is a lineup of senior female role models to aspire to. This is an excellent way to both bridge that gap and connect women with successful leaders that understand the challenges that they face.

Sponsor.

All senior and executive leaders should have a female protégé that they are sponsoring. A sponsor is very different from a mentor. 

‘A mentor advises the mentee; sponsors advocate for their protégés. A mentor can be anyone in a position of experience, while a sponsor is a senior-level executive. Mentors help build a career vision. Sponsors are personally invested in the upward movement and professional development of their protégé.’