Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success
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What role do women play in ensuring that barriers are broken? In the workplace, there are subtle behaviors, attitudes, and expressed perceptions that create a culture of bias. These biases create circumstances and challenges that may help or hurt one’s capacity to excel with ease and gain essential support. These subtleties are seen in the questions we ask or don't ask. Who we decide to publicly advocate for/ who we give the benefit of the doubt to? Sometimes, the silent member of the team is expressing a bias as their lack of full participation can be perceived as disinterest. Do you actively support leadership? Are you aware of how your attitudes and behaviors may be contributing to disparities? As women, how do you ensure that you are addressing these concerns as well as increasing awareness of the internal beliefs you have and how those beliefs impact your behavior. Learning Objective: Increase Cultural Competence Outcome-At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: a. Explore unconscious behaviors and attitudes frequently expressed in the workplace b. Identify ways to advocate for women leaders and other populations c. Take a short assessment to identify personal role in subtle bias d. Explore ways to create a more inclusive environment
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Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success
- 1. October 17–19, 2013 Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? Shanna L. Travis Dr. Valerie Stewart LaRease Thomas
- 2. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • • • • • Am I My Sister’s Keeper Don’t Rock the Boat Climbing the Ladder in High Heels 9 to 5 then 5 to 9 Female versus Male Leadership
- 3. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • Am I My Sister’s Keeper – Expectations – Women as nurturers
- 4. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • Don’t Rock the Boat – Good Girl Curse – Imposter Syndrome
- 5. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • Climbing the Ladder in High Heels – Competition – Queen Bee Syndrome – Relational Aggression
- 6. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • 9 to 5 then 5 to 9 – Gender Roles – Responsibilities
- 7. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • Female Leadership Model versus Male Leadership Model – Stereotypes about women in the workplace – Workplace obstacles
- 8. Women Do Help Each Other on the Path to Success • • • • Overcoming stereotypical hurdles Mentoring Women’s empowerment groups Women entrepreneurs
- 9. Do Women Help Each Other on the Path to Success? • • • • • Am I My Sister’s Keeper Don’t Rock the Boat Climbing the Ladder in High Heels 9 to 5 and 5 to 9 Female versus Male Leadership
Editor's Notes
- Women can be each other’s best allies or worst obstacles. They can help or just as frequently hurt each other in a corporate climant where women valiantly strive to climb the cor“ I recently engaged in two separate conversations, one with a man at the height of his career and one with a woman in the same spot. While both advocate on behalf of women’s advancement in the workplace, they felt they needed to expose a dirty secret on this topic. Women just don’t help each other out” (Leah, Eichler; Women 2.0 (2013) – “Do Women Support Each Other in the Work Place”). “This sentiment, that women don’t support other women or even undermine their efforts, keeps coming up in this dialogue on women and careers. The notion that women will often trip others who struggle up their own career ladder appears to be so widespread that it needs to be tackled head on” (Leah, Eichler; Women 2.0 (2013) – “Do Women Support Each Other in the Work Place”). porate ladder.” Diamond, Dianna (2008), Women of Influence: Women both help and hinder each other; Silicone Valley / San Jose Business Journal.
- Are our expectations for support too high or are they misplaced; Seeing women as nurturers…does that lead other women in the workplace to believe women will reach out to them, hold their hands and provide them with guidance (similar to a bird pushing baby birds from the nest).“ I had to fight and give up a lot to get here, I don’t see why women who follow shouldn’t do the same” – resist the idea of feeling obligated to automatically help the next generation; everyone has to pay their dues.“Depending upon the age of the female manager & the struggles involved to get to that level, the “you must do it on your own” philosophy still prevails. (Diamond, Dianna (2008), Women of Influence: Women both help and hinder each other; Silicone Valley / San Jose Business Journal.)
- The good girl curse refers to the socialization of women to “go along to get along”; the desire to fit in without making waves or rocking the boat. These women go out of their way to avoid conflict and confrontation, which in turn often results in sacrificing her intelligence and not taking credit for her work, intellect, contribution, etc. This syndrome, while it may make her liked, will cause her to be overlooked and left behind.
- Do we genuinely feel too competitive? Scarcity of women in top positionsLack of experience in corporate world; new to the Old Boys Club “What I have found is that there have been systemic problems, when there’s only room for one woman at the top, women can’t help and support each other. You’re not inclined to share information and resources with the woman in the office next door, if inevitably one of you will be pushed out.Queen Bee Syndrome – suggests a woman in a position of authority will treat subordinates more critically if they are female, has long held prominence in society.You can’t shine a light on that up-and-comer if she’ll inevitably knock you off your perch,” (Ryckman, “Stiletto Network”).Relational aggression also known as the catty syndrome, is when women work to sabotage other women in the workplace. This includes Trait of being catty, unfair,backstabbing, gossip, rumor-mongering, bullying and icing people out.This is behavior that is typically associated with women in the workplace, and hurts both women who participate in it as well as the women it is targeted at. This behavior is a turn-off to men in the workplace, and can prevent all women from moving up in their careers (those who fall victim to it as well as those who perpetrate the behavior).
- Other responsibilities (family) – 2d shift that does not allow after hour meetings (i.e. business convo over drinks); slow to build informal relationships & networks, which are critical to advancement.
- “As women advance, they are expected to fit the male executive model. If they start prioritizing the company’s goals and strategic objectives and are stretched because they are in an increasingly senior role they may have to put boundaries around how much they can support junior women, which is seen as a lack of support rather than a necessity given their time constraints.” (Eichler, Leah; Women 2.0 (2013) – “Do Women Support Each Other in the Work Place”). Women who display masculine qualities often achieve success but lose out in popularity.“When a woman turns down an opportunity to mentor a more junior woman in her organization, it may be perceived more harshly than if a man did the same. Logically there is no reason why men are more or less likely to mentor or sponsor other men in the workplace than women are but the issue is given less scrutiny” (Eichler, Leah; Women 2.0 (2013) – “Do Women Support Each Other in the Work Place”). – in social science studies similar to the Goldberg paradigm, scientist found people perceive female leaders more negatively than male leaders – even if women behave exactly the same as their male counterparts.Women are now well regarded and respected in the workplace as professionals, and while the path to the top may still be a difficult one, women hold both middle and executive level management positions and are no longer easily ignored. Women still have workplace challenges – often times not viewed as seriously as their male counterparts
- Recent studies show women are actually more likely than other men to help each other on the path to success; in fact, most women are not undermining other women to get ahead, instead they seem to be viewing less experienced females as potential talent and are developing that talent through informal or formal mentorship.Because of the stereotypical hurdles all women are subjected to in the workforce (more nurturing, catty, emotional, etc.), women are becoming more caring for one another in the work place (especially those in their 20’s & 30’s) and are learning to self-promote, help each other, share ideas/information, etc. Women helping women is essential in the workplace; women need to mentor and champion each otherThe sheer volume of women presently in the workforce is significantWomen who received career development support themselves are now helping to “pay it forward” by mentoring promising employees.“Stiletto Network” by Pamela Ryckman chronicles the economic power of small all-women “dinner” groups across the country, argues that women are finally becoming more collaborative at work because there’s more “room to breathe”. There’s more room for them to help each other get to the top because there are more positions available to women.More women owned businesses creating career opportunities for women in work environments with work standards that are desirable to women. (Delo-Brooks, Stacey, 2013).“Where Smart Moms Help Each Other Find Flexible Careers” A tool that enables everyone to share links to flexible jobs or post their own, to help shine a light on the companies that already “get it” and ultimately, to help another working mom find a flexible job.