March Thought

In preparation our host sent us a dozen questions to mull over and maybe comment on in the discussion. I thought it might be useful to pick out four of them and share some of my ideas.
 
What do you think the real barriers to women’s progression in the work place are?
I think that there are not enough role models to help women believe that anything is possible. However, this is complicated by the first generation of women who have been a success – not all good role models. Some have done it by being surrogate men, some by using their feminity and some by doing down other employees. None of these are enviable behaviours.
 
Some women even keep other women in their place by not giving them opportunities or promotions because they do not want the competition. I once worked for a woman like this; it is ten times worse than working for a misogynist – they are nothing short of bullies. You can convert a misogynist by convincing them with stunning work…”I do not hold with women in transport, Liz, but you can work for me anytime”.
 
The other problem is that women need people to believe in them. Their support teams are hugely important: partners, children, mums and dads, friends. People who say “you can do this…”; often.
 
What do you think of some of the potential solutions – so from gender quotas from MPs shortlists to the number of women who should be in the board room?
I am not keen on all women shortlists as I think women who get jobs will then never believe they were good enough to do it on their own merits. 
 
However, I do believe in choices. Let’s make selection lists for potential MPs or for job vacancies as diverse as possible. The research tells us that the more diverse the board the more likely the business is to be successful. This means women and men, young and old, specialists and generalists, all creeds, all colours, all cultures, “normal” and high functioning autistic people, able bodied and disabled etc.etc. The more diverse the group the more creativity will be generated from their experience. We all know if we only associate with people like ourselves how stultifying it can be. We need challenge.
 
What are the interventions that really make a difference? On this list could be mentoring schemes, recruitment practices, talent pipelines, leadership courses, lean-in circles.
I am a mentor so of course I believe in all these interventions. Let’s get women into the right places, do all we can to give them training, as wide an experience as possible and the chance to analyse what they do so they can improve constantly. The confidence will bring success, and both will be contagious, not just to women but to men – to anyone who is not full of self-belief.
 
And finally, if you gave one piece of advice to your younger self what would you say?
Last month I invited you to pass on your favourite piece of business advice? No one did. So here is my advice for this month (and I wonder if I will be sharing it with the panel this morning?). Make a career plan to gain the experience to take you where you want to be; accept there will be jobs along the way that might not be fascinating but will put stuff on to your CV that you need, however, if you find yourself in an organisation that does not share your ethics or value take to the hills and fast!