eve-olution newsletter February 2004
Contents
- What is Diversity? by Tracey Carr
- Calling the Leader in you - Coaching Tips from Jane Campion
- Creative Female Leader Masterclasses
- Capitalwoman Conference 2004
- Career Journal
What is Diversity?
By Tracey Carr, Managing Director, eve-olution Ltd
Diversity as a subject is an enigma - the more you study it and try to apply it, the more complex it becomes. For those of you who understand the concept behind the Johari window you will recognise this as your Blind Spot. In other words - you don't know what you don't know!
It has taken 20 years of studying personal development and Psychology, of travelling, working and living in different cultures, of fully engaging with the issues around work/life balance as a single parent with three small children and three years of intense learning under the umbrella of eve-olution to realise I have only just begun to understand the complexity of the subject and the many different layers that exist between what we perceive and individual reality.
eve-olution started out as a company dedicated to providing coaching and development for Senior Women in large Corporations and this is still our speciality. However as we dug deeper into the subject of attrition in the female workforce we discovered that there were many Blind Spots in our experience as women in relation to other minority groups and other industries and professions. For instance; when we are looking at the needs of part-time workers we are not just looking at working Mothers but need to consider what part-time work means to ethnic groups and disabled people. If it is the intention of the organisation to grow the part-time workforce then we need to uncover as many layers of understanding as possible.
The Corporate world is under intense scrutiny and competing in ever tougher markets. The need to engender trust combined with a performance driven culture creates a dynamic that we haven't experienced before.
And what does this new dynamic mean for Diversity? When market conditions demand that we be more competitive, more focused on the bottom-line, when more cohesion and more teamwork is called for; how do we persuade our managers to get out of their comfort zone and promote outside of their own image?
I can sum it up in one word: Leadership. The will to make a difference, the confidence to take risks, to talk about Diversity and difference and to take the time to understand the meaning of your Organisations values, even if that means objective external assessment of the values and beliefs of your top team.
I have been privileged to work with the full range of UK businesses and believe that it is evident which Organisations are truly committed to change. Best Practice in this area is still being defined but there are some pointers to look out for:
- Move beyond prejudice - scrutinize the culture for signs of subjective assessment
- Invest in training and development - develop your people with their needs in mind
- Offer new choices - analyse your existing policies in relation to all groups
- Set targets - experience shows that you need to ensure the intent is delivered
- Accept the challenge and the opposition - this is where your Leadership will be tested.
I know that there are many companies today who are at the heart of change and this kind of innovative change programme is always lead by a strong Leader who is committed to showing what's possible.
As Margaret Mead once said 'Don't think for a moment that a handful of dedicated people can't change the world. It's the only thing that ever has.'
Calling the Leader in you - Coaching Tips from Jane Campion
Are you Leading? Or are you frustrated with 'the way things are?' This months motivational coaching tip for Leadership from Jane Campion, Evolution's strategic coach, can be accessed now on 0870 262 3044. Have ready paper and pen, an envelope and a first class stamp.
Creative Female Leader Masterclass
Our new telephone coaching Masterclasses begin this month and the first programme is now sold out. eve-olution will be offering more teleclasses offering you the opportunity work with accomplished Leaders in a small group environment, allowing you to focus on working smarter without leaving your home or office.
Jane Campion, who will be running the programme, comes highly recommended and coaches many leading visionaries (click here for details).
Jane will begin the pilot in February with the generous backing and support of Business Link Hertfordshire who will be looking at the results as part of their research programme into the Glass Ceiling.
Capitalwoman Conference 2004
The annual Mayor of London conference for women marks International Women's Day and is the central event for dialogue with women in London. It promises to provide a unique platform for discussing strategic priorities of importance to the lives of over 505 of the capital's population (us) and will begin with a keynote address by Ken Livingstone, followed by an open question and answer session.
Career Journal
When Selecting Careers, Women Should be Choosy by Perri Capell, CareerJournal.com
What are the biggest issues confronting mid- to upper-level women executives in the job market?
In my view, it's identifying an organization whose mission, values and culture really do reflect opportunities for performance-based advancement. That begins with the company's board of directors, who have a responsibility to ensure that the corporate stage is set for qualified women to have opportunities for advancement. That responsibility should be further shared by the chief executive officer and corporate senior leadership, who should support and engage in that effort.
A number of companies in a variety of sectors are attuned to mentoring, developing and advancing women, particularly if they already have women in senior leadership positions driving that commitment. However, not every company does. Women should strive to identify organizations that reflect these values.
Many women are making decisions to leave organizations that don't recognize their contributions. Or perhaps they have hit a ceiling relative to their contributions and how they can broaden them. When a company's basic mission and values reflect diversity, it will have a more nurturing environment for women.
Are there enough senior women candidates now to meet employer demand?
Yes, generally. We can source enough women candidates to meet client needs. The numbers of women are becoming very impressive and will become more meaningful in the near future. We see impressive statistics relative to young women coming into the work force. They are enrolling in college at a greater rate than men, and more are completing graduate degrees than at any prior time in U.S. history. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of growth for executive women in the next five years will exceed that of men. But the immediate reality is that current employment indicators have been great equalizers for men and women.
Are there enough jobs for qualified women?
The economy is down, and there aren't enough jobs in general. But senior women are being evaluated on the same basis as men. In today's environment, executives are being considered on the basis of their performance results and personal characteristics. Recruiters are contacting women with good qualifications. The playing field is as level as it has ever been.
In certain functional areas, women are making great strides. This includes information technology on a broadly defined basis. More women are working in functional IT, research-and-development and engineering roles. Those are areas where I have seen the most growth. Historically, women haven't entered those disciplines.
What are the biggest obstacles for women candidates to overcome?
There are two big ones. The first is that compensation for women is lagging. They need to receive comparable salaries [as men] for comparable responsibility. The second is that existing company leadership needs to do a better job of advocating for women.
Do women do enough to promote themselves?
Yes. They are becoming more proficient and comfortable in promoting their abilities and achievements. Sometimes it's a function of experience, confidence and the knowledge that promoting your ability [helps] in differentiating yourself from leaders of whatever gender in your organization.
But promotion is effective only when it's based solidly on performance-related results. If your performance is anything less, promotion can damage your credibility and sometimes your career. Women have learned this from other women and from successful male executives. One differentiator between women and men is that women have adopted men's ability to promote themselves, but are doing it in their own style.
What are the biggest shortcomings you see in women candidates? Are they different than for men?
I'd like to turn this around and note the characteristics of successful women. They share a number of qualities, including leadership and judgment. They have a sound internal compass. They are very team focused and have a healthy but low ego drive in respect to their team. Successful women have a good professional and personal value system. They have vision and discipline and can motivate and inspire others. They tend to be people-focused, both internally and externally to their companies. What sometimes differentiates women from men is that women are very strong communicators upward, downward and outward in an organization.
Perhaps the absence of some of these skills might be considered a missing piece in the equation. Having a powerful style is often a challenge for women. Some women who achieve the pinnacle of responsibility in an organization are asked to adapt the style that got them there. Not often, but it happens. Wearing a powerful style can be a bit of a challenge for some.
If you were to teach a class about job hunting to women, what lessons would you include?
I would focus on one thing -- networking. My philosophy is to start networking early in your career, and then nurture your network and keep it strong and vital. It's important to extend yourself on behalf of others. Most often, it will benefit you in the long run. Never close the door, learn from people from all walks of life. Men and women need to reach out of their own knowledge base for new resources. Networking is an almost constant activity that should last the course of your career. If you are job hunting, it's difficult to immediately build a network.
Are there job-search tactics or behaviors that women do well?
They communicate clearly and effectively and assess whether that communication has been understood. They have good organization skills and use them to focus on their job search or next career move. They also have the discipline to stay tuned to the daily rigors of a job search.
Are senior women as a rule negotiating well for themselves?
Yes. But it's also a function of women evolving and gaining more tenure in their professional careers. The more experience you gain in negotiation, the better you'll be at it. It's important for women to seek input, and they do that well. Honest feedback can validate whether they're going in the right direction. I don't think they negotiate or make decisions in a vacuum. They're good at having a strategy that allows for points of flexibility yet includes a bottom-line position that won't compromise their objectives or values. They're better at logically demonstrating their negotiating skills and potential value to a company.
Historically, women have earned less at some companies and in some functional areas. But the higher you go in the organization, the more likely that salary will be comparable for comparable responsibility. The fact that pay is lower for women may be due to women starting out at a lower place. It's an evolution over time. To some degree, women are playing a bit of catch up. As you move into advanced roles, you have more opportunity to negotiate. By the time you are the CEO, you're probably on a reasonably level playing field.
Does the age-50 barrier affect women more than men?
No. I have placed women candidates who are over that barrier, and there were no impediments.
What kind of demand is there for women to take global assignments?
It continues to grow. When such an opportunity arises in their organizations, women are doing an excellent job of reaching for it and recognizing that it will benefit them in their career future. Global experience is an increasingly important set of skills and career differentiator. Usually, when a company has a mission and value system that allows women to gain global experience, it indicates advocacy of women and that someone may have blazed that trail and proved it could be done.
Ms. Capell is a senior correspondent for CareerJournal.com. She can be reached at frances.capell@dowjones.com