How can women in business achieve an equal future
The role played by women during the pandemic is being celebrated this International Women’s Day, with the theme being "Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world". But whilst female leaders have been praised for their roles in response to the crisis, they have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis and still remain under-represented in leadership roles.
At Squirrels&Bears we feel inspired by the success of others, and as a female-founded business, we feel very strongly about sharing great stories and lessons learned from fellow women in business. In celebration of International Women’s Day, we have asked female leaders to share their personal experiences and advice on progressing in their careers and breaking the glass ceiling, and here is what they told us:
How do you get heard and seen in business?
"I was fortunate enough to have a very strong female mentor early on in my career which gave me the confidence to be bold in my approach to work and getting my points across. Currently, I’m the only female on the executive team but I've never been made to feel that it's a boys club and it's a very level playing field. Having two young daughters myself I want to inspire them to see themselves as equals to men and at home, my partner and I co-parent equally as well as handle the domestic chores together. Whilst there are plenty of accounts of women being looked down on at work, I've always thought it important to not let someone else's experience hold me back and trust in my own abilities to succeed. ", shares Sarah-Jane McQueen, General Manager of the team at CoursesOnline.
Sonia Dorais, CEO and CMO of Chaser, shares: “Even after nearly 20 years of working in various jobs, I still struggle and work hard to be heard. I often need to tell myself before Board meetings “don’t downplay an idea by treating it like a mere suggestion. Avoid disclaimer statements like ‘I think’ or ‘this is just my idea, but…’”. I try to replace this with phrases like ‘Do you think you could get this done by tomorrow?’ with ‘I need this by tomorrow please.’ But it’s easier said than done. It does not come naturally. Also, for all important meetings, I tend to write speaking notes, and come prepared to get to the point, as quickly as possible.”
What career advice would give to your younger self?
“Believe in yourself - believe you can do it and you will’, is the advice Liz Sebag‑Montefiore, coach and Director of 10Eighty would give to her younger self. “Push yourself out of your comfort zone, if you don't naturally do this yourself. In life, I believe it's best to focus on what you can control and move on from what you can't. I also believe in the power of networking - always help people and add value to them even if it's in a small way. They will remember that kindness in years to come.", added Liz.
Ellie Buckle, head of digital and strategy at Purpose Media added: “When I was younger, I worked across so many different industries and roles, and I think that is what really gave me the skills and confidence to apply in a leadership position. My advice is to try as much as you can; experience opens up a number of doors, possibilities, and opportunities you could have never encountered if you just were set on pursuing one role or path. “
What steps can you take to overcome impostor syndrome?
“Impostor syndrome is a real thing. Women tend to explain their successes by ascribing them to things like “luck,” “hard work” or “being at the right place, at the right time” rather than the innate ability or intelligence to succeed. The advice I give myself and others is to try to own the role you played in your success by forbidding yourself from falling back on excuses.” explains Sonia Dorais.
Liz Sebag‑Montefiore added that when women are standing at the threshold of change that saboteur, the Gremlin can appear with his self-limiting beliefs. Change is the enemy of the Gremlin, whose mission is to preserve the status quo and avoid risk-taking! The better our understanding of the Gremlin and his actions, the more successful women can be at limiting his effects on our future lives. It's important to note the situations where your Gremlin shows and notice what your Gremlin says to you. Note how you react and what you say, feel or do. It's helpful to devise a plan to limit the effects of the Gremlin. Increased awareness of the Gremlin can help to provide clarity around your true values and future vision for your life.
What are the key issues with gender diversity in business?
Angela Love, director at Active Workplace Solutions shared: “In today’s modern working environment it’s important to develop flexible attitudes, policies and everyday practices. Businesses of all sizes should think of diversity as being similar to people playing in an orchestra; everyone has different skills, abilities and musical backgrounds, so bring these together under your leadership and watch them create wonderful things together. This way, you will enjoy the benefits of high-performing individuals playing in a team environment. They will flourish and everyone will benefit from a diverse talent pool.”
Sonia Dorais added: “I believe that the biggest issue with gender diversity in the business is that the bias is in fact unconscious. Many of us—including women—are unaware of how deeply ingrained gender stereotypes and unconscious bias can be. Whilst the pay gap is an issue, I don’t think that can be addressed without effectively first addressing the fact that there are few women in senior management and executive positions. It’s common to talk about the “glass ceiling,” that an invisible barrier that keeps women from rising beyond a certain level in a hierarchy. But that’s not been the case for me. From the very start of my career, I face difficulties in “climbing” the ladder. Just changing how we relate with others, and demanding that others do the same, will not end gender inequality or change gender bias. Lasting change will only happen if the foundations that affect our lives also change.”