Why am I the only woman on the team?”
It’s a simple but impactful question that Ashley Phillips encourages other women to not only reflect upon, but ask other teammates and leaders directly when they find themselves in such a scenario. That’s because, as senior vice president of product at Provi, she knows firsthand what it’s like to rise through the ranks in the male-dominated tech industry. “Diversity doesn’t just magically happen, and that is particularly true in a high-growth company,” she said.
But how does this situation arise in the first place, especially with the magnified focus on diversity, equity and inclusion in recent years? Unfortunately, the problem of representation is self-reinforcing. Because women in tech still only make up 25 percent of the workforce, according to a 2021 study conducted by Deloitte, it’s harder to form a community to lift each other up.
“I’ve been a woman in the technology landscape for almost seven years,” said Perla Villarreal, technical assistant at Thoughtworks. “And yet, I still often experience imposter syndrome. Being in a room or on a team where I am the only woman, Latina and person under 30 only underlines the problem.”
Phillips also noted that the responsibility for countering feelings of workplace insecurity shouldn’t solely belong to the woman experiencing them. “It’s not imposter syndrome, it’s the system — and the system is working as designed,” she said.
Continue reading: https://www.builtinchicago.org/2022/05/06/3-women-share-strategies-succeeding-male-dominated-teams
It’s a simple but impactful question that Ashley Phillips encourages other women to not only reflect upon, but ask other teammates and leaders directly when they find themselves in such a scenario. That’s because, as senior vice president of product at Provi, she knows firsthand what it’s like to rise through the ranks in the male-dominated tech industry. “Diversity doesn’t just magically happen, and that is particularly true in a high-growth company,” she said.
But how does this situation arise in the first place, especially with the magnified focus on diversity, equity and inclusion in recent years? Unfortunately, the problem of representation is self-reinforcing. Because women in tech still only make up 25 percent of the workforce, according to a 2021 study conducted by Deloitte, it’s harder to form a community to lift each other up.
“I’ve been a woman in the technology landscape for almost seven years,” said Perla Villarreal, technical assistant at Thoughtworks. “And yet, I still often experience imposter syndrome. Being in a room or on a team where I am the only woman, Latina and person under 30 only underlines the problem.”
Phillips also noted that the responsibility for countering feelings of workplace insecurity shouldn’t solely belong to the woman experiencing them. “It’s not imposter syndrome, it’s the system — and the system is working as designed,” she said.
Continue reading: https://www.builtinchicago.org/2022/05/06/3-women-share-strategies-succeeding-male-dominated-teams
