The most diverse tech pipeline in the world won’t ultimately make a difference if the women who make it into tech are held back by organizational cultures that, consciously or not, incentivize their silence. While it may be true that women have the tendency to want and expect their work to speak for itself, the truth is that being vocal at work has always been a minefield for women. And data from the last two years shows that the move to online and “hybrid” work has only made things worse. As we contemplate a permanent shift to the hybrid workplace, it’s more urgent than ever that leaders commit to removing the barriers that get in the way of women sharing their voices and ideas.
Here are five simple things every executive can do to support the women on their teams finding their own voice:
Choose female spokespeople. When teams give you a readout, make sure that the spokesperson for the team rotates so that the women on the team are given as much opportunity to present as their male counterparts.
Barrier you’re breaking down: Research by Victoria Brescoll at Yale shows that “when male executives spoke more often, they were perceived to be more competent, but when female executives spoke more often, they were given lower competence ratings.” And these were executives! No wonder so many women are extremely reluctant to self-promote. Plus, women’s ideas are often attributed to men. For these reasons and a slew of others, your female employees may be understandably hesitant to volunteer as the spokesperson for a team project. To make matters worse, women often conflate being deferential with being a good “team player,” and may therefore lose out on critical opportunities for exposure to senior leadership, which can ultimately affect their chances for advancement.
Continue reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/judithspitz/2022/06/14/five-ways-tech-leaders-can-support-women-on-their-teams-finding-their-own-voice/?ss=cio-network&sh=6635a23b3a84
Here are five simple things every executive can do to support the women on their teams finding their own voice:
Choose female spokespeople. When teams give you a readout, make sure that the spokesperson for the team rotates so that the women on the team are given as much opportunity to present as their male counterparts.
Barrier you’re breaking down: Research by Victoria Brescoll at Yale shows that “when male executives spoke more often, they were perceived to be more competent, but when female executives spoke more often, they were given lower competence ratings.” And these were executives! No wonder so many women are extremely reluctant to self-promote. Plus, women’s ideas are often attributed to men. For these reasons and a slew of others, your female employees may be understandably hesitant to volunteer as the spokesperson for a team project. To make matters worse, women often conflate being deferential with being a good “team player,” and may therefore lose out on critical opportunities for exposure to senior leadership, which can ultimately affect their chances for advancement.
Continue reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/judithspitz/2022/06/14/five-ways-tech-leaders-can-support-women-on-their-teams-finding-their-own-voice/?ss=cio-network&sh=6635a23b3a84
