What holds women back (and what makes a difference) in their careers
Here's a summary of the current research (at the time of writing this article) on what makes an impact (positively and negatively) on women's careers.
WHAT HOLDS WOMEN BACK
Unconscious Bias
The 5 Biases Pushing Women Out of STEM
The Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam
How Media Skews Our Perceptions
Micro-Inequities
Micro-Inequities 40 Years Later
Glass Ceilings and Cliffs
How Women End Up on the Glass Cliff
The Gender Wage Gap
How wages by occupation differ by gender
Men with 2 years of work experience earn more than women with 6
Bro Talk
How Wall Street Bro Talk Keeps Women Down
Other
Women in the Workplace by LeanIn and McKinsey reports that women's careers can be stymied by: pursuing staff roles instead of line roles; workplace culture, policies and processes; inequality at home; and a lack of networks with potential sponsors.
Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee - Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant discuss the sad reality in workplaces around the world: Women help more but benefit less from it.
The Myth of the Catty Woman - Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant debunk the myth that the biggest enemy of women is other women and provide evidence that in business and in government, women do in fact create opportunities for women.
Speaking While Female - Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant share three tips that can help women overcome the 'speaking-up double bind' they face in many organizations: adopting practices that focus less on the speaker and more on the idea (eg provide ways to submit suggestions and solutions to problems anonymously); leaders must also take steps to encourage women to speak and be heard (eg introducing, and enforcing, a no-interruption rule); and increasing the number of women in leadership roles.
When Talking About Bias Backfires - Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant discuss research that shows that making people aware of their biases is not enough to counter them - but when people are informed that the “vast majority of people try to overcome their stereotypic preconceptions”, levels of discrimination are reduced.
WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
5 Questions for Executive Teams
Women in the Workplace by LeanIn and McKinsey recommends the following actions for organizations: track key metrics; demonstrate that diversity is a top priority; identify and interrupt bias; rethink workplace programs; and create a level playing field.
Research on Quotas
Gender Quotas and Female Leadership: A Review
New Zealand’s boardroom blues: Time for quotas
Targets and Quotas for Women in Leadership
A SAMPLE OF INITIATIVES CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
Examples of Unconscious Bias Training
Engaging Men
Increasing Female Role Models in Media
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY
Why Diversity Matters - Catalyst
Why Diversity Matters - McKinsey
FURTHER RESOURCES
5 TIPS FOR GETTING AHEAD
Accept that you are biased (as we all are) and seek ways to mitigate it. There are a number of resources on this page that provide advice on how to do it.
Avoid becoming pigeonholed as the team note-taker/event organizer/insert-other-extra-tasks-that-aren't-part-of-your-role-and-that-won't-lead-to-promotion-here. Concentrate your efforts on meeting and exceeding the kpi's/performance metrics for your role - as well as for the role you're aiming for.
Pursue operational/line roles with P&L responsibility. They will help you develop the skills needed to excel at senior levels.
Proactively seek out supportive mentors, connect with potential sponsors, and expose yourself to inspirational role models (in both the media and real life). Remember the Jim Rohn quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”