In the June 2013 edition of REACH, the COP Women in Leadership (WIL) group gave you a preview of its exciting work in empowering Organisational Psychologists to make a unique contribution to developing the leadership potential and representation of women in the workplace. The WIL group set out to identify (and 'audit') organisational practices, policies and behaviours that produce either supportive or disabling workplace cultures for women leaders. Four areas influencing women’s progression into leadership roles were identified for further exploration, namely; family matters, engaging men, the role of women and the macro perspective. The topics were then investigated by subgroups through peer-reviewed literature, interviews and white papers to reveal interesting findings with important implications for raising awareness and engaging organisations (and its leaders) to influence the leadership pathways for women.
The WIL group discovered that among the key barriers to women’s advancement are the commonly conflicted ‘expectations’ of the roles women play in their families, entrenched beliefs as a “hangover” from previous generations and the extent to which both individual and family needs are met. For example, when mothers feel hemmed in by rigid policies, the “glass ceiling” or "sticky floor", they are more likely than fathers to respond to the pull of family. Similarly, socialisation practices shaped in childhood help to explain ambivalence towards women in positions of authority and the double bind mismatch between conventionally feminine qualities (e.g. of caregiver) and the capabilities thought necessary for leadership. Strategies to address these family matters include equipping women with resources, sponsorship and support to take action to assist their re-entry into the workforce after maternity leave, building resilience to navigate through organisational, cultural and social barriers to achieve their goals and up-skilling leaders to initiate conversations, provide feedback and resources to support men and women to develop their careers within a flexible work culture.
In Australia, senior leadership positions are dominated by men. Clearly, engaging the majority becomes an effective approach to tackle the challenge of women’s progression (and success) in leadership roles. Surprisingly, a large proportion of men are unaware of the organisational structures, leadership practices and subtle patterns of interaction that inadvertently put women at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, of the male leaders who are aware of gender inequality, many either feel that such issues are out of their control or have nothing to do with them, whilst some are worried that gains for women mean losses for men. Reverse and mixed mentoring, education on the pervasive effects of unconscious gender biases, demonstrating the benefits of gender diversity for leadership teams and establishing Social Herding (influential male leaders championing the cause) were some of the interventions the WIL group discussed to engage men to create new cultural norms within organisations.
In examining women’s persistent underrepresentation in leadership roles, the WIL group recognised the importance of understanding the role women play in getting in their own way - ‘mindsets’ are central here! According to research reported by Catalyst, of those women who are NOT already in senior leadership positions, 55% aspire to be there while another 19% have not ruled it out. Yet fewer female leaders means a paucity of role models and can suggest to developing leaders that being a woman is a liability – thus discouraging them from viewing senior women as credible sources of advice and support. Moreover, given the human proclivity to interact with others of the same gender, women may feel less connected to male colleagues and lack access to influential networks. While 1 in 8 men can expect to reach senior management, only 1 in 40 women can expect the same. Given that the odds are stacked against women, challenging women’s mindsets and developing resilience becomes critical to helping women NOT be a barrier to themselves. Strategies shared by the WIL group include developing skills of negotiation, self-promotion and strengthening inner dialogue through facilitated programs and professional coaching coupled with cultivating genuine commitment among both men and women to manage barriers and make sustainable progress.
Macro considerations such as social, technological, political and economic factors present certain inhibitors as well as enablers to women in leadership. Technology improvements enable agile communications, flexible working arrangements and the possibility of virtual offices. Political breakthroughs such as the first Australian female Prime Minister and increasing numbers of women working in Government have raised the number of female mentors and role models for women. These shifts have also precipitated better parental leave provisions. Despite these advances, monetary uncertainty has created heightened competition for jobs, increasing pressure on dual income families and challenging organisations’ capacities to increase efficiencies. Meanwhile, social inhibitors such as community expectations of women to be the ‘perfect’ mother and contemporary demands on children growing up in this technological age have placed huge pressures and unrealistic expectations on the parents of this generation.
Building on these findings, the group examined the shared experiences, success stories and lessons learned from thought and practice leaders to gain insight into contemporary corporate issues and practice pertaining to women in leadership. According to a Diversity and Inclusion Manager representing a large bank, the prospect of an ageing workforce and the outsourcing of traditionally male dominated roles (e.g. technology related) may help to increase the percentage of women in the workforce and advancing into leadership positions. Pre-parenting seminars, reconnect sessions (to transition back to work successfully), job share arrangements, and inclusion in team emails whilst on parental leave were some of the bank’s corporate practices shared with the WIL group.
Leaders and organisational advisers alike acknowledge that engaging men to actively provide development opportunities to women is critical. Yet gaining buy-in from women cannot be overlooked given that many senior female leaders can feel reluctant to be the “poster child” for Women in Leadership initiatives. Aspiring leaders need access to role models whose styles and behaviours they can observe and experiment with to integrate with their own strengths and values. Rather than trying to train women to be more like men, we need to shift our focus to helping women uncover their strengths, to internalise and celebrate their leadership identities.
As Organisational Psychologists, we can make a unique contribution to advancing women in leadership through our understanding of and capacity to influence the cultural assumptions, organisational structures, work practices and leadership commitments at a systemic, sustainable level.
The Women in Leadership group is a learning and knowledge sharing forum for Organisational Psychologists (both men and women) working in or interested in operating in this space to share experiences and learn strategies to successfully tackle the challenges women in leadership face within organisations. If you would like to join this learning group and contribute to the growth of Women in Leadership, please contact Kerryn Velleman at [email protected].
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