‘Lisa Let’s Get Lost’ by Marc Ferrero
I love Marc Ferrero‘s work. This one makes me wonder what people think a woman leader looks like.
I’ll get to that another time.
As for 50:50 representation on boards, in the C-suite or even as General Managers, don’t hold your breath.
Here are 3 things that must happen before that can become a reality:
1.Fill the female funnel – the bottom up approach.
Most women in work remain below mid-management level.
To get more females in the funnel of promotion, more are needed in mid-management. When this is the case, two things happen:
- yes, more in the mix for the next step up, plus – and this is vital:
- it means work environments are, by default, inclusive. Because they enable women to stay in the pipeline, across their life’s phases.
There’s another benefit to this too: the things that help women stay in the pipeline help others too.
2. Lean in-between – a feminist’s choice
It’s drilled into us that women must ‘lean in’ to get ahead. It depends on how you define that.
Yes we must show up, speak up, step up (most of us are exhausted by then).
But first, we have to figure out what it is that enables us to do all this, and then some.
Start by addressing this:
What is your best life? The answer changes depending on what phase of life you’re in.
For most women I know, being able to work, and get ahead at work, while leaning out of full-time positions, is key at some point.
Reasons for a gap or part-time work vary, but the outcome is pretty consistent: it becomes financial and career suicide.
Why? Read this BBC report and then play around with Working Mother‘s calculator to see how much money you stand to lose over your lifetime if you become a full-time parent (we’re talking 6 zeros easily).
3. Yes you are equal. Now behave like you believe it.
It sounds obvious and simple, but it is the key ingredient in the mix. You might assume you’re equal, but are you really? Spend time thinking this through.
Are you, do you and the people in your life – family and work – behave like you are equal to others? Do you truly behave like and believe that you are equal to those around you? I know I don’t. I believe, but haven’t always behaved it. Not in every setting. Not always.
So. What one thing will make a huge difference in your life and make you able to be the woman who gets to where her ambition lies?
#Step up #SpeakUp #StartTheChange #MeToo #Equality
