5 Things that Make Becoming a Financial Advisor a Smart Choice for Women

By Nicki Gilmour, CEO theglasshammer.comNicki Gilmour

Financial Advisory and the retail side of the financial services industry is not something that we have covered from a career perspective here at theglasshammer.com.

So, we thought it was time to have a look at this career and discuss its viability as it pertains to ambitious women looking to make a transition out of the institutional side of the business. Also, to dispel any misnomers around who works in this business and what is needed to succeed, we asked leading women to tell us more. As it turns out, women are between 15%-30% of the front line depending on the firm. The biggest headline is that you can have utmost flexibility which repeatedly is a theme we come across for modern people, both women and men who have outgrown the rigidity of being tied to a desk. We spoke to two women in two firms, Monica Guiseffi, Principal of Financial Advisor Inclusion and Diversity, Edward Jones and Marcia C. Tillotson, Managing Director of Investments and Portfolio Manager at Wells Fargo. They talked candidly about the job, concurring that it is the best kept secret. We gleaned these five insights to share with you.

#1 Make a Living Helping People

Think Financial Advisor, think Mother Teresa? Not the first job that comes to mind for the helping professional but in actuality being an FA is a great way to help people reach goals and access information around decisions that will affect them in later life.

Monica Guiseffi, Principal at Edward Jones states, “This can be a very honorable job as it is really about serving clients a high level and it feels great to help people.”

What is the secret of success in this industry? It is about who you surround yourself with and whose behaviors you model. Monica suggests finding a great mentor and she comments,

“Finding the right mentor is crucial and you will know when you have the right one in place as they can help you with situations that they are seasoned in. Also, authenticity is important and you do not have to build your business the way others have done in the past. “

Marcia C. Tillotson at Wells Fargo also believes that it is about finding the right people to look to for inspiration. She states,

“Find an FA that you admire… One whose business is run like you want to run yours and ask to be a part of their team.”

When asked what it takes to succeed, Marcia suggests that it is also what is inside you that matters and she believes having the right values is key. She defines it as

“A passion to help people, a wicked work ethic, a working moral compass, and patience,” and her personal response to becoming a Financial Advisor is “The opportunity to help families achieve their financial goals, have a flexible work schedule, be fulfilled in your career, and be fairly compensated. Through the years, I have known a lot of clients unhappy with their career choice. But there is not one job in the world I would trade being an FA for- not one!

#2 Pay Equity Is High in This Field

Marcia Tillotson from Wells Fargo talks more about why she thinks Financial Advisory is such a good fit for women to consider as a career. She comments on the pay equity that has been in place in the industry which isn’t always as transparent in other areas of the financial industry. She states,

“I knew when I became an advisor 30 years ago, I would be paid the same to buy 100 shares of a certain stock for my client as the male FAs at the desks on either side of me. There weren’t many careers with that kind of pay equity in 1987–and frankly, still isn’t.”

#3 The Flexibility

Marcia from Wells Fargo states,

“The entrepreneurial nature of being a Financial Advisor, allows much flexibility with work schedules, which is a great benefit for working Moms (and Dads).”

Monica agrees that the great thing about this career is that you can “write your own ticket at your own pace.”

#4 Close the Investment Gap

Financial Advisors can help close the investment gap which is not only present due to the pay gap but also to education, culture and patterns of how women invest and continue to invest. Wells Fargo recently did a very interesting study on investing from a millennial perspective with headline results that includes 82% millennial men surveyed stating they are the sole deciders of the household finances. So, how can Financial Advisors, specifically female advisors help close the investment gap?

Monica from Edward Jones states,

“FAs of any gender can help close the investment gap by emphasizing the importance of diversification (equity, fixed income, and cash).  Women, nationwide, tend to hold more cash.  The best thing we can do for our clientele is to lengthen their time horizon, the expectations on their portfolio from near-term to longer-term.  Inspire confidence to move a portion of their cash into higher yielding investments that have out-performed inflation.  Allowing our Women clients to remain too heavily in cash is essentially allowing them to lose purchasing power against rising inflation.  Their standard of living will digress.  It is the responsibility of all Financial Advisors to address this issue of correct portfolio diversification.”

#5 Changing the Face of the Industry via Engaging Men to Mentor New FA’s

Monica comments “Organizations need to be magnetic in order to attract and retain great talent, especially women. We have a new women’s network called WINGS that provides mentorship to our female advisors as we believe engaging male advisors as well as senior women is key in supporting the women FA’s who work at Edward Jones”

Wells Fargo’s Tillotson agrees mentoring men and women is a way to engage everybody in the conversation and develop the pathways for future diversity. She states,

“Be a mentor. Wells Fargo Advisors has begun this approach pairing associate Financial Advisors with senior FAs and we are very excited about the possibilities and we like to talk about our business!” She urges you to do the same and continues,

“Share your career experience with young people, on college campuses, with your own children. This is a very cool career and no one knows it. I hope in my lifetime there are little girls that want to be a Financial Advisor when they grow up.”

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Storytelling: The Art of Connection

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book

Image via Pixabay

By Aimee Hansen

Forbes has called it “the new strategic imperative of business.” Oral storytelling may have started around the fire, but today it’s trending hot on the list of sought-after leadership competencies at the boardroom table and in the C-Suite.

While storytelling may be innate, it doesn’t mean we’re all equally skilled in wielding the power of storytelling. But it turns out that being an engaging and persuasive storyteller is far less about raw talent than you might think and more about getting fluent in the structural ABC’s (or rather, IRS) of storytelling.

theglasshammer.com spoke to Esther K. Choy, Founder and President of Leadership Story Lab and author of the book Let The Story Do The Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success.

Why We Don’t Tell Stories

“Storytelling in a business context is a pivot from something we are doing naturally and intuitively,” said Choy, “but it’s adding a different application. I think it would be a pity if we (women) don’t make full use of what comes natural to us.”

Choy observes that we tend to be more reserved about telling stories at work than we need to be.

“A lot of people have a certain misconception that when you tell stories you assume the spotlight and you are talking about yourself… And this is something that many of us have been socialized not to do,” says Choy. “The other thing is that if you haven’t been trained how to tell stories strategically in a business setting, it can take a while,” states Choy. “These days people’s attentions spans are very short.”

The need to be persuasive and concise is why immersing yourself in the anatomy of effective storytelling is so important.

An Expansive and Emotive Leadership Art

In addition to speaking to and from the heart, telling and receiving stories is also a more expansive mindset skill than analytical or rational argument.

“When we listen to a story, it involves 40 to 50 different regions of our brain. When you are perhaps using the analytical side of your brain, it’s far more limiting.” states Choy. “That’s why we have the saying that people forget facts, but they never forget a good story. You can try to forget a good story, but it’s really hard. The reason is that it’s such a whole brain experience. It’s sticky. It’s memorable. It gets us feeling. It’s almost as if we were there, inside the story.”

Indeed, emotional recall changes the memory game. Fact are between six and 22 times more likely to be remembered if conveyed through story than list.

We are not only rational beings, even when making basic decisions. “Every single decision, big and small, must involve an emotional process to make a decision and act on it. That’s just the way we’re wired,” states Choy. “That’s why no amount of sheer analytical presentations and data can actually persuade someone until and unless their emotions are tapped somehow.”

Storytelling is a way of showing versus telling that guides the listener along on an intentional emotional experience. It creates a synchronization between speaker and listener. The result, often, is a trust that is conducive to building consensus.

“When you’re the storyteller and I’m the listener, our brains actually begin to synchronize,“ states Choy. “Because the story that you are telling me, that you are painting, I am also trying to imagine and feel. The storyteller’s brain and the listener’s brain begin to hum and synchronize. That’s why we feel an incredible connection.”

Storytelling Starts With Listening

“In order for any of us to become great storytellers, we must first become story collectors,” states Choy. “So before we set out to tell great stories, to razzle and dazzle and influence and persuade other people, we also need to learn how to get other people to tell their stories.”

While this partly mirrors the principle that if you want to write, you need to read, it also comes from the need to create receptivity and two-way communication. This is especially true when negotiating friction with colleagues.

“In a business setting, when you’re trying to persuade other people, it’s really hard for others to even begin to open their mind and ears unless they feel heard. That has to go first,” states Choy. “We don’t have to agree with them, but we have to acknowledge them and make them feel heard. That is the only way to get them to open their minds and their ears to hear our story.”

In order to effectively persuade, even storytelling has to be a conversation.

The Craft of Connection (IRS): Intrigue, Rivet, Satisfy

It’s not true that some people just aren’t storytellers.

“I think 80% of what makes a good storyteller can be boiled down to process. It’s more a matter of willingness, not ability,” states Choy. “If you’re willing to learn the process, to practice it and get feedback – then no matter your confidence and creativity and natural ability – you will be a great storyteller.”

Choy’s story toolbox and strategic structure is IRS. The beginning must be Intriguing. The middle should be Riveting. The end should be Satisfying.

Act 1 – Intriguing: The shortest part of your story should begin with time and location and end with a hook. The hook can be based upon conflict (any tension of opposing forces), contrast, or contradiction (contradicting the expectations of your audience).

One thing you should not do, says Choy, is to begin with “let me tell you a story,” which can raise skepticism. Focus on intriguing. We often need to dig out the hook of our story and bring it to the front.

Act 2 – Riveting: This is “the meat of the story” – the overcoming of obstacles, challenges, setbacks, more setbacks, and triumphs. When we’ve lost our audience, it’s often because we began with Act 2, rather than setting our story up or effectively wrapping it up.

“That’s why some stories feel flat or feel like they go on and on with no end in sight,” states Choy. “But if you set up the story right, then you’ve earned the right to tell your stories.”

Act 3 – Satisfying: This is the climax and final resolution, which delivers on intentions and takeaways, either open-ended (such as provoking discussion) or close-ended (such as closing a deal). The same story can have either open-ended or close-ended intention, based on how you resolve it.

“Whichever path that may be,” states Choy, “you should think ahead of time at least to what you would like to see happen after you tell that story.”

Personal Proficiency

Ultimately, storytelling, like many skills that are important to leadership, are a matter of both craft and practice. Storytelling is one area in which it can be both professionally and personally rewarding to develop your proficiency.

Author Note: Aimee Hansen leads women’s writing and yoga retreats on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala (Nov 25 – Dec 3 2017, Jan 27 – Feb 4 2018) and other locations and dates in which we explore the power of storytelling when it comes to owning our voices and self-expression in all areas of our lives. Find out more about her events: www.thestorytellerwithin.com

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Perfection Might Be Our Biggest Enemy

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By Molly Connell

The call for a gender equal workplace is getting louder, but women are still significantly under-represented in certain fields. When it comes to STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering and Math), there is still a stereotype present that working within these fields is rather for men. As an example, currently, only 13% of practicing engineers are women in the United States (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

It is clear, that this under-representation is not because women are less capable. Countless female engineers have achieved something admirable in the past and became role models. Business Insider published an article with the “26 most powerful female engineers in 2016” listing women who are powerful and brave, like Diane Greene who is leading a new team at Google that combines all of the company’s cloud businesses or Peggy Johnson, the Executive Vice President of Business Development at Microsoft.

Bravery is a key component

“Perfection is the Enemy of Progress!” said Churchill, but the same concept has also been presented by Voltaire as well. The scientific explanation that supports this statement is called “nirvana fallacy” which is defined as “comparing a realistic solution with an idealized one, and dismissing or even discounting the realistic solution as a result of comparing to a “perfect world” or impossible standard.” (Logicallyfallacious.com)

Taking risks means having a chance to fail. But what is failure? Charly Haversat in her “Perfectionism holds us back. Here’s why” TED talk explains how perfectionism can blind us from seeing what we have accomplished. If we constantly compare our present situation to a perfect situation, dissatisfaction is bound to come. Should our children never participate in a soccer team if the chances of them becoming a professional football player is less than 1%? Can we not be proud of ourselves for being the 2nd best at something? While these questions are polarizing, perfectionists, when it comes to themselves, would answer “no!”, while this is a mistake can stand in the way of their happiness and also their success.

Girls are raised to be perfect

While the paradox caused by perfectionism can occur for anyone, in which while striving to do everything right and to be the best, one prevents itself from doing so at the same time, there is still a difference on what effects this phenomenon has on males and females.

A wave was created when Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls who Code introduced her theory in one of her speeches how girls in general are being raised in a way that is counteracting with the original intention: we forget to raise them to be brave.

A survey conducted by LinkedIn asked men and women about their childhood dream jobs and whether or not they are currently working in that position. It turns out that there is a clear split between men and women: men were far more likely to have of “one-in-a-million” type dream-jobs such as prime minister or astronaut than women. Ms. Saujani, as explained in her previously mentioned speech, thinks that women tend to choose careers they know they will be great in, because they are taught to avoid risk and failure, to be good in school and to be safe while boys are praised for their bravery.

This has an effect on us in many aspects: A Hewlett Packpard internal report that has been quoted in several articles such as in Harvard Business Review, Forbes and the Economist was shown that men apply for jobs when they meet only 60% of the requirements and women have to meet 100% to feel confident enough to apply. This results in missing out on countless opportunities only because the chance of rejection is higher.

Equality

The term “gender gap” can be interpreted in many ways. Probably the most common concepts are the wage gap and the ratio of women and men in certain jobs. It is argued that one way to resolve these issues is to help women to overcome the gender-confidence gap first. External support can help but it is advised that women should focus on eliminating their own self-consciousness to really be confident. The systemic issues in the gender gap of course are another topic and confidence is only one part of the bigger puzzle.

To illustrate the issue, here’s an infographic from TradeMachines summarizing the main reasons why the gender-gap in engineering is still present.

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Maintaining Balance as a Female Caregiver with a Career

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By Kimberley Brown

motherhood

Image via Shutterstock

Like many women who enjoy being engaged in their careers and in the workplace, they also enjoy spending time with friends and taking time to care for their families and children.

But what happens when a “working mom” who’s finally reached the pinnacle of her career now has to take the time to care for a sick child requiring ongoing care? Sara McGlocklin spent a number of years to achieve her goal to be a lawyer and McGlocklin landed her dream job as a lawyer for Children’s Law Center of California where she helps abused and neglected children in the foster care system. Then, bad news arrived. She comments,

“Seven months ago our younger daughter Marian, at 18 months, was diagnosed with early signs of a fatal and progressive genetic disorder for which there is no cure. Now, I have the added pressure of caring for my child in the midst of managing a very busy career.”

“As a young girl I did not expect the challenges of balancing a career with being a caregiver, and I especially did not anticipate being a caregiver for a child with a fatal disease,” said McGlocklin, attorney and mother of 2 children.

It’s no surprise that women are often the predominant caregivers when it comes to providing support to loved ones, especially when that loved one is a sick child. Interestingly, women are 10 times more likely to take time off from work to stay home with their sick children – and – mothers are five times more likely to take their sick kids to doctor’s appointments, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study.

Like for example with Sara, she takes her daughter Marian to physical therapy twice a week, occupational therapy once a week, and speech therapy twice a week. In addition, she has to take her daughter to the hospital every other week so her daughter can take an experimental treatment.

However, in the midst of juggling numerous responsibilities for her family and her daughter, what’s interesting is Sara has actually picked up some unexpected tips along the way to encourage other women who may be trying to manage a career while being a caregiver, including…

It’s OK To Time Off: Sometimes women have a sense of guilt when asking their bosses for time off, even if it’s to care for a loved one. But it’s important to know your limits – which are human, and sometimes you are needed more at home than at work or vice versa. It’s important to carve out the flexibility you need for taking care of a sick child.

Don’t Go it Alone. Ask for help when it’s needed. Striking the balance between independence and accepting support is difficult. However, no one wins points for running themselves into the ground, and while there are many things we can accomplish on our own – accepting the help of a babysitter, friend or neighbor for small tasks adds up to big rewards. Ultimately, one of the most valuable things we have as mothers and professionals is our time. Sometimes saying, yes, when people offer help – and even voicing the need yourself brings a sense of teamwork, comfort and support. Most importantly, it is a gift of what we are all short of: time and energy to spend with our families and also meeting our needs and aspirations personally and professionally.

Take Some Pressure Off. Yes, I know everyone may be depending on you, especially if it’s a child but remember to find some down time in the midst of it all – even if it means something else isn’t getting done perfectly. Reading a good book (or watching a favorite show) or laughing with a friend can help relieve stress and recharge you so that you can be more energized to provide the care that you need to give.

Connect. Make meaningful connections with other people or communities. Women are more likely to lose friendships in their thirties and forties than to gain and create meaningful ones. Similarly, and conversely, deep and meaningful connections to other people are a critical component to happiness.

While many women continue to face some level of stress and pressure when managing their careers and serving as caregivers, it’s important for them to remember the importance of self-care as well. These simple tips should help women to gain better control and balance of their lives so they can continue to be a source of strength for loved ones and even for the co-workers who are depending on them as well.

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Tech Sector’s Lack of Diversity is About More Than the Lack of Numbers

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Guest Contributed by Bill Proudman

It is no secret that the tech sector, for all its innovation and well-intentioned plans to work the problem, suffers from a serious diversity problem. One that will not be solved if they only focus on numbers –as in representation of marginalized groups.

The numbers only reflect underlying cultural problems within the tech sector. In hiring for example, an HR director or manager who only hires people who resemble the director or manager – looks, talks, acts, similar background, etc. – is missing the whole point of diversity. The situation is cultural, engrained, and usually unconscious. Systemic bias is prevalent in our society and its roots run deep into the corporate world. Only with our sleeves rolled up, working to change mindsets from CEO on down, do we begin to see a tangible cultural shift in the workplace.

So while the “numbers” are alarming, fixing the numbers alone is not enough. In their 2016 report, Diversity in High Tech, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency responsible for enforcing anti-discriminatory laws, concluded “Despite rapid transformation in the field, the overwhelming dominance of white men in the industries and occupations associated with technology has remained.”

The EEOC found that tech companies employed 7% African Americans vs. 14% for other industries, 8% vs. 13.9% for Hispanics, and 36% vs. 48% for women. The disparity was more pronounced for executive positions: 83% white, 2% African American, 3% Hispanic, 10.5% Asian American, and 20% occupied by women.

In Silicon Valley, the microcosm of the tech industry, within the top 75 tech firms, African Americans, Hispanics and women made up 3%, 6% and 30%, respectively. By contrast, it was 24%, 22% an 49% for non-tech firms in the same area.

If it were only a “pipeline problem,” one could concentrate on that and it’d be solved, but evidence points to something intrinsically awry within the sector. In one survey, 716 women who had resigned long-term positions in tech companies were asked what motivated them to make such a difficult decision. 192 women (27%) cited discrimination in the workplace related to an array of issues such as gender, age, race, sexual preference, an unsupportive environment, motherhood and childcare.

The ramifications of all this are felt not just morally, but in the company ledger. Replacing an employee costs $5,000 to $10,000, while for executives it’s $50,000 to $100,000. And that is all in addition to the devastating effects of lawsuits and damaged reputations.

White Men As Full Diversity Partners (WMFDP) was founded 20 years ago in order to confront and engage top level white male leadership across the spectrum of corporate America. Fortunately, most leaders are thrilled at the prospect of dismantling cultural bias. When we went to work for Dell, for example, we were met with a stellar level of cooperation.

As Chairman Michael Dell has stated, “A diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences is the catalyst for innovation. That is how we deliver better results for our customers and our team members. For us, a diverse and inclusive culture is a competitive advantage.”

Marie Moynihan, Senior Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition, Dell EMC expanded further by saying, “I’m a very strong believer in the value of diversity. It forces a more challenging conversation and ultimately better decisions. I do think things are changing for the better for women in leadership. Companies are just paying a lot more attention to the evidence that’s out there now which says that a more diverse team can result in better return on equity.”

To address the obvious pipeline issue, one of the most ambitious projects I’ve encountered is called #YesWeCode. Founded by prominent activist Van Jones, #YesWeCode has the goal of teaching computer coding to 100,000 youth from inner cities and underrepresented minorities. Partnering with tech monoliths Google and Facebook, “Yes We Code aspires to become the United Negro College Fund equivalent for coding education,” Jones said. “Yes We Code exists to find and fund the next Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg in communities you would never expect to find them.”

By 2020, it is estimated that the tech industry will need another 1.4 million jobs filled, but only 400,000 US workers will be qualified to fill them. #YesWeCode and other forward-thinking organizations are taking advantage of this massive opportunity to diversify the tech industry, and in so doing create a paradigm shift in America.

Whether you intend to disrupt an industry, make a ton of money or save the planet, the disparity in high tech and other sectors serves as a lesson for the entrepreneur. I am confident that startups and companies that embrace diversity and inclusion, that challenge themselves and others, will emerge as the definitive leaders. That is because a diverse world calls for a diverse workforce of brilliant minds.

Recognizing our differences and similarities leads to new ways of breaking down problems, enlightening conversations and innovative solutions.

In an often turbulent world, that’s exactly what we need.

About Bill Proudman:

Bill Proudman is WMFDP co-founder and CEO. He pioneered white-men-only workshops in the ’90s after noticing white male leaders repeatedly disengaging from diversity efforts. Bill’s provocative work led to founding White Men As Full Diversity Partners. For over 35 years, he has served as a leadership development consultant, coach and facilitator to countless organizations on issues of team effectiveness, cultural competency, and diversity.

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Tips on Building on Your Company’s Commitment to Diversity

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Guest contributed by Karina DeLaCruz, Diversity Executive at CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer

diversity

Image via Shutterstock

Companies that embrace diversity can better reap the economic benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce — and increasingly diverse markets. Our growing diversity as a nation and the impacts of globalization underscore why it’s critical for companies to embed the value of diversity and inclusion in their policies and practices for long-term success.

Diversity has an impact and is proven to drive engagement, innovation and profitability – all of which have very real bottom-line impacts:

Diversity drives engagement. Organizations that capitalize on the strengths of all employees – and leverage their differences and unique values – have the most engaged employees. Employees with the highest level of engagement perform 20 percent better and are 87 percent less likely to leave the organization than employees with low levels of engagement, according to a study by the Corporate Leadership Council. Engaged employees are more satisfied at work and more productive, and are more likely to stay with an organization and contribute to its success.

Diversity drives innovation. By bringing together different backgrounds, skills, and experiences, businesses are better positioned to develop innovative solutions needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive economy. Forbes Insights conducted a survey of more than 300 senior executives: among companies with more than $10 billion in annual revenues, 56 percent strongly agreed that diversity helps drive innovation.

 Diversity drives profitability. Numerous studies have demonstrated a business benefit to diversity. Deloitte highlighted research of 506 U.S. organizations showing that organizations with greater racial and gender diversity performed better in terms of sales revenues, number of customers and market share. Catalyst looked at Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women board directors and they attained higher financial performance, on average, than those with the lowest representation of women board directors.

 How do we get started?

If not approached strategically, diversity can feel like “just one more thing” employees are asked to take on. Consider these three key components in building out your diversity and inclusion strategy:

  • Get clear on the business outcomes you’re looking to drive through diversity and inclusion. Make sure you fully align those outcomes with company strategy.
  • Secure C-suite commitment — and their active, visible engagement with your efforts.
  • Embedding diversity in your company’s core values helps ensure that it is considered in strategy development and execution, and considered when critical decisions are made.

Launching a diversity and inclusion program – or expanding efforts – may require having difficult conversations to break through unconscious biases and educating leadership on how the program supports company goals and can benefit the employees and customers. Only when that foundational work is complete can you fully implement a successful diversity and inclusion program and reap the benefits.

How do you measure success?

No matter how much value you believe the program brings to the company, it’s important to track results. We look at metrics focused on key initiatives in each of the four pillars of our diversity and inclusion strategy. These include:

  1. Workforce: reflecting the diverse communities we serve
  2. Workplace: influencing company culture through diversity and inclusion
  3. Community/Marketplace: strengthening our brand in the marketplace through outreach, philanthropy, volunteerism and business partnerships with organizations that have similar values
  4. Members/Customers: weaving diversity and inclusion into the fabric of our business strategy and using it to better understand our customers’ needs and expectations

We developed a scorecard to measure success. For example, for the workplace pillar we look at our workforce representation, as most companies do. We also have a diversity index within our annual employee engagement survey that allows us to measure our effectiveness in providing an inclusive work environment. When it comes to community and marketplace, we evaluate how we’re doing in the area of supplier diversity and whether we’re increasing our community presence in terms of volunteer hours and community events hosted by the diversity and inclusion team.

The future of diversity and inclusion

Twenty years ago when we talked about diversity, the focus was on race, ethnicity and in some cases, sexual orientation. More companies are shifting their focus from diversity to inclusion or belonging. Diversity is a fact. Inclusion is a practice. Equity is the goal.

Ultimately, diversity and inclusion is a journey with no finish line. We all can play a role in helping create a more welcoming environment at work, while also enjoying the competitive advantages of inclusion.

Karina DeLaCruz is the Human Resources Consulting and Diversity Executive at CSAA Insurance Group based in Walnut Creek, CA.  She has extensive background and expertise in Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership Development, Business Operations and Customer Service.  In her role at CSAA Insurance Group, she is responsible for the design and execution of the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy and oversees all of their diversity and inclusion initiatives and programs.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views of guest contributors are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com

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Not to Be Missed Articles

Did you miss these popular articles? Take a look at the articles below previously published on theglasshammer.com

breakup

Why it’s a Bigger Issue than Work-Family Conflict

By Aimee Hansen

The culture of chronic overwork isn’t working in many ways, but there’s one way it works too well: upholding gender inequality.

Professor Robin Ely of Harvard Business School, co-author of a recent study released by the Gender Initative, tells us “It is the culture of overwork—not women’s work-family conflict—that locks gender inequality in place.”

According to Ely and her co-authors, the focus on work-family conflict is a gendered diversion from the bigger 24/7 work week problem that deflects long hours as a women’s issue.

We spoke to Ely about the dilemma, what needs to change and what women can do.

Career Progression – Moving Sideways and Diagonally to Move Forward

By Nneka Orji

Most of us will be familiar with the typical career path within big corporates; the graduate entry role, the progression to middle management, and for a few who meet what are deemed to be the prerequisites, the senior management and leadership positions are within grasp. Career progression – in the traditional sense – has been valued by the pace at which individuals make it the top of the organisational hierarchy, and any move off the ladder or taking a non-traditional route has until very recently been viewed as detrimental to achieving the end goal. However things are changing; with technological advancement, evolving needs of the workforce, and a more diverse talent pool, the perception of a successful career is being challenged and new forms of career paths are being introduced. Could an unconventional career path lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable career?

 

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Working Women: It’s Time to Take Charge of Your Career

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women working mentoring
Guest Contributed by Lexie Dy (readyjob.org)
There is something within a woman that dares to defy the odds of limitations. Where there is a giant, she silences it. Where there is a mountain, she moves it. Where there is a glass ceiling, she shatters it. She carries a remarkable strength and unmistakable determination to meet her goals. She is brave and she is successful. “She” is you.
 
Sometimes all that it takes to reach our full potential is a reminder of who we are and what we can accomplish. It’s time we stop chasing our dream career or position and start taking charge of them. It’s time to shake up the business norm and not only achieve your dream career, but excel in it.
 
The positive influence women can have in the workplace is undeniable. Research shows that the presence of women (and other minorities) at the executive level of companies and in the boardroom can have what’s called a “panel effect.” When women bring their perspectives and experience to the C-level, they are able to influence white male executives on diversity, fairness, pay equality, and more. By reaching for the stars and obtaining a position of leadership, you earn the power to re-shape women’s role in business by hiring CEOs, setting executive pay, investigating discrimination, and approving executive promotions. Your success and that of those around you should be based on skills and talent, not gender and ancient stereotypes.
 
Whatever you envision as your ideal career, you can get there if you work for it. What is that thing you daydream about? You have talked about it for a while now and you would be doing it full time if only you knew how. This is how you do it: study other successful people in your field. Rub elbows with other women in positions of leadership who are where you want to see yourself and build a network. Pick their brains and discuss the ways in which they overcame the obstacles they most certainly faced.
 
 When you are up-close and personal with your own plan, it is easy to miss the 360-degree view of the rest of your world. Stay up to date with current events in your field, and learn from the people who are succeeding in unprecedented ways. Not only will you be able to apply the insight you’ve gained from other success stories, but you might impress your colleagues with a well-informed understanding of your industry.
 
To all of the women who feel like they are at a disadvantage because of their gender, be proud of who you are as a woman and as a valuable employee. Women are advancing into leadership roles, managerial positions, and business owners, yet are not always compensated equally. There is a noticeably large number of industries that haven’t fully stepped up to the times we live in. Be one of the women who help to make a lasting impression on the future of the world marketplace. Don’t shy away from the opportunity to offer your opinion on business matters. Speak up if you are overlooked for a promotion, and be bold enough to comment on your wages if you notice a discrepancy. You have the same level of importance as the men in the field, and you make a world of difference for the company the same as they do.
 
Show your supervisor that you have potential for more responsibility by setting a high standard for the rest of the team. Arrive to the job early and ready to hit the ground running. Consider how you can accomplish more than what was asked of you. Once your assignments are finished, offer to assist your co-workers with theirs. Build relationships with your teammates out of genuine interest in your future with them and the company.
 
Sure, there are going to be discouraging days, but remember: you are not your mistakes.

You will make a few errors along the way, but that is to be expected. Mistakes are often the best way to learn. If you handle them with grace, you might even be surprised by how well your positive attitude will impress your boss. Rather than hang your head and apologize, own up to it and ask how you could have done things differently and what skillsets you need to work on in order to be adequately prepared for future opportunities. Count your mishaps as a blessing in disguise and move forward.
 
Silence your giants, move your mountains, and shatter those glass ceilings. You are your very own success story waiting to happen. Be bold and take charge of your dream career. It’s time to take charge.
 
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What Would Oprah Say?

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 By Nicki Gilmour, Executive Coach and Organizational PsychologistNicki Gilmour

Advice giving is a tricky business and when I thought up the title of this week’s column, I actually googled the sentence “What would Oprah say?” to find out she is the modern day Plato. No one can argue with her words of wisdom as she is a mentor to us all in that respect and a glass breaker in so many ways. I watched her as a girl from my TV screen in Northern Ireland not knowing that my own destiny would bring me to the USA to help people be their best selves.

My point? As useful as anyone’s advice is in this life, what matters is how you use it and integrate it. To do this, it’s key to know yourself and the constructs that you have built over time. What beliefs do you hold? How does that affect how you to take on new beliefs? Do those new ones confirm old biases or transform you? How can you check for validity in a meta-universal way so you can escape subjectivity of just adding to the pile of assumptions that may or may not be true? What beliefs are so implicit that they are hidden to you, yet create competing agendas to your espoused goals?

Oprah can tell you to go higher, Sheryl can tell you to lean in and all of that has truth in it. It’s good advice, but its just advice. Only you can dig deep into your own paradigms and figure out what you believe in and why you do what you do.

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You Should Reconsider What You Think About Creative People in Leadership

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Though “creativity” is almost always included on lists of mandatory qualities of good leaders, creative people or “creatives” are rarely seen as the leader type.Group-Of-Women-Meeting-In-Creative-Office

Instead, creatives are revered for their originality, their resourcefulness, and their spirit. But to be successful, creatives need to be perceived as more proactive, risk-taking, problem-solving, and communicative which are the perceived traits assigned to leaders.

Why Creative Types Aren’t Often Leaders

In a study from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, researchers asked workers and students rate their peers’ potential for creativity and leadership. Neither group rated the most creative people among the most likely to become leaders.

Yet, the most popular stories of leadership focus on those with ingenuity. We love to hear tales of CEOs and politicians who solve problems not with determined effort or underhanded maneuvering but rather with imagination and resourcefulness. There are few people more inspirational than those with innovative ideas who change the course of an entire industry. Why do we collect stories of creative leaders while ruing the idea of being led by them?

The researchers of the Wharton study, psychologists Jennifer Mueller, Jack Goncalo, and Dishan Kamdar, have discovered that leaders are often expected to uphold structure and order within an organization, while creative types tend to think laterally, outside typical paths and boundaries. Additionally, creatives are often depicted as isolated or at least introverted, but leaders necessarily must be comfortable with near-constant interactions. Further research refutes these suppositions. Most notably, a Wharton study by Adam Grant discovered that introverted leaders outperform extroverted ones, disproving the conception that a leader must be gregarious to be productive.

In another study led by Jennifer Mueller, participants consciously argued for the power of creative ideas, asserting that they want more creativity in leadership, but subconsciously, those same participants rejected more creative concepts when exposed to uncertain situations. It seems that we are primed to deny creative leadership, even despite evidence of its potential.

How Creatives Use Leadership Skills

Creative people and leaders share some traits and behaviors in common:

  • Leaders and creatives communicate well. Creative types imagine original concepts and they must be able to explain their ideas clearly and effectively.
  • Leaders and creatives are enterprising and dynamic. Creatives must often pursue their ideas on their own, forcing them to become self-motivated and driven.
  • Leaders and creatives solve problems. No novel idea emerges fully formed from a creative’s mind. Instead, creatives must tinker with their designs before they are viable.
  • Leaders and creatives take risks. Coming up with something new is inherently riskier than following the old way. Creatives must be willing to make leaps of faith, or else they fail to earn the label “creative.”

Given that creatives innately boast the most important qualities of leaders, it seems obvious that creatives would be good in leadership positions. The stereotype of creatives types is not the same stereotype of traditional leader types. This is just a stereotype but one that remains in place for now. One way to prepare oneself for business positions, regardless of one’s past work experience or identity as a creative person, is to continue to be creative while learning traditional business skills. By doing an MBA online, or in-person creatives can hone their leadership skills and gain new knowledge that is useful in guiding teams of workers. Even more importantly, advanced credentials almost guarantee management positions, ensuring creative types access to entry-level leadership roles. Just as the theory goes more women in leadership positions increases the likelihood of female-friendly workplaces, more creatives in leadership positions could help to build businesses that are friendly to creative thinking.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views of Guest contributors are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com

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