By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)
The White House Project is still accepting applications for this weekend’s New York event. For more information contact Janeen Ettienne at jettienne@thewhitehouseproject.org.
“Women take charge to take care. Meaning, women usually embark on a campaign because of an issue that they have organized around either personally or in their communities,” said Marie Wilson, founder of the White House Project.
She continued, “And when elected, they are more likely to stay in close touch with their constituencies, because the majority of women office holders didn’t get there through high-powered lobbying firms and a blanket of press coverage. They got to their elected office through the grassroots networks.”
Once a year in several states, the White House Project hosts a weekend-long training retreat designed to equip women with the leadership skills they need to run for political office. Go Run provides training in communications, fundraising and campaigning, with a focus specifically on overcoming the unique challenges women have traditionally faced.
This Friday kicks off New York’s Go Run weekend training program. The weekend’s special guests include The Honorable Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, New York City Council Member, District 17; The Honorable Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senator, District 35; The Honorable Gale A. Brewer, New York City Council Member, District 6; and Uma Sengupta, Democratic District Leader, District 25, Part B, as well as plenty of impactful instructors.
Kristina Goodman, Director of PR and Marketing explained, “Our goal is to equip, inform and inspire women to take their leadership to the next level, either as a community organizer, a candidate, or in their own lives.”
Fair Play: 5 Tips for Making Diversity Programs Stick
Featured, Office PoliticsWe all know that diverse teams provide a operational advantage: different opinions lead to creative problem solving and a balanced, comprehensive view of work challenges. But how do you encourage diversity, and get managers involved in initiatives set in the boardroom – or indeed become involved yourself? The Glass Hammer asked five experts for their advice on how to make diversity programmes stick.
1. Don’t be scared of diversity!
“A key to treating employees fairly is to understand that diversity is something to be embraced and not something to shy away from, fear, or reject,” says Julia Mendez Fuentes, PHR, CELS, Director, Workforce Compliance and Diversity Solutions, for talent management company Peopleclick Authoria. She suggests that diversity training is one way to give middle managers the tools they need to ensure they treat their employees fairly, so if you are offered the chance to go on a course, take it. “Middle managers should definitely be trained regarding compliance issues such as accommodations for persons with disabilities and religious beliefs.”
However, don’t worry about having to single-handedly tackle problems that arise as a result of having a diverse workforce. “As far as handling complaints or issues involved with diversity, typically this is handled by someone within the Human Resources or Legal departments who is properly trained on how to keep track of the issues and is knowledgeable on ways that the issues can be resolved,” explains Fuentes.
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New Alternative Investments Directive Ruffles Feathers in the EU and Abroad
NewsSince the economic downturn started, people have been calling for more regulation of the financial markets. And in Europe, we’re about to get some. The European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) voted this month in favour of the proposed rules that will form the basis of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive.
While it isn’t yet law – the exact details are still to be worked out – the Directive is already unpopular, especially in the UK. ‘Alternative’ funds are those that are not already covered by extensive EU legislation and include hedge funds, real estate funds, commodity funds and private equity. The Directive agrees to tighten up the rules on hedge funds, and as most of Europe’s hedge funds are head-quartered out of the UK, British commentators believe there is a risk that London’s financial centre will suffer as firms move out.
In addition, the new rules will prevent a non-EU fund from marketing itself to Europe as a whole. Just because your hedge fund is cleared to do business in one country, doesn’t mean it will have an automatic right to be traded in any of the other EU states. This is the clause that many in the UK find most restrictive, and there is a genuine worry that trading with the US will be affected because of the tighter rules.
However, it’s not all bad news. “In several areas we have secured significant improvements, including greater proportionality for small funds, greater clarity and flexibility in depositary liability requirements, and the removal of the more burdensome private equity requirements,” says Sharon Bowles, Liberal Democrat MEP and Committee Chair. “I welcome the several workable and sensible changes introduced in this report and think that when these are merged with the [European] Council’s report we will be 90% of the way towards a very good text. My liberal colleagues and I have worked very hard to improve the proposed AIFM Directive and ensure that it finds the right balance between regulating the fund industry and ensuring that it can still be successful.”
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The White House Project’s Go Run New York Kicks Off Friday
Pipeline, What's OnThe White House Project is still accepting applications for this weekend’s New York event. For more information contact Janeen Ettienne at jettienne@thewhitehouseproject.org.
“Women take charge to take care. Meaning, women usually embark on a campaign because of an issue that they have organized around either personally or in their communities,” said Marie Wilson, founder of the White House Project.
She continued, “And when elected, they are more likely to stay in close touch with their constituencies, because the majority of women office holders didn’t get there through high-powered lobbying firms and a blanket of press coverage. They got to their elected office through the grassroots networks.”
Once a year in several states, the White House Project hosts a weekend-long training retreat designed to equip women with the leadership skills they need to run for political office. Go Run provides training in communications, fundraising and campaigning, with a focus specifically on overcoming the unique challenges women have traditionally faced.
This Friday kicks off New York’s Go Run weekend training program. The weekend’s special guests include The Honorable Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, New York City Council Member, District 17; The Honorable Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senator, District 35; The Honorable Gale A. Brewer, New York City Council Member, District 6; and Uma Sengupta, Democratic District Leader, District 25, Part B, as well as plenty of impactful instructors.
Kristina Goodman, Director of PR and Marketing explained, “Our goal is to equip, inform and inspire women to take their leadership to the next level, either as a community organizer, a candidate, or in their own lives.”
Read more
Ask-A-Career-Coach: Integrating Personal and Professional Goals
Ask A Career CoachI recently led a workshop on Resilience for HR executives at a financial services firm that had recently undergone a major restructuring. One VP asked: “How do you allocate time between your personal and professional goals?”
It’s a fitting question for that particular firm because many of the attendees were juggling several jobs and new roles. There was uncertainty, anxiety, and overall fatigue. Yet, the question is fitting for many executive women who juggle multiple roles all the time. How do you keep track of everything and ensure that nothing gets short shrift?
Drop the guilt. The attendees seemed relieved when I told them to just drop some things for now while the restructuring was at its peak. The reality is that there will be times when your life is one-sided and unbalanced. In the long-term you want to even out those cycles and ensure that you build in breaks to refresh and renew. But in a crunch period, it’s more effective to just accept that you have to let some things slide to incorporate whatever extra responsibility has come onto your plate.
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Voice of Experience: Elisse B. Walter, Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
Voices of ExperienceImage Courtesy sec.gov
“We are still at a juncture in time where it’s very important for senior women to be a resource both for other women and men,” said Elisse B. Walter, Commissioner for the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In describing her life and career, it’s clear that Commissioner Walter cherishes her position as a role model and a leader. She enthusiastically articulates the importance of guiding other women coming up the ranks.
And with over thirty years in public service, she has experience to share. Her advice for women working to advance in their careers: “Charge ahead.”
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Happy Memorial Day
NewsIn honor of Memorial Day, The Glass Hammer is taking the day off – and hopefully, you are too! If you have some time to spare today, why not catch up on a few of our recent popular stories?
And, don’t forget to check out our upcoming July event: Women in IT – Staying Technical and Getting to the Top. We’re also planning another buy-side event for this fall – so keep an eye on our events page!
Finally, The Glass Hammer is always looking for more writers. Do you have a story to tell? Email me at melissa@theglasshammer.com and we’ll talk about putting your voice on the site!
Hit the Hardest by the Recession, Female Baby Boomers Make Transitions
Managing ChangeMany have been hit hard by the recession, but according to the United States Department of Labor, perhaps no one more so than women of the baby-boom generation. According to the Department of Labor, the number of women ages 45 to 64 who are long-term unemployed (out of work for more than six months) has more than doubled in the past year and at 900,000, that number is steadily growing.
Hundreds of thousands of working women have been put in an impossible situation: They want to continue working, yet they can’t find jobs in their field or jobs that pay well enough or jobs that they aren’t overqualified for, etc. And for many, retirement is not an option. Aside from economic uncertainties and investments, opting out of work while still having earning potential seems unwise during such tumultuous economic times. As a result, women who earned large salaries in high-ranking positions in the corporate world are having to adjust their plans and expectations in order to survive in today’s youth-orientated culture, all while working longer hours and for much lower pay.
Career coach Carole Hyatt is quick to point out that these types of transitions are difficult to adjust to at any time, but especially late in life. “Psychologically, some women are OK, but some are in very bad shape,” Hyatt said. “Many never married or squirreled away any money. They are feeling very unrooted and it’s been particularly tough for women in the financial sector, many of whom were living at a high level.” Some women, however, are deciding to make the most of this difficult time in their lives by going back to school, learning a new trade, or pursuing their true passions. Rosemarie Ashley is one of these women.
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Why We’re Not There Yet: Changing the Leadership System
Breaking the Glass CeilingOn paper, began Linda Basch, President of the National Council for Research on Women, the numbers look good. Women earn 57% of Bachelor’s degrees, and a larger percentage of Master’s degrees. One third of business owners are women – the fastest growing group of business owners, in fact. Women control half of the wealth in the US, and 65% of consumer spending.
Yet, said Basch, “The glass ceiling remains virtually shatterproof. We’ve reached stasis in too many areas.”
Yesterday, the National Council for Research on Women, along with the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College, Catalyst, Demos, Women’s Forum, Inc., and Women 4 Citi hosted “The Power of Women’s Leadership” to explore the lack of women in leadership positions, why we need them there, and how to fix it.
The panel discussion featured Joanna Barsh, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of How Remarkable Women Lead and Linda Tarr-Whelan, Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow and author of Women Lead the Way, and was moderated by Carol Jenkins, Founding President of the Women’s Media Center.
Basch pointed out, the lack of women in positions of leadership is getting another look. “Women are increasingly seen as part of the solution to [economic and social] challenges.”
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Women in Technology: Staying Technical and the Importance of Being an Expert
Breaking the Glass Ceiling, FeaturedThis is the second article in this series, investigating why staying technical is important on the path to promotion – either as an executive or an eventual board member. Don’t forget to register for our upcoming panel discussion and networking event for women in technology on July 8th at 5.30pm.
According to the Anita Borg Institute report Senior Technical Women: A Profile of Success [PDF] by Dr. Caroline Simard, the numbers of senior women on the technical path vs. the management path don’t really correspond with the numbers of men in similar positions.
What’s the reason for this disparity, and is it cause for alarm? At first glance, this data seems encouraging as women are making headway as managers in the technology space. Further investigation would reveal, however, that “management” means project management – not executive management. The Anita Borg Institute discovered that women are being led away from being technical innovators and instead are being heavily encouraged to manage people and processes instead of continuing to code and program – despite their degree training. The report explains:
This same report states “60.2% of senior men describe themselves as an ‘innovator,’ versus just 38.1 percent of senior women.” There was a perception by the respondents of innovation as a masculine quality. On the other hand, while the majority of senior women felt they were not innovators, more than half did see themselves as risk-takers – about the same amount as senior men.
I think that there are three clear factors why women drop off the technical path.
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How You Can Overcome the Top Barriers Keeping Women from Advancing
Expert AnswersWhen I was employed in a management role, I coached and mentored many young women coming through my organisation. I’m now a professional coach working with senior and executive women. The questions and issues have not changed significantly over the years, although of course, everyone is unique and bring their own unique set of circumstances to bear.
A 2004 Catalyst survey found that the top two barriers that hold women back from top positions are:
These broadly correspond with the issues I hear when coaching executive women. What follows is some of the coaching advice I have shared with executive women on how to overcome these challenges.
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