Tag Archive for: Leadership

Op-Ed: Leading Toward Disruption – A Call to Action for Women In STEM

Danielle Arnone

There has never been a time in my career when I have been more optimistic about the future for women in leadership and women in STEM.

I have been inspired through all of the chaos of the last year to work toward a new kind of change leadership where uncertainty is the norm and reinvention becomes the goal.

The intense turmoil of 2020 – the pandemic, social unrest, economic instability and devastating natural disasters – has exposed the fragility and insecurity of old paradigms of leadership.

Leadership that is rooted in preservation ignites fear. The fear of change that persists in organizations is the same fear that perpetuates gender bias because it means that we have to do things differently.

As women, STEM professionals and change leaders, we are uniquely positioned to shift the equilibrium from fear toward sustained progress.

 

We are a triple threat.

Now is the time for us to seize the momentum as champions for equity, catalysts for purpose driven innovation and architects of permanent changes for good.

We must expose the invisible barriers that have weakened companies and communities and leave the rules of the past behind.

While there are more women in STEM than ever before, recruiting more women into STEM careers is not enough. Developing and galvanizing a pipeline of women that can lead into disruption is our greatest opportunity.

In a 2019 research study developed and conducted by RTI International commissioned by L’Oréal USA and the Heising-Simons Foundation, 90% of respondents agree that in the past decade, women’s opportunities for career advancement in science have improved along with gender composition and 66% agree that women’s representation in leadership positions in scientific fields has improved.

While there is a sense of progress emerging, the gender gap in STEM continues to grow especially in leadership roles.

 

My journey upon reflection

Reflecting on my own leadership journey, I was not always optimistic about the future – especially my own. I experienced set backs, rejection and a lot of disappointment.

For many years, I emphasized competence and performance as a way to advance. I took on more stretch assignments to increase my visibility. I ignored the signs that my dissenting voice was unwelcome and my naïveté got the better of me. I was exhausted, frustrated and ready to throw in the towel. I falsely assumed that change in organizations is rational. And, I battled whether or not I needed to change myself or my expectations to be successful.

Overtime, I began to realize that competence is a trap, certainty is a fallacy and being a critic is really hard.

I started to educate myself and concluded that I wasn’t alone and that the discrimination I experienced was not personal but systemic and far reaching.

According to a study conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) commissioned by the National Science Foundation, women believe they need to be exceptional to advance in STEM.

As STEM is considered “masculine”, women are seen as either competent or likable but not both. When a woman displays competence, she pays the price in pay equity, rewards and advancement. And this double bind has a significant impact on retention among the most talented and highest potential women in particular. An Oxford Academic Journal studying retention concluded that women with advanced degrees are 165% more likely to leave STEM.

I too was on my way to becoming another statistic but I reversed the trend and actually I’m proud to say that I am a statistic – but the good kind. In 2018, Harvard Business Review published a study from the Center for Talent Innovation which found that one in five women in STEM achieve success regardless of how supportive or hostile their working environment is.

One of the key differentiators highlighted in the research is speaking up. However, 82% of women in STEM say when they do speak up, their contributions are ignored.

It is no wonder, many of us eventually retreat. According to the Oxford study, after about 12 years, 50% of women who originally worked in STEM leave, compared to only 20% of professional women.

There have been many times that I have been afraid to speak up to avoid discomfort, retaliation and embarrassment.

I became aware that I could take a stand, get overlooked, keep going and be afraid all at the same time.

I convinced myself that I could breakthrough by taking the biggest risk of all – being myself.

This journey of leadership is how I got to today – ready to embrace the unknown, finding the way forward between old and new and reimagining what comes next.

Standing up for change is a courageous decision – especially when it requires change from within.

I envision a future where courage is rewarded and change resistance is no longer tolerable.

Women leaders in STEM are the trifecta of audacity, empathy and diversity needed to unleash a new reality that is grounded in equality.

We are the change.

 

Danielle Maurici-Arnone is the Chief Information Officer at Reckitt Benkiser (RB), a global Consumer Products company, where she leads the technology function for the North America Health and Nutrition businesses and sits on the Global Council for Diversity and Inclusion. 

Danielle has served in global technology leadership roles for more than 20 years. She has founded and led SaaS based start ups in digital marketing and retail. 

She has a rare combination of skills and experience delivering enterprise digital technology transformations as well as designing and scaling emerging technology solutions. 

Danielle graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA from Rutgers University. She received her Masters in Public Policy and was a graduate fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers. She holds a Masters in Information Systems from the Stevens Institute of Technology.

She serves on the Governing Body of Gartner’s CIOs Forum, is a board member of the Foundation Committee for the NJ Society of Information Management, is board member and Scholarship Committee chair for the Academy of Finance. 

Danielle passionate about the advancement of women in STEM careers, technology and business leadership

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The Value of Being Out as a Leader

LGBT flag_PixabayBy Aimee Hansen

With Monday’s ruling, this moment could offer a new permission slip for coming out at work for many.

In a victory landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that existing U.S. Federal Law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) protects LGTBQ workers from discrimination.

The statutory interpretation declared that the current prohibition of “sex” discrimination is inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Yet, for nearly half of us in the USA, being in the closet at work is a painful reality.

According to 2018 research by the HRC, 46% of LGBTQ+ workers in the U.S. remain closeted at work, only 4% less than the 50% figure ten years earlier.

Major factors for staying in the closet are fear of being stereotyped, fear of making others uncomfortable, fear of losing connections and fear of having attraction to others projected onto them just for being LGBTQ+.

Over 60% of all employees agree that spouses, relationship or dating conversations come up casually at least once a week, which can mean a lot of emotional energy on covering up. Yet, 50% of LGBTQ+ say that they know no openly out employees at their workplace. 28% admit that they lie during these conversations.

Fear of being unaccepted contributes to social avoidance at work (25%), feelings of unhappiness or depression (31%), distraction (25%) and emotional exhaustion (17%), among other negative impacts.

Not only does coming out require a sense of receptivity and support in the workplace, but also bravery, vulnerability and discernment.

It is only an individual choice, but it’s one that has positively surprised some major leaders who took the step.

Top executives speak to coming out of the closet

Top executives who are out offer personal insight on their coming out journey in Bloomberg, many reflecting retrospectively that the cost of not bringing their whole selves to work was too much… and they paid it for too long, perhaps unnecessarily.

Across stories, they express that while everyone’s experience is different, they wish they had known how much acceptance would show up for them once they decided to show up for themselves as LGBTQ+, unapologetically.

“I wish I had known earlier how well I would be accepted by my colleagues at Dow. I would have come out earlier, and my decision would have been far easier. I feared a lot of negativity that never came to fruition,” says Jim Fitterling, CEO of Dow, Inc, who came out only when already senior in the organization. “I would never tell anyone to come out when they don’t feel comfortable, but I know from experience there is a toll you pay when you try to hide part of yourself, and that the perceived pain of coming out is often worse than the reality.”

“I would say be yourself; bring your whole self to work. Please don’t go back into the closet—because you will be the one who fundamentally suffers for it,” says Inga Beale, ex-CEO of Lloyds of London. “And if you’re out at work, you and your business will benefit…I definitely, definitely regret not coming out earlier.”

Owning your LGBTQ+ belonging as an asset to the workplace

“I personally feel an enormous sense of responsibility to take that empathy and the fight I got from growing up different from the majority of the population in the world and draw on that to make sure that every space I’m in,” says Kim Culmone, Senior vice president, Mattel Inc in Bloomberg. “ I’m bringing the voice of perhaps the marginalized or forgotten community into that room of influence and power.”

Dr. Steve Yacovelli, author of Pride Leadership: Strategies for the LGBTQ+ Leader to be the King or Queen of their Jungle, identifies six traits that out LGBTQ+ leaders can leverage to magnify effectiveness as leaders, not only amidst your reports but overall in your greater leadership influence.

These include: being authentic, leading with courage, having empathy, effective communication, building relationships and influencing organizational culture – all of which are competencies that LGBTQ+ leaders more often have in spades.

“You see the concept of authenticity in generic leadership everywhere,” says Dr. Yacovelli, in OutFront Magazine, “and if I look at folks in our community living authentically as themselves, we’re already exercising that muscle just naturally by being who we are.”

Yacovelli notes,“…I’m seeing more folks saying leadership isn’t just your direct report or organizational structure, it’s about who you influence.”

LGBTQ+ leadership is good for business

The benefit to business of having LGBTQ+ in leadership is no secret.

Research across data for 132 countries has demonstrated that more human rights protection for LGBTQ+ people is good for economic development. Despite this, 70 UN member states still criminalize being gay, let alone being transgender or gender non-binary.

Coming out is foremost a personal decision, and one to be made by each of us.

But it’s also a true leadership choice that has the potential to expand beyond your personal experience to create a ripple rainbow effect within any organization and all who you interact with.

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Leading Your Team in a Pandemic: 6 Quick Tips

Leading your team in a pandemic is about navigatingLeading Your Team in a Pandemic a course that puts control and choice of how much your team wants to talk about the pandemic in their court. This a lot to take in for most people to take in and giving space to let them have their own personal thoughts or feelings and the degree to how much they want to share those feelings, should be  very much up to them.

People are psychologically in different places for different reasons including it seems due to location, political affiliation in the USA (nowhere else it turns out, just here) and where they get their news from.

Work towards helping everyone get to the “a-ha” moment of what is happening, by helping them get to a conclusion which resembles the objective reality that is happening. As a psychologist, I am sure that the one thing that matters is that they have to get there themselves. Telling them what is real, is not going to work, as much like gender and other prejudice, so many people cannot get to the experience of objectivity as they are viewing so much through their own subjective experience processing filter lens. The result? If it literally it isn’t happening to them or someone they directly know, they dismiss it as a possibility! Cognitive dissonance is real! If there was ever a time to read Immunity to Change by Kegan and Lahey the Harvard development psychologists, my friends that time is now!  Here is a cheat sheet article on theglasshammer.com on the subject.

Some people are very distracted by life stuff -very understandable, life has changed for so many of us with a lockdown. I am personally on week 4 with a possible 8 weeks ahead with a spouse on the front lines working in an NYC hospital and “sans babysitter” for a while yet. Yet, understand some people want to distracted by work as its a good way of maintaining sanity if they have the backup to escape to the computer or the necessity to keep the work going to keep the business going. No one wants to fail in their career or business due to the coronavirus, that is a fact.  Flex to what you need to be for that person in that moment, this is an evolving emotional ride for most.

Here are 6 tips to lead in a pandemic

1. Acknowledge this is not a normal time for anyone and it is not business as usual

2. Give the other person space by asking them at the start of the meeting, “How would you like to spend this time together to ensure that we honor the professional work agenda and the personal needs of everyone in light of these unusual circumstances?”

3. Be neutral in your reaction to where they are at emotionally, mentally and psychologically in this process of digesting the realities around us. No judgement around if they are in denial or if they are in distress. Instead create a safe environment to express how they feel if they want to. Do not project how you feel unto them with wordy recounts of your life events or feelings around it unless they want that.  Work out how you feel and talk to your therapist or coach and then create space for everyone else to have their feelings and thoughts too.

4. Be careful about anxiety provoking questions like ‘how are you doing with homeschooling?” as so many of us are not doing well with many things. Instead ask, “How can i best support you and clear obstacles for you?”

5. Be consistent in actions and clear in communications, as this is leadership even in normal times.

6. Be human, first. Empathy is a muscle.

We are taking a publishing break until mid May to ensure we can coach (email nicki@evolvedpeople.com for coaching 2 sessions for $599, pack of 5 sessions for $1700 on zoom, facetime or phone) and support anyone who needs it and create space for everyone to focus on life priorities and staying well. Enjoy our archives of profiles (1500) and Career Advice (5000 articles)

Stay safe, social distance, ‘Happy Easter, Passover and Happy Spring’ and see you in May with a flatter curve (we hope).

Best Wishes,

Nicki Gilmour

CEO and Publisher

www.theglasshammer.com

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Remote Leadership: 6 Ways How To Lead When You Have to Lead From Home

Remote leadershipRemote leadership is in the spotlight in this current COVID-19 reactivity environment of quarantine and social distancing, and leaders are called to remember – now, more than ever – that leadership is not just about the employees or projects you manage, but the human beings you are interconnected with.

As entire offices are now working from home, the question is how to lead and motivate through these times. How do you stay supportive and facilitative to your people through the absence of in-person interaction? With a backdrop of increased uncertainty and lack of control, how do you take it day by day as a manager?

This is Not Last Year’s Remote Office

Prior to the crisis, remote working had grown by 91% in the last ten years and 52% of workers globally were working from home once a week. It was estimated that at least 50% of the U.S. workforce would work remotely by 2020. The current context has blown the statistics apart.

Context is everything. The advantage of working remotely is normally the sense of freedom and flexibility, but for many it’s now a result of imposed restriction, that goes across every aspect of life.

Some team members will struggle deeply with isolation and routine loss. Previous remote workers will not be having the same experience as before.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders, a Time Management Coach, writes in Fast Company, “For some, the idea of working from home is a dream—no commute and no drop-in meetings—pure productivity bliss; for others, it’s terrifying… Ready or not, you’re working remotely.”

American Psychiatric Association (APA) emphasizes, “Many are teleworking full-time for the first time, isolated from co-workers, friends and family. Our daily living routines are disrupted causing added anxiety, stress and strain—physically, mentally, and financially. It is completely natural for this disruption and uncertainty to lead to anxiety and stress.”

6 Ways to Support Your Team

As a remote leader, here are recommended ways you can support your team members:

Establish Work Availability and Boundaries

“When transitioning to a remote team, leaders should prioritize the development of clear boundaries and guidelines,” writes Jason Wingard, dean and professor at the School of Professional Studies at Columbia University, in Forbes. “At its most basic, this involves assisting employees in delineating their availability: when they will be working, how they can be reached for different needs, and how they will address challenges such as childcare.”

Encouraging employees and yourself to establish work hours and be communicative about them will help productivity and avoid burnout.

“There’s a lot more flexibility, which can be exceptionally dangerous,” writes Saunders. “You can end up barely working, working all the time, or somewhere in the middle where you begin your work very late and end up needing to work into the wee hours of the night.”

“Segment out what home or personal tasks you won’t do when you are in your work hours;” she advises, “that way you don’t spend half the day tidying the house and neglecting key tasks.”

Remote leadershipEncourage a Routine and Dedicated Work Space

The APA recommends keeping a regular routine including work, family, breaks, and other activities – as well as a designated physical space for work within the home – to support mental health while working from home.

Saunders writes that sticking with your routines – such as wake up, eating, activities and exercise times – support a greater sense of normalcy and clarity.On the other hand, Saunders writes “Abandoning all your routines will lead to decision fatigue and likely a lapse of willpower. You may find yourself home all the time, yet not even showered or dressed most days.”

Denoting a dedicated work space to settle into will help you and team members focus – and reserving that space as much as possible for work.

Be Flexible and Compassionate To Differing Circumstances

Optimal availability, schedule, and routine may look different for each individual, including yourself.

“Your mindset (now) has to shift to flexibility, overcommunication, and compassion,” writes Jay Friedman, president and parter of Goodway Group writes in Business Insider. “Take everyone’s situation into consideration and adopt accordingly.”

Friedman emphasizes the importance of establishing ‘parameters for a work-life integration plan’, which allows employees to adapt their schedule around their total responsibilities, such as home-schooling, and that may look different than a 9-to-5.

“To avoid miscommunication, encourage employees to be open on their calendars by blocking out ‘family’ time;’” he writes, “encourage those without such responsibilities to carve out ‘personal time’ before and after their work day to facilitate healthy work-life harmony.”

Also, re-assess responsibility allocation in your team based on the current situation.

Prioritize Goals, Not Hours

It’s not about hours spent sitting at the desk. Focus on goals and results.

“Don’t worry as much about what is being done. Instead, concentrate on what is being accomplished,” quotes Forbes, from sales and marketing professional Donald Hatter. “If we are meeting our goals, then great. If not, we need to look into the situation further. It is all about accomplishment, not activity.”

“Especially during times like these, look at the team’s achievements and celebrate what they’ve done,” Friedman writes. “The ongoing support and celebration of wins — both large and small — will be a huge motivator.”

Clarifying goals and who supports what can help with delegation, according to authors in Harvard Business Review (HBR): “Clarifying roles among the team helps people understand when they can turn to peers instead of the leader, which prevents the leader from becoming a bottleneck.”

Check In Regularly and Document

46% of remote workers, according to HBR and cited in Forbes, reported that the best managers checked on their team members regularly and frequently.

Checking in, as well as responding quickly, are important to keep connection, while face-to-face virtual meetings retain a sense of closeness and cohesion.

As written in HBR, “The most successful managers are good listeners, communicate trust and respect, inquire about workload and progress without micromanaging, and err on the side of overcommunicating.”

According to John Eades, CEO of LearnLoft in Forbes, questions should be:“What have you done? What are you working on? Where do you need help?” It’s important to give ownership for how things get done with individuals, and trust your people.

Brian de Haaff, Co-founder and CEO of Aha!, points out that documentation is critical when running a team remotely, assuring communication is flowing, messages are accurate, and records are kept. Recording virtual meetings on Xoom, etc helps to catch team members up directly.

Haaff further recommends documenting the three Ps: “problems, progress and plans”, to use as a launching point for weekly check-ins.

When moving around the virtual office, check your bias. Homophily – such as reaching out, relating to, assigning and relying on those with whom you share similarities – is at play. One recommendation is to keep a list of team members with photos around to consult, so you can see if you’ve truly been reaching out to all.

Be Connected, Be Personal, Be Empathetic 

More than ever, remind yourself that your team members are human beings with emotions stirred up in this moment.

“People suddenly working from home are likely to feel disconnected and lonely, which lowers productivity and engagement,” according to HBR. “Under these circumstances it is tempting to become exclusively task-focused. To address these challenges, making time for personal interaction is more important than ever.”

This means keeping face-to-face connections through virtual tools, especially with those who may need extra support, showing active interest in people’s lives and well-being, being available and approachable as a leader, and acknowledging people’s concerns with compassionate flexibility.

“The best way to ensure people are engaged is to over-communicate. You can do daily check-ins and virtual hangouts like morning coffee or lunch,” advises Friedman. “If the method you’re trying isn’t working, change and adapt quickly.”

Don’t just manage your team or projects. Connect as humans that are mutually inside a challenging environment of disruption and uncertainty, and need support as we help each other through these waves.

By Aimee Hansen

Aimee Hansen is a freelance writer, frequent contributor to theglasshammer and Creator and Facilitator of Storyteller Within Retreats, Lonely Planet recommended women’s circle retreats focused on self-exploration and connecting with your inner truth and sacred expression through writing, yoga, meditation, movement and ceremonies.

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Jack Ginter, President, Abbot Downing, a boutique wealth business of Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management

Jack Ginter“Nobody does it alone. Strong relationships are critical. The biggest thing men can do, is engage in the topic, be a mentor and a mentor who becomes a sponsor is even better,” says Jack Ginter, President of Abbot Downing.

Ginter recognizes that mentors and sponsors including “two very strong women” were the people willing to speak up for him on his behalf throughout his career. He has been in wealth management for more than 25 years and risen through the ranks having client facing, portfolio experience as well as significant management experience. Ginter was part of the team that founded Abbot Downing in 2012 merging three businesses previously known as Calibre, Lowry Hill and Wells Fargo Family Wealth and now manages employees and serves clients across all 50 states.

Ginter is inspired to lead from the front on creating an inclusive workforce that runs on meritocratic principles. Personally, he is passionate to build opportunities for talented women, and is motivated to use his voice, power and position to drive change.

Ginter wants to ensure that everyone gets the chance to understand that diversity is a topic for everyone and encourages everyone to do the work that is needed to clear the deck for honest conversations.

“We have spent time here at Abbot Downing on unconscious bias and what microaggressions are. Men have to engage as allies and really dig deep into the topic to move the needle.”

He urges women to seek out men who get it.  Engaging with others who want to embrace the talent within the organization is essential to personal and professional growth.

“I have a daughter who is 19 and I have nieces that I want to have opportunities different than a decade ago. We have incredibly talented women on my current team who I want to see succeed and get to the next level. These women have had a significant impact on our business and the wealth industry.  I believe the success of our business depends on contributions from individuals who have different perspectives and innovative ideas.”

Jack participates in supporting women and creating change as an adviser to the Wells Fargo Women’s Team Member Network, a program that is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture at Wells Fargo for women through personal and professional development, mentoring, leadership engagement, networking and community outreach opportunities.

He is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Council which spans all Wealth and Investment Management. He recounts how years ago, a female mentor of his team told him something that stuck with him.

“She told me that if I had a voice that has power, I have to use it. I have never forgotten that. Sometimes it is not easy to have uncomfortable conversations but men need to be engaged in the conversation. It is hard to own the fact you might have had privilege, but the overarching message here is that you have to engage and be direct in calling out behavior that needs to be called out.”

Holding People Accountable

Ginter is convinced that leaders can commit and engage in inclusive behaviors that attracts others who also believe to ensure a strong future with a complete understanding of what progress looks like. He believes in always having diverse slate of candidates when recruiting talent, a diverse hiring panel and understanding what a good culture looks like for real retention.

“We need a strong, healthy and diverse team. That is the future of our business.”

Ginter believes reverse mentoring, where a senior leader is mentored by a member of the broader team, has been a successful way for him and other leaders to really learn and listen. In this role, Ginter says he had to trust, be transparent and open with his mentor. Through difficult discussions he was able to work through communication and style issues and discuss common interests and goals.

When Ginter reflects on what advice would he give his younger self, regarding diversity and the narratives and needs of other people’s lives, he offers,

“I think looking back, I would tell myself to be more curious, listen more to other people and most importantly to never take away the other person’s decision making power.”

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What Tom Brady taught me about leadership: Op-ed

Tom BradyThere’s a common phrase about leadership that I believe is often misunderstood: great leaders are born. While it’s true that there’s undeniably talented people in the workforce, promotions and raises don’t just happen. It takes dedication, focus and hard work. And more often than not, your colleagues whose performance appears effortless are often working hard behind the scenes to develop their skills and improve.

When mentoring young professionals, I like to start with two important and accessible leadership lessons that I learned from the New England Patriots star quarterback, Tom Brady.

Say Yes More Often.

One of my former CEOs called me and said he needed me to represent the bank at a fundraising event – a football scrimmage, featuring some celebrity guests – to raise money for a great cause. While I love athletics, I had never tossed a football around, and participating in a football scrimmage was a bit out of my comfort zone. But my boss encouraged me to give it a shot, and I said, “yes.”

Later that day, I arrived at Harvard Stadium, and as I entered the locker room to prepare for the game, I quickly realized that I was surrounded by professional football players from the New England Patriots. And then, to top it all off, Brady walked to the front of the room and gave us all a little pep talk. It certainly was not the afternoon I expected when my boss casually asked me if I wanted to attend an event on behalf of the bank. I learned my first lesson.  Say yes to an opportunity even when it’s outside your comfort zone.

Brady went on to explain that he would be the quarterback for both teams and would pass the ball to the young adults whom this charitable organization helped support. Minutes before the end of the first half, Brady looked my way and said “Maria, this next one is headed to you.” As I started to plead with him to find another target, he fixed me with a rather disapproving look and said, “Hi, my name is Tom Brady, and I’m known for being a pretty good quarterback.” He shook my hand. “I usually can get a football to land where I want it to go. Will you trust me on this?  I know you can do it.”

That’s when I learned the second lesson of the day: even if you’re nervous, don’t be afraid to say yes and believe in yourself. It would have been a missed opportunity if I had said no, and a decision that I would have regretted years later. I am thankful that I was in the presence of a quarterback who knew what was best for the team, believed in me and encouraged me to try.

And you know what? I ran down the field and Brady hit me with a perfect pass. I caught it, kept running and scored a touchdown. Greatness can be found outside of your comfort zone, but you have to be willing to try.

Give your team confidence.

Brady believed in himself and showed me that I could trust him. And together, we were able to succeed.

In the following weeks, I realized there was a hidden lesson in this story that was not obvious. Brady showed me that to get the most out of your team, it’s important to remind them that you can deliver. You’re the quarterback who can put the ball right where your team needs it to be. Or you’re the team lead that can provide your colleagues with the confidence to run down the field, catch the ball, and score their own touchdown. There are many missed touchdown opportunities because we forget to see the whole field, and understand the impact we can have on the final result by encouraging our colleagues to live up to their best potential.

Leadership lessons can seem more accessible with the lightness of a sports analogy, but stepping outside of your comfort zone isn’t any easier on the football field than it is in business. The core lesson remains the same – a great opportunity isn’t going to land in your hands or in your inbox if you aren’t engaged and working to improve every day.

To find more happiness at work, say yes more often, step out of your comfort zone and encourage your team to do the same.

Guest contribution from Maria Tedesco, President of Atlantic Union Bank  

Author Bio:

Maria was named one of Most Powerful Women in Banking Team Award by American Banker in 2012 and 2017. In 2015, she was named one of the Most Powerful Women to Watch by American Banker. She received her M.B.A from Northeastern University and her B.S. from Ithaca College.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Empathetic Anger: Is It the Only Acceptable Emotion for Women at Work?

Empathetic anger

Empathetic anger: the emotion felt in response to another person being hurt by someone or something else

Have you ever been told “don’t be so emotional?” at work?

I remember a specific moment in an office I worked in over ten years ago. A male boss was speaking to a female co-worker about something he was unhappy with in her performance, and while conveying his feedback, he told her not to be so emotional.

As he spoke in the fishbowl office, I watched from my cubicle while he paced back and forth, his hands waving emphatically through the air, his face and head getting redder and redder, his voice elevating until it carried right through the glass walls to where our team sat. My co-worker remained relatively calm in a chair in front of him.

When she finally came out with tears held back in her eyes, I considered the irony of what I’d just witnessed – how selective emotions that were more masculine-identified were permissible and somehow not too emotional?

And I wondered too, were the tears that stung in her eyes also anger, albeit withheld?

When Caught in Anger

All emotions are guides and most dangerous if denied, but the way we manage them and channel their outward expression matters. Today children – and girls particularly – are being encouraged to be in more in touch with anger, rather than repress it.

“It is natural and normal to feel anger,” iterates Audrey Nelson, Ph.D., in Psychology Today. “If you never get angry, it means you have no boundaries or you will not acknowledge them.”

When in the moment of anger, it’s important to realize what’s at play.

Research shows that anger impairs your ability to step back and see any matter from multiple perspectives, which can lead to conflict spirals. This holds true even when the residual anger is unrelated to the situation you are presently dealing with.

“What we’re finding is that when people feel angry, they’re collapsing in on themselves,” says Wharton professor Maurice Schweitzer about the studies. “They become far more egocentric.”

The researchers share that any emotion that results in high arousal – including happiness – means a diminished ability for perspective-taking, which requires greater cognitive energy. It’s important that when caught in anger to realize you are more likely to hold an egocentric perspective in this moment.

When Leaders Display Anger

Research has shown that displaying anger in the office has the potential to go several ways when it comes to leadership perception.

Leaders who are perceived to exhibit anger as a personality trait, as opposed to selectively and motivationally, are often seen as less effective. Especially when a leader’s anger is deemed inappropriate, it decreases employee motivation towards voluntary tasks.

Displaying anger has been associated with perceived power more than displaying sadness, however some research shows that showing sadness can actually create more positive outcomes for leaders.

Whereas showing anger is associated with “position (ie. legitimate, reward and coercive) power,” which does indeed have benefits in perceived leader effectiveness and follower loyalty, showing sadness is more associated with greater “personal (ie. referent) power”.

This means that leaders displaying anger are seen to have more coercive power, being solid in their position in the organization and the punishments and rewards they wield, but are less appealing on a personal level than leaders who display sadness. That can have some backfire effects on leadership leverage.

Another study shows that when a leader displays anger in response to a matter of integrity, this increases the perception of his or her leader effectiveness. However, when a leader displays anger in response to a matter of competency, this reduces perception of his or her leader effectiveness.

Also, it’s all in the eye of the beholder’s own feelings. Research that measured performance found that followers who were not very agreeable responded positively to a leader’s exhibition of anger, whereas followers who were highly agreeable responded poorly to the exhibition of anger by a leader.

When Women Exhibit Anger

Due to the glaring gender gap, the research on leadership perception and anger is skewed towards displays of anger by male leaders. Not surprisingly, anger is perceived differently if displayed by a woman than a man, though it’s entirely untrue that men experience anger more often than women.

What research has found is that while men experience decreased effectiveness when they cannot display anger, women are able to hold in the anger, and may even feel bad about experiencing it, but will still be able to act upon their feelings when the situation calls for it.

Beyond feeling it’s counterproductive, women leaders have a social reason to hold back on overt anger expression.

“Women incur social and economic penalties for expressing stereotypical ‘masculine’ emotions because they threaten society’s patriarchal barriers against the ‘dominance of women’,” writes Quintin Fottrell, summing up the researcher’s findings.

When women clearly exhibit the agentic (often masculine-identified) qualities that both sexes associate as primary to effective leadership, they fall into a double bind where they are seen as less communal than expected from a woman, and judged harshly.

Unless women exhibit both agentic and communal qualities simultaneously, women leaders can experience backlash.

Research on group deliberation found that men’s social influence increased when their opinion included an expression of anger, whereas women’s social influence diminished when they expressed the exact same opinion with anger.

Whereas participants confidence in their own position diminished when a man was expressing his position with anger (observers were more likely to question their own stance around an angry man), it solidified more when a woman expressed her position with anger.

The researchers found that “Participants regarded an angry woman as more emotional, which made them more confident in their own opinion.” While anger added to credibility for men, and increased their authority, it led to dismissal for women.

Women, unlike men, are also likely to be perceived in a poorer light by both men and women if they express anger about situations that have personally caused them harm rather than share with emotional neutrality. Women’s anger was attributed to her personality in this case, whereas men’s anger is perceived to be motivated by external circumstances.

It’s Different When Women Exhibit ‘Empathetic’ Anger

Not all anger is the same. Sometimes it helps to have anger attributed directly to personality, when it comes to advocating for or defending others.

A recent set of studies revealed that when women display genuine empathetic anger – “anger that is caused by witnessing or learning of harm done to another person” – they are positively perceived as signaling both agentic and communal leadership traits.

Women were significantly more likely to benefit from displays of empathetic anger than men, including being seen as more effective in their position. The reason is that observer’s more strongly attributed the empathetic anger in women leaders to their personalities, which reflected positively upon the leader’s character.

The researchers encourage women to be very forthcoming in displaying their empathetic anger, because it allows women to be witnessed positively as agentic while increasing their communal perception too. Empathetic anger is associated with prosocial behavior.

It’s frustrating to have women’s expression of anger under greater scrutiny by everyone, women included. It’s also good to know that when anger has a more collective feel, it works for reinforcing women’s leadership, as the injustices one women faces are rarely faced entirely alone.

When it comes to empathy, it’s one place women are rewarded for getting “too emotional.”

Authors Bio: Aimee Hansen is a freelance writer, frequent contributor to theglasshammer and Creator and Facilitator of Storyteller Within Retreats, Lonely Planet recommended women’s circle retreats focused on self-exploration and connecting with your inner truth and sacred expression through writing, yoga, meditation, movement and ceremonies.

By Aimee Hansen

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What’s Your New Year’s (Career) Resolution for 2020?

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Happy New Year 2020 featuredLast December, Goldman Sachs named nearly 1,500 individuals vice presidents and executive directors, in recognition of their leadership and contributions to date. As they embark on this next step in their careers, the firm’s Human Capital Management Division is hosting Vice President Orientation in February across regions – a one-day immersive program to accelerate their transition and increase their impact in their new roles.

Since theglasshammer is the online community designed for women executives in financial services, law and business, we asked new members of the Vice President and Executive Director Class of 2019 to share their New Year’s “career resolutions” in advance of the start of orientation:

Kristen Askin, Securities, New York: My career goal in 2020 is to empower my client base of institutional investors to be connected to Goldman Sachs more holistically, by introducing them to new parts of the firm and helping them to achieve their business objectives. To do this, I am excited to work together with my peers in other businesses by strengthening our relationships and learning from their expertise in other areas across the firm.

Natalia Barrey, Tax, Sao Paulo: My resolutions as a first year vice president are to continue to develop my management skills and leadership, and have a more strategic corporate viewpoint to help keep all members of our team informed and engaged, as well as to expand my contributions as a part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Network.

Maya Bradshaw, Services, London: I’ve never really been one to set New Year’s resolutions (previously they have been too lofty to be attainable), but this year I have challenged myself to commit to a number of micro-habits designed to strengthen my mental and physical resilience so that I am well positioned to meet the challenges of being a newly promoted VP. These resolutions include goals such as taking the stairs to meetings on other floors, making time to be “mindful” and setting (and sticking to) my non-negotiables.

Elsie Cheng, Global Investment Research, Hong Kong: I hope to ride the frontier of technological innovation in China, continue to generate impactful ideas that align with the firm’s goals, add value to the franchise, and aim to have fun at the same time.

Kiley Colston, Controllers, Dallas: As I step into my new role this year, I plan to focus on two things: making a maximum impact and maintaining a work/life balance. These seem so simple, but showing up to work every day with an open mind, eager to step out, stretch yourself, build up others and develop new skills, all while prioritizing and carving out time for family and friends, comes with clear intentions, persistence and dedication.

Johannes Hahn, Investment Banking, New York: My career resolutions for 2020 are twofold: On one hand, to grow our risk management business, with particular focus on middle market clients in the context of the Investment Banking Division’s ‘Cross Markets Group’ initiative as well as across a variety of products, including the firm’s new transaction banking platform. On the other, to use the learnings from my own progression at GS from analyst to vice president across different teams and geographies to mentor our junior bankers as they develop their careers.

Archa Jain, Investment Banking, Mumbai: I would like to take complete ownership of execution of the projects I’m working on, expand my existing network and deepen client relationships to be able to source new business opportunities for the firm. In addition, I want to play a meaningful role in team-building and mentoring junior individuals.

Anna Jeschke-Chin, Corporate Treasury, New York: In 2020, I am looking to share knowledge beyond my immediate team. Information is currency, and sharing relevant information with people in other parts of the firm will keep you on their radar and might just lead to being included in exciting new projects.

Kahena Joubert, Merchant Banking, New York: My 2020 resolutions are to maintain the high levels of energy and strategic focus that I had last year, identify and excel at opportunities to be a leader, and give myself the time I need to successfully plan and enjoy my October wedding.

Christian Manion, Corporate Treasury, Salt Lake City: In 2020, I want to focus on long-term career ambitions and align my short-term responsibilities and goals towards those. I want to pay it forward by making a conscious effort to share my perspective with the team, help align goals, and pass along the lessons I continue to learn.

Leslie Odamtten-Addy, London, Internal Audit: In 2020, I will be moving to our Frankfurt office from London. A resolution of mine is to assimilate into the culture and environment of the Frankfurt office (which also includes learning German), while also maintaining connectivity to regional headquarters. Another goal is to invest in relationships and provide mentorship. I have been very fortunate to have had a number of wonderful mentors throughout my time at Goldman Sachs, and have learned the value of investing in key relationships across levels of seniority and the benefits of mentoring others on your own thought process and ability to be a more effective people manager.

Jade Trusty, Compliance, London: This year, I hope to accomplish the following:

  • Learn to code – given the increasing importance of technology and automation in everything we do both inside and outside the workplace.
  • Be uncomfortable – challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone more frequently. In Shonda Rhymes’ words, make this the “year of yes.”
  • Increasing my connectivity – grow my network within the firm and across the industry by interacting with individuals outside my immediate circle. This will help develop my communication style and strategic thinking.

Anne Shapiro, Consumer and Investment Management, Washington, DC: As I begin 2020 with a new title and additional time demands, my career resolution for the year is to build time leverage for myself. From taking advantage of new firm technology, to delegating more, to drawing on the Eisenhower Matrix for organizing priorities (and applying any other tips my colleagues might recommend!), I aim to maximize my productivity to serve clients better and grow my commercial impact.

 

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Op-Ed: Staking Your Leadership Claim in a Traditionally Male Profession

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Guest Contributed by Kathleen Kuhn

It’s time to drop the “female” qualifier and see yourself just as a leader.

There’s been a huge push for gender equality in the workplace in recent decades, and no one can argue that, overall, female leaders have greater representation and visibility today than ever before. As of 2018, 40% of all businesses in the U.S. were owned by women, including 1 in 5 firms that earn over $1M in revenue. In the last 20 years, the number of women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies has risen from just two (1999) to a record-high of 33 (2019).

This is certainly positive news, but it’s only one small slice of the larger picture. Things look a bit bleaker when you zoom in on industries that are traditionally male-heavy, such as construction, trucking, and any of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields.

According to research by Catalyst, just 6.6% of American women work full-time in occupations that have 75% or more male representation – and with so few women in these professions overall, it’s understandable that female leaders might find it challenging to command respect.

Gender as a leadership qualifier: Why do we care if a leader is female?

Much research has been done on the differences between male and female leadership styles, and the results are often complicated. The American Psychological Association says that all things being equal, men and women are equally effective as leaders, with the caveat that “all things rarely are equal.”

Contributing to this inequality are some persistent perceptions and stereotypes that make women less likely to be seen as leaders. A University of Buffalo study found that conventionally masculine traits, like confidence, assertiveness, and dominance, beat out “feminine” traits, such as cooperativeness, nurturing, sensitivity, and concern for others, in terms of who was viewed as a “leader.”

This, perhaps, explains why women leaders in male-heavy industries have felt like they needed to act like men to be successful and get ahead. Unfortunately, doing so only serves to normalize the existing gender gaps and stereotypes.

On the flip side, other women subscribe to Sheryl Sandberg’s now-famous “Lean In” mantra, which encourages women to take charge of their careers and fight gender inequality by boosting their own skills and confidence. This solution is only marginally better than “acting like a man:” As the Harvard Business Review notes, the idea of leaning in puts the onus of change entirely in the hands of women, when in reality, all genders must contribute to the systemic and societal shifts that will ultimately balance the scales.

How to stake your claim as a leader

So what’s the answer, then? We can start by not focusing so intently on a leader’s gender and instead focus on how effective they are at leading their companies.

Yes, it can be intimidating to be the only woman in a room full of men if you allow it to be. It’s not uncommon for women to think about how those men might be judging and underestimating you because of your gender. But the truth is, the gender mix in a meeting, on a team, or in an entire industry is irrelevant if not beneficial. Your gender is irrelevant; what matters is your performance and your contribution to the overall business and its culture.

As a female executive or senior leader working in a traditionally male profession, here are a few things you can do to focus on good leadership without a gender qualifier.

1. Show your people you care about them

Human beings are social creatures. We need support and recognition from our team to thrive. A report by the Society for Human Resource Management cited some of the benefits of a more caring, human-focused workplaces, including better employee performance, improved safety and health, and greater worker satisfaction and commitment. So, ask people how they’re doing. Get to know them as individuals who have personal lives outside of their jobs. While you’re in the workplace together, acknowledge their accomplishments and express your appreciation for their contributions to the company.

2. Listen to criticism (but don’t take it personally)

Being a leader means you’re going to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. It’s not possible to please everyone on your team, and at some point, you’ll be on the receiving end of negative feedback about your leadership style.

It’s important not to take these things personally, but instead, listen to the criticism and work with your team to find a solution. Research from the University of Bath and the University of Oklahoma found that leaders who respond to intense criticism with a collaborative strategy tend to retain follower support and achieve better outcomes than those who respond by avoiding the issue or diverting attention elsewhere.

3. Stop defining yourself as a female leader

There’s nothing wrong with taking pride in your femininity or celebrating your unique perspective and experiences as a woman. But calling attention to gender differences in your leadership style may ultimately perpetuate existing and perceived gaps between men and women in the workplace. Try to avoid focusing on the gender count in the meeting and simply show up as a competent executive.

The bottom line? When women confidently present themselves simply as leaders, rather than female leaders, it’s easier for everyone else to see them that way, too.

About the Author

Kathleen Kuhn is President and CEO of HouseMaster and PatchMaster, two franchise brands in the home services industry with locations across North America. As head of HouseMaster, the original home inspection franchise, Kathleen oversees an organization with more than 320 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. And as the CEO of PatchMaster, Kathleen leads a new, fast growing drywall repair specialty concept with 19 franchises signed in 46 territories with 10 franchises opened and operating.

The opinions and views expressed by guest contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of theglasshammer.com

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Leadership Advice for Women – Actionable Items to Implement

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Guest contributed by Tricia Benn

Over the past century, women have made enormous strides — gaining access to the vote, educational opportunities, military service, executive roles, and other aspects of modern life.

In spite of these advancements, there is plenty of work to be done in order to achieve parity.

Studies have shown that women tend to fall behind early on in their careers and continue to lose ground as they progress, despite the fact that women are earning a majority of college degrees. According to research from McKinsey and LeanIn.org, women make up 47 percent of entry-level hires but are 18 percent less likely to be promoted to managerial positions.

The c-suite is no exception.

A New York Times report stated the number of women leading companies in the Fortune 500, grew to 6.4 percent in 2017 – up almost 3 percentage points from a decade earlier. At this rate, parity would take over a century. In 2018, the number of female chief executives declined 25 percent, according to Fortune’s 2018 list of Fortune 500 companies.

While the number of CEOs continues to decline, the position of the Chief Financial Officer currently has a higher female presence, with almost 13 percent. Still woefully less than the population and graduates with finance degrees would lead us to conclude there should be.

These numbers indicate that there is a clear systemic problem that still sees women executives falling off the corporate ladder — despite, many reports that show women outperforming men in several key competencies like self-awareness, adaptability, and teamwork.

Here are six things that need to be addressed in order to help bridge the gender gap.

Systemic Bias.

Systemic bias is defined as “prejudice, bigotry, or unfairness directed by health, educational, government, judicial, legal, religious, political, financial, media, or cultural institutions of an oppressed or marginalized group.” It’s inevitable to look at a problem, make it personal, feel defensive, and feel the need to justify some decisions. Here are some examples:

Women have to make very difficult choices when it comes to having a family. They have to choose between parenthood or career advancement; whereas their male counterparts don’t have to make that choice. At times, career advancement translates to working longer, or more, hours which also exacerbates itself with finding affordable, and adequate, child care.

While this issue isn’t applicable exclusively to women, the reality is women bear the brunt of the decision-making when it comes to daycare. In a 2018 survey by the Center for American Progress, mothers were 40 percent more likely than fathers to say they personally felt the negative impact of child care issues on their careers.

Of course, these are simplistic examples of systemic bias, but no less effective in making the point.

Think choice sets. Life isn’t binary.

There is no one solution to any problem or any silver bullets. It’s no secret the burden on parenting has typically been more geared towards one parent than another, but the idea that either parent should be sacrificed by working 80 hours a week and being responsible for the family and home while their spouse advances in the workplace is simply wrong. Historically it has been the mother in this role (although there are some great stay-at-home dads), however, women got it right. They earned post-graduate degrees, put in the time, made sacrifices and they still failed to advance. The end result – work got ‘greedy.’

The same argument can be made for stay-at-home dads.

This article’s purpose is not to say it’s wrong for women, or men, to choose to have a full life of family and home care if that is their choice. One could venture to guess that this would be a small percentage, and even smaller still, if we consider the time after the children leave the home.
There are many choices to be made, life isn’t binary by any stretch of the imagination. Why are we treating it as such? Our personal and business lives are (or should be) integrated. We have to step away from thinking about work life and home life as separate, black-and-white issues. They’re not.

Bring the right people on your journey.

People are one of the biggest, and most important, assets for personal and professional advancement. Who you surround yourself with has a direct impact on your bottom line. For example, it’s critical to align your overall team, along with the individuals within the team, with the overall strategic goals. This allows for everyone to know where they fit and be on the same page in order to create the cohesiveness needed to move the team forward.

Your team should be the people who are on the same mission as you – those same people that feed your madness and fuel your drive. These people are aligned directly with you, making it easier to navigate the bumpy roads in business and offering some leeway in supporting what would otherwise be considered sacrifices. It does take a village.

Never stop learning.

Knowledge is something that we all must acquire continuously – regardless of where we are in our careers. It’s a grave mistake to think that a few years, or decades, of professional experience under our belt means we’ve learned everything we need to know. Learning never stops.

When you stop learning, you cease to be relevant. While it’s natural to fear the unknown, it’s crucial to get out of that frame of mind and be open to expanding your horizons. As professionals, we must be willing to embrace change and accept risks made easier by continued learning. Adapting those new skills and experiences in the workplace is only going to advance the marketability of women in their current roles, when higher positions need to be filled.

Make a difference.

Most people think ‘making a difference’ involves donating to a charitable organization. The reality is there are many ways we can make a difference every single day, even while doing business. Everyone has the capability of being a hero – getting up every single day and doing something that takes willpower, fortitude, and effort. For example, if your team sees you putting the maximum effort day in and day out, you’re making a difference for them. You’re setting the tone for how you conduct business. It is bound to be emulated. People are indeed watching.

Becoming a mentor to a younger employee, especially younger females, makes a difference. Former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright famously quipped, “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.” While she called that particular moment an “undiplomatic moment,” there’s truth in that statement. Mentoring younger executives helps that next generation of professional women climb higher than our generation. That is what we want in order to bridge the gender gap.

Also, be authentic in everything you do including making yourself vulnerable. Great leaders need to foster trusting environments by being upfront with their team. Sharing your humanity puts everyone, not just women, on a higher plane that is capable is sharing, building, creating, and innovating.

Make a difference by rewarding results and judge contributions by the same standard of performance you would anyone else. In fact, that’s one of the principles of The Hero Club – making a difference. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or volunteering either in order to resonate with whom it’s impacting.

It’s easy to dismiss corporate America as being uptight and part of the problem instead of the solution. There are plenty of problems in corporate America; however, there are solutions to problems there, too. Part of the solution is the lens being used to view the world that surrounds us.

As leaders, we need to take an active role in adapting and leading with conviction. In doing so not only will there be an increase of female leaders in mid-to-senior-level positions, but workplace cultures and structures will change for the better across all industries. There is no doubt that the rate at which women are representing management and c-suite roles can go going up. The business savvy capabilities and drive women embody are unmatchable, and it’s only a matter of time before the ratio of men to women in leading business roles is as it should be – equal.

About the Author

Tricia Benn is the Executive Vice-President of the C-Suite Network and General Manager of The Hero Club, an invitation-only membership organization for CEOs, founders, and investors. As an executive within both organizations, her mission is to build a platform and community that accelerates the success of c-level executives. She is a leader in creating an executive community of collaboration, based on integrity, transparency, and measuring success beyond the numbers alone – ‘The Hero Factor.’

This approach has driven her more than 20-year track record of industry disruption in building new businesses, revenue streams, and delivering double digit, year-over-year growth.

Learn more at www.c-suitenetwork.com and https://heroceoclub.com/ or connect on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.

The opinions and views expressed by guest contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of theglasshammer.com

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