Let's Celebrate #WomensEqualityDay with Erika Andersen!

Today is Women's Equality Day and marks the 104th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. This important day celebrates the achievements of women's rights activists (including my great-grandmother who marched for women's suffrage in New York in the early 1900's) and reminds us of the struggles that women still face including equal pay for equal work and top leadership roles - which is especially apropos due to the current American Presidential race.

According to the National Women's History Alliance, "At the behest of Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971, the United States Congress designated August 26th as "Women's Equality Day." The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world's first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women's Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women's continuing efforts toward full equality."

Today, to celebrate this important day, I have invited Erika Andersen to return to my blog. I've had the incredible pleasure of knowing Erika Andersen for many years, and she first appeared in a Q&A on my blog back in 2011. She is the founding partner of Proteus, where she and her colleagues support leaders at all levels to get ready and stay ready to meet the future. Erika advises senior executives and also shares her insights through her books, speaking engagements, and social media. In addition to her latest book, Change from the Inside Out, she is the author of four previous best-selling books: Be Bad First, Leading So People Will Follow, Being Strategic, and Growing Great Employees. Erika is also a popular leadership blogger at Forbes.com, and the creator and host of the Proteus Leader Show podcast.

QUESTION: Today, I celebrate my great-grandmother, who was a suffragist who marched for women's rights in New York in the years leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment. What does this day mean to you, and what do you hope girls and young women learn about August 26th?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: I'm right there with you – both my grandmothers were suffragists, as well, and they demonstrated for women's rights as young women. In fact, I'd like to share a photo of me as a young teenager trying on my grandma Lote's "March Uniform."

My mom and dad were also feminists, and my brothers and sister and I were all raised to believe that we could build good full lives for ourselves that included whatever kind of work and family we wanted. That's what Women's Equality Day means to me: an affirmation that we will continue to move toward a world where girls and women, no matter their circumstances, their ethnicity or religion, have the freedom to pursue and attain the professional and personal goals they desire.

I hope that girls and young women today learn about the history of the fight for women's rights, so they understand how we got where we are today, don't take what we have now for granted, and commit to keep moving forward. For instance, I recently had a conversation with my oldest granddaughters, who are 11 and almost 14, where I shared with them the fact that only 50 years ago, unmarried women couldn't get credit cards in their own names. They were, I'm happy to report, shocked, and it led to a marvelous conversation about the inequalities that still exist and how to change them.

SHARE THIS: What does #WomensEqualityDay mean to me? An affirmation that we will continue to move toward a world where girls and women, no matter their circumstances, their ethnicity or religion, have the freedom to pursue and attain the professional and personal goals they desire. ~@ErikaAndersen #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Marilyn Loden coined the term "glass ceiling" when speaking on a panel at the 1978 Women's Exposition in New York City. According to the Washington Post, "When her turn came to speak, she thought about how she had been tasked at her company to explore why more women weren't entering management positions. She had gathered enough data that she felt confident that the problem extended beyond what her colleagues were wearing or saying. Loden explained, 'It seemed to me there was an invisible barrier to advancement that people didn't recognize, a glass ceiling.'" While it's been more than 40 years, the problem persists. Many well-known women have used the term including Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Aretha Franklin, and Oprah Winfrey. How do you think women can shatter the "glass ceiling" - perhaps, some ideas that would be applicable in any industry?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: So much good and thoughtful content has been written about this. Before I weigh in, I want to highlight a recent book on this topic, written by a friend and client of mine, Bonnie Hammer, one of the most celebrated executives in media for the past 40 years. It's called "15 Lies Women Are Told at Work...and the Truth We Need to Succeed." Bonnie systematically dismantles the key limiting and untrue things women are told about how they need to behave, to help us break that glass ceiling. It's refreshingly blunt and funny – and so true. I recommend it highly.

Her book aligns with my own premise that a lot of what holds us back as women at work is our own self-doubt, second-guessing, and concern about "the rules." A friend of mine, a skilled coach, used to say that the most effective approach to work was to be "confident but not cocky." And I believe this applies especially to women. Women who believe in themselves, their capabilities, and their ideas without being cocky (i.e., dismissive of others, unrealistically positive without having the facts, etc.) tend, in my experience to have the most success in corporate environments.

At the same time, it must be said that even the most confident, least cocky women will have a hard time succeeding in environments where the deck is stacked against them: where those in power refuse to open their ranks and share authority and responsibility with their female colleagues. So, it's also important for women who do have power, and powerful men who are their allies, to work to make sure their organizations are as fair and open as possible in their policies and culture. 

QUESTION: According to an article published by the BBC entitled, "Why We Use Women's Professional Titles Less Than Men's," "Across many fields, women who have earned formal titles report that others neglect or dismiss these titles, or even condemn women's claims to them." To see proof, we can look to the American First Lady to see how many people dismiss Dr. Jill Biden's title. So, how can we get gender parity when it comes to professional titles?

(Read the full article here: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210216-why-do-professional-titles-actually-matter)

ERIKA ANDERSEN: This is a great article, Debbie – thanks for sharing it. I’ve noticed this "untitling" or "uncredentialing" of women for many years. Another version of it is using women's first names in situations where a man with an equal level of power or achievement would be called by his last name. (I noticed it recently when the two teachers of one of my grandkids were referred to as "Mr. Hutton and Joan.") 

I think we can move the ball on this one by consistently requesting, as women, that we be accorded our proper titles. And if people tell us that we're being "too sensitive," or that "they're just trying to make things less formal and more friendly" (two common defensive responses), we can keep the temperature from escalating while continuing to make our request by saying something like, "From your point of view, this isn't very important. However, it is meaningful to me, so I'd like you to refer to me as X.  Thank you." 

QUESTION: During my career, I've had more male bosses than female bosses, and without a doubt, the men were more supportive. The women were less likely to recognize my accomplishments in group settings and sometimes took ownership of my successes. Were these women leaders what has been referred to as QUEEN BEE LEADERS? And what would you have done in these situations?

(Here's a good post about this topic: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41165076)

ERIKA ANDERSEN: Because I’ve worked with so many women executives over the years, I've observed most every level of supportiveness: from women bosses who were the kind of "queen bee" described in the article, to women who were extraordinarily supportive of other women's success, who actively mentored and coached their younger colleagues and formed strong bonds with their peers.

In situations where I was coaching women who had less supportive women bosses, I encouraged them to get very clear about the specifics of how they wanted their boss to treat them differently, and to ask for it respectfully. I always suggested that they not make gender an aspect of their request – in other words, that they not include any version of "we as women should support each other," but simply ask to be supported as an employee and a colleague. It seemed to me, if their boss had a psychological issue about supporting other women, that leaning into that aspect of the relationship was only likely to backfire!

QUESTION: Earlier this year, you wrote an inspiring post for Forbes entitled, "My Personal Heroines on International Women's Day." Can you please share a brief recap?

(Here’s the link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2024/03/04/my-personal-heroines-on-international-womens-daywho-are-yours/)

ERIKA ANDERSEN: Thank you! The core point of that post was an encouragement for readers to reflect on the "heroines" in their own life and family, and I offered the examples of my paternal great-grandmother, my two grandmothers (the suffragists I mentioned above) and my mom, a powerful and committed feminist.

I love the idea of honoring those who came before us in this personal way. I think most of us have wonderful women in our lives – relatives, teachers, friends – to whom we can give thanks and to whom we can look for inspiration.

QUESTION: And lastly, you penned one of my fave quotes: "Great leaders don't do it alone...they get help." Can you please share a few examples as to how.

ERIKA ANDERSEN: Let's connect this back to the theme of Women's Equality Day. I’ve noticed that when women leaders are in their power – that is, when they're feeling confident and not cocky, and are relying on some of the things that research shows women tend to be better at than men – they automatically include more voices in decision-making, and they are much more likely than men to acknowledge when they don't have experience in a particular domain and to invite the input of others who do have that experience.

In other words, I've found (and again, research confirms this) that women have a more collaborative approach to leadership – which is the definition of "getting help." And the research also shows that this kind of approach increases productivity and feels more fair to those involved. In other words, you go, girl.

As always, my sincere gratitude to Erika for sharing her insights about issues that impact us all. For a special treat, check out Erika's next appearance on my blog on November 4th, when she participates in my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

Image Credits: Debbie Laskey and Erika Andersen.

Link to book referenced in second question's response:

15 Lies Women Are Told at Work...and the Truth We Need to Succeed by Bonnie Hammer:

https://www.amazon.com/Lies-Women-Are-Told-Work/dp/1797176420

Link to "Research" referenced in final question's response:

https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/female-leaders-make-work-better#:~:text=Decades%20of%20studies%20show%20women,organizational%20dedication%2C%20and%20improve%20fairness

Read previous posts on #WomensEqualityDay here on my blog:

Gender Bias and Women's Equality Day (with Amy Diehl) (August 2023)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/08/gender-bias-and-womens-equality-day.html

Let’s Celebrate Women’s Equality Day! (with Kim Elsesser) (August 2022)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/08/lets-celebrate-womens-equality-day.html

As We Celebrate 1920, Work Remains to See More Women in Top Leadership Roles (with Susan Colantuono) (August 2021)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/08/as-we-celebrate-1920-work-remains-to.html

Quotes from Inspiring Women During 2020 (December 2020)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2020/12/2020-was-year-of-women.html

Connect with Erika at these links:

Website: https://erikaandersen.com

Website: https://www.proteus-international.com

Books: https://erikaandersen.com/books

Check out Erika’s previous appearances here on my blog:

FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Erika Andersen (October 2023)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/10/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring_01710409622.html

How Magic and Happiness Impact Leadership (April 2023)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/04/how-magic-and-happiness-impact.html

Tips to Become “Change-Capable (May 2022)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/05/tips-to-become-change-capable.html

Three Leadership Secrets: Build Consensus, Be Open to Challengers, and Delegate (May 2021)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/05/3-leadership-secrets-build-consensus-be.html

Review of: Leading So People Will Follow by Erika Andersen (October 2019)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2019/10/fall-back-to-reading-with-12-thought.html

Leadership + Strategy = Amazing Employee Experience (November 2018)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/11/leadership-strategy-amazing-employee.html

Review of: Be Bad First by Erika Andersen (October 2018)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/10/fall-reading-recap-leadership-branding.html

Are You the Type of Manager or Leader YOU Would Follow? (January 2014)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2014/01/are-you-type-of-manager-or-leader-you.html

Want to be Nicknamed Strategy Guru? (July 2011)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/07/want-to-be-nicknamed-strategy-guru.html 

Gender Bias and Women’s Equality Day

Today is Women's Equality Day and marks the 103rd anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. This important day celebrates the achievements of women’s rights activists (including my great-grandmother who marched for women's suffrage in New York in the early 1900's) and reminds us of the struggles that women still face including equal pay for equal work and top leadership roles.

According to the National Women's History Alliance, "At the behest of Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971, the United States Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality."

Today, to celebrate this important day, I invited Amy Diehl to return to my blog to continue our discussion about gender bias and gender equality. Amy has graciously appeared two previous times here on my blog, and links to those posts appear at the end of this post. Highlights of our discussion follow a brief introduction.

Dr. Amy Diehl is Chief Information Officer at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and a gender equity researcher, speaker, and consultant. She is the author of Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work. Her work has also been published in numerous scholarly journals, book chapters, and popular press including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine. Amy's links also appear at the end of this Q&A.

QUESTION: What led to your new book entitled, "GLASS WALLS: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work," and what are some key takeaways you hope readers have?

AMY DIEHL: What led to this book is really the story of what led me to become a gender equity researcher. As a young information technology leader, I was running into strange barriers, like getting backlash when I acted in an authoritative manner. I was emulating the male leaders around me but not receiving the same level of respect that they received. For a long time, I took it personally, thinking I was at fault. Then I began to research gender barriers affecting women at work. I quickly realized that I was not alone in my experiences.

In 2014, I joined forces with Dr. Leanne Dzubinski from Biola University to study workplace gender bias. Our work has cumulated in our new book, Glass Walls. The main messages that I hope that readers take away are an understanding of gender barriers, and that women are not alone in their experiences of gender bias.

We say in the book that (unfortunately), “No woman is exempt from gender bias.” The other takeaway is that shattering the glass walls of gender bias is possible. We offer many specific strategies for leaders, allies, and individual women.

SHARE THIS: While no woman is exempt from gender bias, shattering the glass walls of gender bias IS possible. ~@amydiehl #WomensEqualityDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: On your website, you feature something called "The Gender Bias Scale for Women Leaders." Can you provide an overview and why all women leaders should take a look?

(Check out the scale at this link: https://amy-diehl.com/gender-bias-scale/)

AMY DIEHL: The Gender Bias Scale for Women Leaders was developed by myself and Drs. Leanne Dzubinski, Amber Stephenson, and David Wang. We designed this scale for organizations to measure bias impacting women, across 15 specific factors. The results can be used to identify specific barriers prevalent within a group, department, or organization and apply interventions accordingly.
 
While the scale was not designed to be scored at an individual level, all women leaders can and should review the questions. Bias is often subtle and unconscious and built into regular institutional functioning. Reading the scale questions will help women recognize ways in which bias is impacting them, ways that they may not have ever realized.

QUESTION: According to an article published by the BBC entitled, "Why We Use Women’s Professional Titles Less Than Men’s," "Across many fields, women who have earned formal titles report that others neglect or dismiss these titles, or even condemn women’s claims to them." To see proof, we can look to the American First Lady to see how many people dismiss Dr. Jill Biden's title. So, how can we get gender parity when it comes to professional titles?

(Read the full article here: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210216-why-do-professional-titles-actually-matter?ocid=global_worklife_rss)

AMY DIEHL: Dr. Leanne Dzubinski and I wrote an article for Fast Company where we coined the terms for this form of bias: untitling and uncredentialing. We also cover this topic in our book.

Organizational leaders and those in the media must set the standards by ensuring that women’s titles and credentials are used in all settings in which men’s are used. Executives, managers, and allies can also reinforce use of titles with polite correction: “Yes, Dr. Jackson makes a good point.” If you are the person being untitled, it can be tricky to call it out. If you feel comfortable, you can say, “I would appreciate being called Dr. Diehl in public settings.” Or you can ask one or more colleagues to watch for untitling and reinforce proper use of your title.

And all of us should do our homework to learn people’s correct titles. If we are meeting with someone new, use their title unless or until they ask you to use their first name. Like other forms of gender bias, change is possible if all of us work together.

QUESTION: According to an article published by 19thNews entitled "Women Are Less Likely to Buy Electric Vehicles Than Men - Here's What's Holding Them Back," how can women overcome the gender gap in this scenario?

(Read the full article here: https://19thnews.org/2023/03/electric-vehicles-gender-gap/)

AMY DIEHL: A much better question would be this: How can the electric car industry overcome the gender gap? There are many reasons women are less likely than men to purchase electric cars, such as electric cars being stereotyped as men’s toys, their high price, and the need to have a home charging station, which is difficult for individuals who don’t own their own home.

But another reason stands out: the lack of safe, reliable, and convenient charging network. Charging a car takes much longer than filling it up with gas. Yet, the United States generally lacks chargers in places where they are safe and convenient. There should be fast chargers at every restaurant, convenience store, and shopping center, in addition to gas stations. And they should be in safe, well-lit areas with people around.

Walmart and Sam’s Club recently announced a massive expansion of fast-charging stations at their stores by 2030.  Until the amount of time to charge is reduced and the network of charging stations is increased, women’s adoption of electric cars is likely to remain stagnant.

QUESTION: If you could dine with three women from history, corporate America, or your own family tree, who would you choose and why?

AMY DIEHL: Here are my three:

From history: American abolitionist Harriet Tubman: I remember writing a school paper about her as a child, and I was awed by her fortitude and bravery then, as I am now.

From corporate America: Former PepsiCo CEO and Chairperson Indra Nooyi: Among her many accomplishments was introducing Stayfree menstrual pads in India at a time when direct advertising of such products was banned. She devised a workaround, marketing the products to female college students.

From my family: My great-grandmother, Edna Ocker, was a wife and mother of 11 children during the 1900’s. I was fortunate to know her as a young child, but today, I would want to ask her many questions about her life and women’s roles in the early twentieth century.

As always, my sincere gratitude to Amy for sharing her insights about issues that impact us all.

Image Credit: President Barack Obama.

Connect with Amy at these links:
Website: https://amy-diehl.com
Twitter: @amydiehl
LinkedIn: Amy-Diehl
Mastodon: @amydiehl@mstdn.social
Instagram: @amydiehlphd
Facebook: @amydiehlphd


Links that were referenced in the above Q&A:

Book link: https://amy-diehl.com/glass-walls-shattering-the-six-gender-bias-barriers-still-holding-women-back-at-work/

Article in Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/90596628/we-need-to-stop-untitling-and-uncredentialing-professional-women

Article re: Walmart & Sam’s Club: https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2023/04/06/leading-the-charge-walmart-announces-plan-to-expand-electric-vehicle-charging-network

Article re: Harriet Tubman: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman

Article re: Indra Nooyi: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/indra-nooyi


AND FINALLY, links for two previous Q&A’s featuring Amy on this blog:
A Convo About Gender Bias to Recognize the Supreme Court's New Term
October 3, 2022
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/10/a-convo-about-gender-bias-to-recognize.html


Good Leadership Is NOT Defined by Gender
March 25, 2022
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/03/good-leadership-is-not-defined-by-gender.html

Let’s Celebrate Women’s Equality Day!

Today is Women's Equality Day and marks the 102nd anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. This important day celebrates the achievements of women’s rights activists (including my great-grandmother who marched for women's suffrage in New York in the early 1900's) and reminds us of the struggles that women still face including equal pay for equal work as well as access to top leadership roles.

According to the National Women's History Alliance, "At the behest of Representative Bella Abzug (Democrat from New York), in 1971, the United States Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality."

Over the last 13 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting inspiring marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Kim Elsesser, a gender expert based in Pasadena, California. I recently connected with Kim after reading one of her enlightening posts on Forbes.com and invited her to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A format. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction. 

Kim Elsesser, Ph.D. is the author of the book, SEX AND THE OFFICE: Women, Men and the Sex Partition that’s Dividing the Workplace. She currently writes about gender issues at work for Forbes, and she taught about these issues at UCLA for eight years. She has published in the New York Times and The Los Angeles Times and has discussed gender issues for a number of TV news programs. Her interest in gender and work was partly inspired by her experiences co-starting a quantitative proprietary hedge fund at Morgan Stanley. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology from UCLA, MS degrees in management and operations research from MIT, and an undergraduate degree in mathematics and computer science from Vassar College. Connect on Twitter @kimelsesser or sign up to receive weekly notifications of her posts for Forbes at https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser.

QUESTION: In 2014, you wrote an article in The Guardian entitled, "There's a de facto 'sex partition' in the workplace." In the article, you wrote, "All hope is not lost. An important step in breaking down the sex partition is raising employees' awareness of these issues." What do you think has changed in the 8 years since that article was written, if anything?

KIM ELSESSER: The sex partition refers to an artificial barrier at work that keeps men and women from establishing important friendships at work. That barrier is exacerbated by fears that friendliness towards the other sex will be interpreted as harassment. The Guardian article on the sex partition was written prior to the #MeToo movement, and, since then, there has clearly been a substantial increase in awareness about sexual harassment in the workplace. While the increased awareness is good in that it may embolden women to come forward to report harassment, there may also be unintended side effects. That is, there is some evidence that since #MeToo, men are more reluctant to help or even hire women in the workplace, because they fear sexual harassment charges.

(Read original article here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/07/social-networks-gender-pay-gap)

(Read more on the topic here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2019/09/05/the-latest-consequence-of-m)

QUESTION: During my career, I've had more male bosses than female bosses, and without a doubt, the men were more supportive. The women were less likely to recognize my accomplishments in group settings and sometimes took ownership of my successes. Were these women leaders what has been referred to as QUEEN BEE LEADERS? And what would you have done in these situations?

KIM ELSESSER: I’ve completed research on how people feel about male and female bosses, and it turns out that both men and women overwhelmingly prefer male managers – but a lot of that preference is related to gender stereotypes and how employees expect their male and female managers to behave. You mentioned that, in your experience, male bosses were more supportive. Since we expect female bosses to be supportive (women are generally perceived as more supportive than men), sometimes we hold female managers to a higher standard in this area. So, when women are not supportive, we tend to notice it more. In this situation, when you think a female boss is being unsupportive, I’d take a step back and question – would I be thinking the same thing if a male boss behaved in exactly the same way?

(Here's a good post about this topic: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41165076)

(Read about Kim's research here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0018726711424323) 

QUESTION: In your book, SEX AND THE OFFICE, what are three of the most important take-aways that you hope readers have?

KIM ELSESSER: Here are three:

(1) Sexual harassment remains an issue that too many women must deal with in the workplace.  However, adding more old-fashioned sexual harassment training sessions isn’t likely to help eliminate harassment. We need to be smarter in figuring out how to bring about behavior change at work.

(2) Particularly in male-dominated fields, women report that they are left out of business trips, dinners, and even one-on-one meetings because some men fear that their friendliness will be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. In reality, friendliness is not sexual harassment. Without access to beneficial friendships and mentor relationships with men at work, women won’t be able to close the gender gap that exists in most professions.

(3) Many say women can’t have it both ways.  That is, women can’t tell men to be cautious and respect boundaries, and then complain that they feel left out because men are behaving too cautiously. But I believe that we CAN have it both ways. Men and women can maintain appropriate boundaries at work and develop professional friendships and mentor relationships. It’s the only way that women WILL reach parity with men in the workplace.

QUESTION: What's your favorite Ruth Bader Ginsburg quote, and why?

KIM ELSESSER: In 2015, on receiving an award at Radcliffe College, RBG was asked what advice she would offer to young women today. Ginsburg said, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

I write about gender issues and the problems women face both inside and outside of the workplace. Most of my readers are women who already have some awareness of these issues and are already interested in helping women achieving equity. In terms of RBG’s quote, these readers have already joined me.  

I strive to reach and convince those that haven’t thought much about these issues or don’t already agree with my perspective. In other words, I want to lead others to join me. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

(Read the article about RBG here: https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/news-and-ideas/ruth-bader-ginsburg-tells-young-women-fight-for-the-things-you-care-about)

TWEET THIS: Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. ~RBG via @kimelsesser #RBGquote #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: If you could have dinner with three famous women from history or the modern era, who would they be, and why?

KIM ELSESSER: Any chance I can get a larger table?  There are so many great women that I had a hard time narrowing it down, but here are six that I’d like to join me for dinner.

• Serena Williams – A record-breaking professional athlete, a businessperson, a mom – she’s done it all.
• Cleopatra – Because she’s Cleopatra!
• Queen Victoria – Most of what I know about Victoria I learned from the Masterpiece TV series, Victoria (which was fabulous). She seemed to be a woman ahead of her time.
• Ruth Bader Ginsberg – There is so much to learn from her – dinner may not be long enough.
• Katherine Johnson – I was a math major and would love to hear more about how she broke into this field and helped with the mathematical calculations for the space launches – a field dominated by white men.
• Hillary Clinton – She came so close to being the first female president. I’ve read several books about her heartbreaking campaign – and I’d love to discuss it more with her.

QUESTION: Today, I celebrate my great-grandmother, who was a suffragist who marched for women's rights in New York in the years leading to the passage of the 19th Amendment. What does this day mean to you, and what do you hope girls and young women learn about August 26th?

KIM ELSESSER: The 19th Amendment was approved by the U.S. Senate on June 4, 1919, and adoption to the Constitution was certified on August 26, 1920, over a century ago. I often wonder what the suffragists like your great-grandmother would think about how far women have progressed in the last century. Would they be amazed that 74 of the Fortune 500 companies are run by women and that there are 24 women serving in the U.S. Senate? Or would they find it frustrating that those numbers are still so low? To many of us, it seems that progress has been slow, but when you look from a historical perspective, women have come a long way.

Hopefully, as young girls learn about this day, they will realize that it takes hard work to bring about change. Others, like your great-grandmother, worked hard to give these young girls the opportunities they have today. Now it’s their turn. Young girls must continue to pursue change throughout their lifetimes so that future generations of women have even more opportunities.

TWEET THIS: Young girls must continue to pursue change throughout their lifetimes so that future generations of women have even more opportunities. ~@kimelsesser #WomensEqualityDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My thanks to Kim for sharing her insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Todd Trapani via Unsplash. 

Three Books to Celebrate Women’s Equality Day

As we get ready to commemorate and celebrate this year’s Women’s Equality Day on August 26, one might wonder, how can I become more enlightened about women’s equality on this important day? How about reading three amazing books?

First, a little history…

According to National Women’s History Alliance, “At the behest of Representative Bella Abzug (Democrat from New York), in 1971, and passed in 1973, the United States Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls in New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.”

According to Melanie Gustafson, a professor at the University of Vermont, who writes about the women's suffrage movement and women in politics, “The date of August 26th was chosen to commemorate the day in 1920 when Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation granting American women the constitutional right to vote.”

RBG’S BRAVE AND BRILLIANT WOMEN – 33 JEWISH WOMEN TO INSPIRE EVERYONE

While written by journalist Nadine Epstein, the list of women included in this book were chosen by former Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg during the final year of her amazing life. The women featured include Deborah, the first woman judge in the bible; Emma Lazarus, a poet whose words adorn the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty; Golda Meir, the first and only female prime minister of Israel; Anne Frank, whose diary during World War II became famous; and many more.

SISTERS IN LAW – HOW SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR AND RUTH BADER GINSBURG WENT TO THE SUPREME COURT AND CHANGED THE WORLD

Written by lawyer and cultural historian Linda Hirshman, this book is a story of law, women, and most of all, friendship. Here’s the description in a nutshell, “The relationship between Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Republican and Democrat, Christian and Jew, western rancher’s daughter and Brooklyn girl – transcends political party, religion, region, and culture. Strengthened by each other’s presence, these groundbreaking judges, the first and second women to serve on the highest court in the land, have transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women.”

READ MY PINS, STORIES FROM A DIPLOMAT’S JEWELRY BOX

Written by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, this book is a combination of storytelling, history lessons, and images of wearable art from all over the world.

Albright explained, “A foreign dignitary standing alongside me at a press conference would be happier to see a bright, shining sun attached to my jacket than a menacing wasp. I felt it worthwhile, moreover, to inject an element of humor and spice to the diplomatic routine. The world has had its share of power ties; the time seemed right for the mute elegance of pins with attitude.”

She continued, “Before long, I accepted that it was okay to shop with my own needs and desires in mind. Thus, when my eye was attracted to a serpent pin, I did not hesitate to buy it; this was the pin that would later launch my use of brooches as a diplomatic tool.”

“As my pins became more expressive and drew more comments, I had cause to reflect on the relationship between appearance and identity. To what extent, to adopt the old saying, do pins make the woman or, for that matter, the man? After all, the display of pins has never been confined to one gender. Medieval knights wore elaborate jeweled badges that defined their status and conferred a group identity…George Washington sometimes wore a spectacular diamond eagle that included no fewer than 198 stones…Finally, our armed forces also use pins – in the form of ribbons and medals – to convey messages about accomplishments, stature, and rank.”

“Jewelry’s greatest value comes not from intrinsic materials or brilliant designs, but from the emotions we invest. The most cherished attributes are not those that dazzle the eye but those that recall to the mind the face and spirit of a loved one…One might scoff and say that my pins didn’t exactly shake the world. To that, I can reply only that shaking the world is precisely the opposite of what diplomats are placed on Earth to do.”

So, what will you read to celebrate Women’s Equality Day? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: One of Madeleine Albright’s famous pins showed the glass ceiling in its ideal condition: shattered. (“Breaking the Glass Ceiling” by artist Vivian Shimoyama).

As We Celebrate 1920, Work Remains to See More Women in Top Leadership Roles

 

Today is Women's Equality Day and marks the 101st anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. This important day celebrates the achievements of women’s rights activists (including my great-grandmother who marched for women's suffrage in New York in the early 1900's) and reminds us of the struggles that women still face including equal pay for equal work and top leadership roles.

According to the National Women's History Alliance, "At the behest of Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971, the United States Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality."

Over the last decade, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting inspiring marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Susan Colantuono, a leadership expert based in Rhode Island. We recently had a discussion about leadership and the employee experience, the COVID pandemic's impact on the workplace, and most appropriate for today, women's advances in leadership roles. Highlights follow Susan's bio.

Susan Colantuono is an expert on women's advancement, author, and speaker. She is best known for her TED Talk on the Career Advice You Probably Didn't Get (which has over 4 million views) and her books, No Ceiling, No Walls and Make the Most of Mentoring. She is the founder and former CEO of Leading Women, a global consulting firm focused on women's advancement. Now, as a co-host of A Career that Soars!, she continues to provide leadership and career development to women around the globe. Check out Susan's website at https://a-career-that-soars.mn.co/landing and connect on Twitter @SusanColantuono.

QUESTION: Since the Covid-19 pandemic began more than a year ago, how has it impacted the role of leadership and the overall employee experience?
SUSAN COLANTUONO: The answer here depends on where you're standing. Leaders at the board level expect executives to continue to deliver positive results in the face of changing business environments. Employees continue to want positive work environments and meaningful work. Delivering on these expectations has required significant flexibility on the part of executives, managers and employees. The biggest impact of the pandemic from my viewpoint is the "Shecession," whereby more women have left the labor force and if/when they re-enter, they will be behind in terms of income and experience.

QUESTION: You have defined leadership as "Using the greatness in you to achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes by engaging the greatness in others." Can you please elaborate?
SUSAN COLANTUONO: Too often people define leadership from the perspective of the employees being managed (engage our greatness) or through the lens of an individualistic culture (use your personal greatness). While both are important, they leave out how leadership is viewed from above (achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes). This gap has contributed to women rarely receiving advice about the importance of developing and demonstrating business, strategic, and financial acumen.

QUESTION: Janet Yellen, the current and first female Secretary of the Treasury, has been described as, "A proven leader who knows how to build consensus, the kind of person who makes everybody around her better." What three characteristics are necessary to create a consensus-builder?
SUSAN COLANTUONO: Consensus builders rely on 3 key skills:
(1) Listening - consensus builders are able to hear the perspectives, values, and superordinate goals of others.
(2) Openness to new ideas - consensus builders are able to find new paths forward which create "wins" for all involved.
(3) Patience - building consensus takes time and therefore needs patience. There are situations where you have the time to build consensus and others where the decision-maker must act to avoid danger or disaster.

QUESTION: Despite recent successes, how can women earn more top leadership positions as CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Board Chairs, etc.?
SUSAN COLANTUONO: For years, women have been performing in ways that would earn men more top leadership positions, but have not gained them. At this point, in many organizations, the onus is on men in decision-making roles to examine the gender dynamics in hiring and promotion that are holding women back (double binds, double standards, motherhood penalty, etc.) and make less biased decisions.

As a CEO, or as an executive or director for that matter, if women aren’t proportionately represented throughout your organization, you aren’t facing a women’s issue — you’re facing a talent development issue with business implications. And so it’s important to bring your personal commitment and the same level of organizational accountability to that challenge as you would to any business issue.

Where women are not performing in ways to earn top leadership, I suggest they work to fulfill my leadership definition - especially working to develop and/or demonstrate business, strategic, and financial acumen. Debbie, being a branding expert, you can see how being known as someone who: uses her personal greatness to achieve or exceed the goals of the organization through great relationships with key people inside and outside the organization would be a leadership brand worth cultivating.

TWEET THIS: If women aren’t proportionately represented throughout your org, you aren’t facing a women’s issue, you’re facing a talent development issue with business implications. ~@SusanColantuono #EmployerBranding #WomensEqualityDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

 
QUESTION: One of my favorite leadership quotes is from author and consultant Mark Herbert (@NewParadigmer on Twitter): "Leadership doesn't require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others." What does this quote mean to you?
SUSAN COLANTUONO: As others you've interviewed have said, surrounding oneself with smart and capable colleagues is one hallmark of great leaders. In this sense, giving them space to "do their thing" is a leadership act, as long as "their thing" is aligned with the business strategy and the goals they're paid to deliver.

TWEET THIS: Surrounding oneself with smart and capable colleagues is one hallmark of great leaders. ~@SusanColantuono #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

 

Here's the link to Susan's TED talk:
"The Career Advice You Probably Didn't Get"
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get
and the Transcript:
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get/transcript

Blog post about Janet Yellen in 2013:
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-kind-of-leadership-legacy-are-you.html

More reading for Women's Equality Day:
2020 Was the Year of Women:
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-was-year-of-women.html
and
In Celebration of International Women’s Day:
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2021/03/in-celebration-of-international-womens.html

Image Credits: Good Housekeeping and Mental Floss.

In Celebration of International Women’s Day

 

Today is a special day. On March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day around the world. 

According to the United Nations, “Women of the world want and deserve an equal future free from stigma, stereotypes and violence, a future that’s sustainable, peaceful, with equal rights, and opportunities for all. To get there, the world needs women at every table where decisions are being made.”

International Women’s Day grew out of the labor moment to become a recognized annual day by the United Nations. The seeds were planted in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay, and the right to vote. 

The idea for the day to become internationally recognized was suggested in 1910 by Clara Zetkin. First celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, the United Nations made the day official in 1975. Each year, the President of the United States issues an official proclamation.

To quote Sheryl Sandberg, “We stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us, women who had to fight for the rights that we now take for granted.”

From President Joe Biden's Proclamation dated March 1, 2021, “During Women’s History Month, let us honor the accomplished and visionary women who have helped build our country, including those whose contributions have not been adequately recognized and celebrated. And let us pay tribute to the trailblazers from the recent and distant past for daring to envision a future for which no past precedent existed, and for building a Nation of endless possibilities for all of its women and girls.”

I wish to recognize my great-grandmother on this important day. Bertie Green was a civic leader and philanthropist in New York. She was married for 47 years, raised two children, and enjoyed the antics of her four granddaughters.

But what stands out as inspiring today is that she was an active member of the women’s suffrage movement in the years leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization.

Many people are afraid to speak up and take a stand in today’s era, so this type of bold action a little over a century ago is incredibly impressive. So, today, on International Women’s Day, I applaud my great-grandmother and thank her and those she marched with to make today a little bit easier for women to stand up and make their voices heard.

FOR MORE INSPIRATION:

Read President Joe Biden’s Proclamation in full:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/03/01/a-proclamation-on-womens-history-month-2021/

Read “2020 Was the Year of Women!”
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-was-year-of-women.html

Read “That’s What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women” by Kimothy Joy
https://www.kimothyjoy.com/the-book


Image Credit: Debbie Laskey and UN Women.