Carolina Caro

In the past year we have experienced a shift in consciousness where diversity, equity and inclusion are making their way to center stage. As it relates to women in leadership, the inauguration of our first female Vice President, Kamala Harris, a woman of color who is no stranger to breaking the glass ceiling, also reminds us of how far we’ve come. And yet, despite all the positive signs of change, there is still so much work to be done in the fight for gender parity. 

The pace of progress, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. For some, it may feel that things are moving too quickly, while for others these phases of advancement are unfolding at a glacial pace.

Irrespective of your view on the matter, there is no denying that we are far from having a level playing field. And that has only been exacerbated by the recent pandemic which is impacting women, particularly women of color, disproportionately.

First, it’s important to recognize that individual habits are hard enough to change but then add to that the systemic nature of certain traits and we can see the challenges we still have ahead of us. For anyone who has been involved in implementing shifts to an organization’s culture, they are painfully aware that not only does it take years but it can often feel like two steps forward and one step back. Anything that involves changing human behavior is not a linear path forward.

When it comes to making sustainable changes, it requires repetition, repetition, repetition. That’s because old habits are so ingrained within us that in order for the new to replace the old, it must create a deep imprint. As it relates to systemic changes, it requires a critical mass, all rowing in the same direction during this conditioning process. So where do we start?

I’d like to focus on two specific strategies. One; creating a framework that facilitates the sponsorship of women and two; cultivating allyship as a common practice within the workplace.

Let’s start with sponsorship which can be tackled at the individual level without the need for the organization to adopt a formal path. The research is overwhelming clear; women are over mentored but under sponsored. We can receive all the great advice, tools and tips but if we don’t have someone advocating on our behalf, it won’t have the same impact on our career trajectory. So the first step if you’re reading this, is to proactively develop the relationships with those who are in a position to amplify your voice and help you advance. That doesn’t mean that mentors are any less valuable. In fact, they can  navigate the process of finding the right sponsor and guide the conversations that will cement that connection.

For companies that do want to show they are serious about ensuring that more women are reflected in C-suite positions, then one way to accomplish that is through supporting the creation of a more structured sponsorship approach. In much the same way that succession planning conversations are deliberate and future focused, we need to start viewing the sponsorship of women with the same intentionality. Many organizations have women leadership groups which could be thinking about ways to influence this process, creating a framework that could be adopted internally and finding the right people to be the ambassadors for these ideas particularly within the executive leadership team. And the earlier that men can be involved in the conversations to push this forward, the better!

The second strategy does require more buy-in and coordination from the senior leadership team because it involves a change in corporate culture. The commitment to the active, ongoing process of being an ally, means a concerted effort to raise the voices of the underrepresented. We’ve all been in that meeting where an idea is shared by a woman and it goes unnoticed until 15 minutes later it is re-introduced by their male counterpart, only to receive praise. We might even be guilty of seeing it all play out and not speaking up. It is our responsibility to be vocal in these situations and allow everyone to acknowledge what has just occurred but it is even more important to have a system in place that proactively ensures that women’s voices are heard and elevated. And that requires the support of men who are willing to be advocates and champion their colleagues. You can have individuals that exhibit the qualities of an ally but in order for this to translate to overall culture, it requires a framework that will provide the consistency needed to make sure that these behavioral changes not only take place but are repeated until they become the norm.