There has been a lot of press recently about the abysmal pace of women reaching the top leadership ranks. Much of the current chatter can be attributed to Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, her new book, Lean In, and the social movement that followed. If ever you were unsure about the existence of the glass ceiling, Sandberg adds legitimacy to the fact that the struggle continues for women who want to reach the top.
While the playing field is not level, there is much that a talented, career-minded woman can do. The advice that follows is both for women who want to get ahead and for companies that want to do more to support the advancement of women.
There are three critical initiatives that make a significant difference in getting more women promoted.
First and foremost, having strong mentors is critical to women who want to advance. There is a difference between mentorship and sponsorship. Mentorship is about advising or teaching someone what she needs to know to be successful. Sponsorship is about advocating for her when opportunities or promotions are being handed out. A strong mentor incorporates both of these behaviours.
You need someone who will share his or her knowledge, experience and wisdom to help you navigate the organizational culture and help you close leadership skill gaps. You also need someone with clout who is willing to use it to help you get ahead. That could mean convincing someone to assign you to a high-profile project, or to choose you for the next promotion.
Some organizations have formal mentor programs so reach out to your HR department to find a mentor. Another way, which is often times more successful, is to develop a relationship with a senior leader you admire. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Get their attention by being interested in what they care about, and by showing up as a star performer. Get noticed for the right reasons.
Should you ask someone if they would be your mentor? Potentially… but only if you have a strong relationship with them. Many leaders are looking for bright, talented people to take under their wing. But don’t make your request prematurely. Remember, a mentor will ultimately be spending their political capital on you and your career, so you have to be worth the investment.
Developmental opportunities is the second type of initiative to proactively pursue if you‘re looking to get promoted. Taking on these types of tasks or projects helps you build skills that are required to be successful at the next level of leadership. They also provide increased visibility to various people (including potential mentors) across levels and across departments in your organization.
Begin by looking for these assignments close to home. Ask your current leader about opportunities to develop leadership skills within your existing department. You may be able to take on a cross-functional role or pursue a job-rotation opportunity. Volunteer to lead a task force to solve an existing business problem.
Next, look outside your team or your department and be open to opportunities that may not be on your carefully prepared career path. You never know where these challenges might be lurking, just waiting for someone with your energy and commitment to tackle them. Anywhere there is change happening in your organization, there are often opportunities to get involved.
You want an opportunity to gain new experience so look for the chance to go outside your current level of knowledge, skills and abilities. Look for chances to take on new and broader responsibilities. Look for larger or more diverse teams to lead. Look for increased risk or the need to make decisions. Look for customer impact or authority over others.
Of course, you can also look outside your organization for leadership growth challenges. Consider serving on a Board of Directors for a cause that you believe in or volunteer to serve on the executive committee of an association you already belong to.
Effective Feedback is the third type of initiative that is critical to anyone who wants to get ahead. Feedback is typically experienced differently for men and for women. Men tend to receive more informal feedback where women tend to receive it more often in a formal setting. This in itself creates a problem of low frequency for women and more often than not women have to proactively seek out constructive coaching.
Look for opportunities where you can ask for informal or impromptu feedback. For a variety of reasons, people can be hesitant to give women the tough messages. Keep the behaviour going by thanking people for the information and being appreciative of the opportunity to grow. Then, whether you agree with the feedback or not, reflect on it and consider how you can use the information to help you be more successful. If you would like to receive feedback in a more formal setting, then consider joining a local Toastmasters club.
Regardless of where, how, and from whom you get your feedback, be sure to get feedback that helps you understand where you have made mistakes and gives you direction on how to overcome weaknesses. You may find the feedback that is the most effective comes from your direct leader or a key mentor because they typically care most about you and about your career. It is common for women to be overly self-critical so be sure to listen to the positive messages as well.
While the pace of women getting to the top is glacial, there is much that can be done not only by women, but also by the companies they work for. These three initiatives can significantly move the gender diversity needle. Gender diversity isn’t a women’s issue, it’s a business issue, and to continue to make progress we must keep the conversation going.
