Technical Women in Industry, Trends, and Promising Practices

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Notes by Moya Watson

Introduced by Telle Whitney (ABI), Kara Helander from Catalyst delivered results of quantitative surveys and Betty Shanahan from the Society of Women Engineers delivered more qualitative results.

Women are missing from the senior level in tech jobs. There are eleven female CEOs in the Fortune 500 - 2.2%.

From a male response on the survey: Women have different management styles which men may not be comfortable with, hence a key factor in success for women managers might be to alter their style.

Women of color face a unique set of barriers including lack of mentors, which is cited with highest emphasis. This is the "god, it's lonely in here" syndrome.

In 2005, the highest number of CEOs failed, but only with Carly Fiorina did anyone question gender as an issue.

"The Impostor Syndrome" in high-achieving women: Women believe they are fooling others with their success, a fraud just waiting to be found out, therefore they don't enjoy success - which limits themselves and the organization in the long run.

However, some of these symptoms that hold women back can also be regarded as qualities that add value, such as being collaborative with the tentative "I have an idea" rather than "this is how it is." It was cautioned that women don't just strive to become "white men in high heels."

HP, IBM, TI focusing on diversity initiatives including the importance of mentors and "face-time flexibility." Through the global diversity office, they are formalizing and adding these goals to manager performance reviews.

Interesting statistics were provided on how diversity helps the bottom line - such as 35% greater TRS (total return to shareholder).


Post-conference notes by BJ Wishinsky

What companies can do:

  • Vocal, sustained commitment from the top.
  • Comprehensive, sustained initiatives to advance women such as rotations, high profile positions, rethinking norms around work/life balance, and holding managers accountable for diversity.

Useful resources for following the examples of "positive deviants" include:


Notes by Patty Lopez


Technical Women in Industry, Trends, and Promising Practices

Presenters: Kara Helander, Catalyst, Betty Shanahan, Society of Women Engineers, Telle Whitney, Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology

Kara Helander gave a very enlightening presentation on statistics for women in the workforce. Women make up 46.4% of the labor force, 50.6% of management, professional related positions, and 16.4% of Fortune 500 board officers (see http://www.catalyst.org/files/full/2005%20COTE.pdf). Based on interviews with women, Kara found discussed their strategies for advancement:

  • Consistently exceeding performance expectations (69%)
  • Successfully managing others (49%)
  • Developing a style with which male managers are comfortable (47%)
  • Having recognized expertise in a specific content area (46%)
  • Seeking high visibility assignments (40%)

Barriers to the advancement of women:

  • Lack of significant general management or line experience
  • Exclusion from informal networks
  • Displayed style is different from the organizational norm
  • Lack of awareness of organizational politics
  • Gender based stereotypes – stereotyping of women’s roles and abilities
  • Lack of role models and failure of senior leadership to assume accountability for women’s advancement
  • Inhospitable corporate culture
  • Commitment to family responsibilities

One important observation is that women perceive women to be better at problem solving, while men perceive men to be better at problem solving.

Barriers for women of color:

  • Lack of mentors
  • Lack of networking
  • Lack of role models
  • Lack of high visibility assignments

Barriers for women in high tech:

  • An exclusionary culture that does not support women’s advancement
  • Companies don’t strategically and objectively identify talent – not enough focus on metrics and talent management
  • Women feel isolated because they lack mentors, networks, and role models
  • The demands of work and career are at odds with having a commitment to family and personal responsibilities

Cultural and Gender Stereotypes

  • Negatively affect perception and assessment of women’s performance
  • Promote “people like me”
  • Stereotypes frame the assumption and metrics – “were going to hire the best” – do those skills include soft skills that women have
    • Boorish behavior is tolerated
    • Style trumps substance – women expect work to be acknowledged

Climate and Reactions

  • Pressure of being one of the first to get to the top ranks
  • When a man fails, no one ever wonders if it was because he was a man
  • You will be seen as similar to women who have come before you
  • Compared to men, women’s confidence trails their competence.

Isolation

  • Each single experience seems trivial but taken collectively and experienced regularly, they tend to alienate women
  • “Protection” from jobs that are considered a risk for women, but opportunities for men
  • Risk averse manager
    • Decisions in the” interest of the organization” that limit opportunities
    • Don’t support programs that support women
  • “Illusion of inclusion” – not excluded, but not explicitly included

Exclusion From Informal Networks

  • Sense of competition with other women and minorities for a limited number of advancement opportunities (e.g. if there is already a woman or minority at a certain level, there won’t be any need to place another one)
  • Exchange of tribal knowledge and customs
    • Women receive less information than men on how to be successful

Differences in Style: The Impostor Syndrome (see http://www.impostersyndrome.com/)

  • Don’t enjoy success
  • Focus on weaknesses instead of strengths
  • Can’t internalize accomplishments
  • Overwork to compensate for perceived deficiencies
  • Don’t acknowledge recognition
  • Self defeating attitudes reflected in speech
  • Don’t request necessary resources
  • Don’t request advancement and new opportunities

Differences in Style: Communication

  • Difference in female vs Anglo male communication

Overall recommendations:

  • Be aware of stereotype threat
  • Participate in forums that support you
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