I’ve spent more than 20 years working in corporate America. I love giant corporations. They have abundant resources which allow them to provide abundant opportunities. They are the engines of large scale prosperity. However, for women inside these mega-businesses, the benefits of rising to senior leadership positions have remained elusive. According to the U.S. Bureau
Continue ReadingHow to 10x your influence (VitalSmarts Influencer)
In this white paper the authors of the Influencer series of books discuss how chronic persistent problems aren’t solved easily. They require a critical mass of influencing strategies and a combination of tactics. Rather than focus on a single root cause, an effective technique addresses all root causes in a calculated approach across six sources
Continue ReadingFinancial Times – The evidence is growing – there really is a business case for diversity
This Financial Times article by Tim Smedley from May 15, 2014, does a nice job of summarizing numerous research studies that support the business case for diversity. And the 1960 picture he used in the article is just priceless- 100% white men seated around the executive decision making table. Sadly, women directors and above know all too
Continue ReadingWomen in Business: From classroom to boardroom 2014 (Grant Thornton)
Grant Thornton has been tracking the proportion of women in senior management since 2004 and the 2013 research finds that the proportion of women in the most senior roles has stagnated at 24% – the same as the result in 2012, 2009 and 2007. The question this raises is: what are the roadblocks on the path to
Continue ReadingThe Gender Dividend: Making the business case for investing in women (Deloitte)
Fully integrating women into both the workplace and the marketplace can yield a significant return—what can be called the Gender Dividend. Much like the dividends that public corporations pay to shareholders, the Gender Dividend is a steady benefit that is earned by making wise, balanced investments in developing women as workers and potential leaders as
Continue ReadingShowMe50™ Win-Win Checklist
Using findings from research, we have developed a list of best practices that have been shown to lead to higher employee satisfaction and productivity, lower turnover and greater innovation – creating greater returns for shareholders. We call it the ShowMe50TM Win-Win Checklist. It summarizes the components of a level playing field. ALL employees, including white men benefit. There
Continue ReadingInfographic: Why Should We Care About Gender-Balanced Leadership?
Business Case For Posting All Jobs
One structural roadblock to women’s career advancement is the lack of transparency in job opportunities. Some companies choose not to post all jobs, especially director and above level jobs. This Q&A from HR Specialist magazine recommends posting ALL jobs because failure to do so can lead to “class ceiling” discrimination claims. Business Case For Posting All
Continue ReadingCascading Gender biases, compounding effects: An Assessment of Talent Management Systems (Catalyst)
This 2009 study from Catalyst is an oldie but goodie. The conditions it describes are still very much a part of corporate America in 2015. This paper explains how to mitigate risk and break the “vicious cycle” of talent management systems and practices that disadvantage women. It explains how bias is introduced into talent management systems and contains
Continue ReadingUSING TALENT MANAGEMENT TO SUPPORT INCLUSION: A How-To Guide For Organisations (Catalyst)
This practical guide from Catalyst provides short assessment questions to get people thinking about better talent management processes. It articulates what inclusion looks and feels like from the point of view of individuals, managers and organizations. USING TALENT MANAGEMENT TO SUPPORT INCLUSION: A How-To Guide For Organisations (Catalyst)
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