I had the opportunity to hear Mahzarin Banaji speak last year at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio and it was one of the most eye-opening talks I have heard to date. The concept of unconscious or implicit bias is what Mahzarin and her research partner, Anthony Greenwald, have been researching for decades and they have distilled it into a surprisingly easy-to-consume book.
International Women’s Day: How to Celebrate
If we acknowledge the fact that it will take 217 years to reach gender parity, we know that one day of commemoration won’t expedite the process—but International Women’s Day is more than just one day. It is a moment to look back at the progress we have made and be proud of that, then it is time to get to work.
International Women’s Day: Why We Celebrate
How do I handle sensitive topics at work?
One of the things we often hear is that people perceive the women’s initiative to be a place where everyone goes to complain. What we know, is that this is far from true, and that there are impactful, uplifting, and empowering conversations at every gathering of these initiatives, and we can’t allow those perceptions to keep us from addressing the challenges that individuals are facing at work, even the sensitive ones.
Why Your Company Should Invest in Gender Diversity.
Tips to Increase Attendance at Women’s Initiative Events
You reserve the room. You order the catering. You bring in the perfect speaker. You send the invites and track the responses.
You plan an event. And people don't show up.
If you are painfully nodding along, you are not alone. So many of our clients struggle with the challenge of simply getting people to show up for the events that they have spent time, money, and effort to plan. Of course, most people are respectful—they let you know they can no longer make it, they lament that their travel schedule puts them out of the office the day of the event, they promise to attend the next one. The interest and intention are there, which you know because you have asked the attendees what they want. So how can you get past the last-minute fire drills and get people to show up for your events and programs?
Responding to Women’s Initiative Pushback
We’ve heard just about everything when it comes to the perceptions of women’s initiatives within organizations. We’ve seen organizations where all employees are bought-in—they see the value, and they have both men and women participating in driving equality in the workplace. But, we’ve also seen organizations where there is women’s initiative pushback, or a lack of understanding on what the purpose of the initiative is and the goals it is trying to reach.
Three Signs it is Time to Break Up With Your Mentor
If you are developing purposeful mentor relationships and giving a bit of structure to them, there should also be a structure in place for knowing when it is time to wrap up the ‘formal’ part of your agreement. We know this person has become important to you over time, and they certainly don’t drop out of your life—it may just be time to free up your time (and theirs) for a more beneficial relationship for your next challenge.
Goal Update: Time Management
I believe goal updates like this one are so important. Sometimes we fall into a pattern of seeing someone else’s posts or goals and assume that the road to achieving them is easy. The reality for me is that something that seems small—taking control of my time—has a huge impact on my well-being and sanity, but it doesn’t come without its own bumps in the road. Whatever your challenge is… keep going!
Women’s Initiatives: When do you need a women’s initiative?
What I'm Reading: Feminist Fight Club
Mentorship Ground Rules for Eradicating Eye Rolls
I strongly believe in the power of having key mentors to guide and support you through this crazy life. By following these ground rules, we can show the impact that purposeful, time-sensitive, sometimes unexpected, but overall done-right mentorship relationships can have. Maybe we’ll even win over a few eye-rollers in the process!
Be Bold for Change
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
This day has been recognized since the early 1900s and gives humans everywhere the opportunity to focus on unity, celebration, and action. This year’s theme—Be Bold for Change—is a critical push to work towards purposeful collaboration. Collaboration that will challenge unconscious bias, encourage women and girls to go after the highest levels of their goals, and create a more inclusive culture for all.
He Said, She Said: “Pretty Little Girl”
Many times when we talk about sexism, we talk about the subtle versions of it—the one’s where you walk away wondering, “was that…?” But in Julie’s case, there is no room to question, and we commend her for not only recognizing it immediately, but responding in a way that gave the offender pause. Julie, we can’t thank you enough for your passion for equality and your ability to demand the respect you deserve. Keep fighting the good fight.
Goal: Make Time My Friend Again
Over the past year, I have consistently felt overwhelmed by the amount of things I needed to tackle in a day. It has been as though each day suspiciously gets 5 minutes shorter, and I am unable to finish my perpetual to-do list.This is no way to live.
So I am trying to identify some ways to better manage my time—a skill that I feel like I once had, but has now escaped me as my plate has become more full. This is not a guide on how to do it right, but rather, a look into my attempts at course correcting.
He Said, She Said: “I Think We Pay You Enough”
This story highlights so many of the challenges (and disappointments) that come up time and time again in our workshops—a lack of awareness of what is offensive, inappropriate, and even illegal. I am so impressed by this woman and her ability to call out her boss, with whom she had a great relationship, to point out the fact that she was being treated differently based on her gender. Bringing this awareness to the forefront of someone’s mind is a huge step in the right direction toward equality. I also know that the practice of demanding to be respected and treated equally is just that—a practice. One we can and should all continue to work on, push for, and remember each and every day.
What I'm Reading: The Confidence Effect
I bought this book because confidence has always been one of the key components to the Gild mission. From day one, we knew we wanted to encourage confidence in women through creativity and community. And now, as we continue to make changes to our business, instilling confidence in women–especially those in the workplace–is always top of mind. It’s something I consistently struggle with, even as I work to help others feel like they can take on the world.
“I’d like my crayons back, please.”
Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra, history, etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the ‘creative bug’ is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I’d like my crayons back, please.’