Selva VijaiBusiness Manager | IBMBangalore, Karnataka, India
Gender Intelligence plays an important role in moving up career chain, I am trying to understand what can women do better to gain respect and advance in their career. Saving Changes...
Jenny GoochProject Manager| IntertekSheboygan, Wi, United States
My advice is not specific to women but this is what established me at my company.
If possible never say no to additional work, volunteer for action items, and never say "that is not my job"
This will build your reputation as someone reliable. Eventually people will start coming to you when they need help.
Also you maybe doing task you wouldn't typically do with with current job title and you'll learn more about the company.
One specific item for me was no one wanted to take meeting minutes so I volunteered. Eventually I started scheduling the meetings too and this lead to doing the agenda's. When we started doing project work at my company I was already performing the role so I was an obvious choice to lead new projects at the company.
I am still waiting for my title change though - it's probably taking so long because I'm a woman lol
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1 reply by Linda K Hite-Mills
Jul 22, 2016 2:35 PM
Linda K Hite-Mills
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Taking the role of note taker can actually lead to being viewed as just that - a note taker. It's fine to volunteer but if you assume the role of "secretary" all the time, you may find that you aren't moving up.
Active participation, capacity building, volunteering, courage to speak & empower people, are some observation. These apply to all in general. Saving Changes...
Selva VijaiBusiness Manager | IBMBangalore, Karnataka, India
Thank you Anupam and Jenny for your thoughts. Jenny, you have nicely put it. One of my mentors also said the same.... never say 'that is not my job' and do whatever you can do is possible. I can very well relate to what you are saying. :-) Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
It is a cultural matters. It depends from country to country including countries in the same region. First let me say that the best teams I ever lead are multi gender teams. And I had the honour to be a CIO leading a team composed by women only. The worst thing to do is do not understand that women are different than man (thanks God the world exists because of that). So, you have to create your career and your personal life based on your strengs and weekness mainly because the strengs women have make the difference due to men do not have them. Saving Changes...
Selva VijaiBusiness Manager | IBMBangalore, Karnataka, India
Thanks Sergio. I completely agree that one has to build career based on their own strengths and development needs. But, I come across situation where one's strength is rated as development need by a male manager. It may not be fair generalize this but trying to understand
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2 replies by Linda K Hite-Mills and Selva Vijai
Jul 22, 2016 2:42 PM
Linda K Hite-Mills
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I've encountered the same thing Selva. Men in top positions were the last ones willing to mentor or promote me. I believe this is because I am an intelligent, strong, outspoken female and they view me as a threat. Women in top positions didn't want to champion me either because they had to claw their way to the top and didn't want the competition all over again.
I kept changing jobs to get better pay and advancement. Once I reached the top, I found it wasn't the best fit for my skills and abilities. I've taken lesser roles where I am able to add value due to my extensive experience, when I'm allowed. I just keep making the best of each opportunity.
The other thing I have found is that the organization also makes a big difference. When you're job hunting, always look at the executive team of the company to see how many females you find. If the only ones listed are in HR, that's a sign that there isn't a lot of emphasis on women at the top.
Best wishes as you move forward in your career.
Jul 23, 2016 2:00 AM
Selva Vijai
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Thanks for sharing your experience Linda. For outspoken, it is always difficult even if you are taking lesser roles because you will question bureaucracy and some of the decisions. Has it been easier for you now ?
Saving Changes...
Christian VelazquezBARA Process Lead| Cadena de Descuento BARAMonterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Multigender teams are always the best as Sergio Luis said. Saving Changes...
Radhika NamburiAssociate Vice President Site coordinator| Wills Towers Watson CompanyVisakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
I think the best way to progress is to remove the thought " I am a women" off our heads and grab opportunities as they come our way. When cognitive approach and IQ is concerned the standards are same in both genders except for minor variances caused due to hormones. I think identifying our strengths and balancing them against our weaknesses would be a great way to success. Saving Changes...
Completely agree with Radhika, remove the thought that gender is a key factor to your success in a company. Try to do your best.
I have a concern regarding Jennys comment ¨never said no¨ or ¨this is not my job¨, phew never?, really. sorry, maybe my own experience made me think about this, and in this moment I'm only thinking in the first project that I worked as a Project Coordinator, I was in a meeting with all C management of a big company (all men) , the project manager also man, in the middle of the meeting the project manager said ¨Maria, bring more coffee, my face was like a mix between upset and shocked...he observed me, look around him and said ¨you are the only woman, it's your job¨
Lessons learned: He wasn't a professional project manager, always in a team you can find bad apples or toxic people, as woman in a situation where a boss don't follow the company or PMI ethics, always you have to said no, this is not my job.
Note: this situation happen to me seven years ago in Spain, Europe, while working for a big IT company, in a meeting in an international client. As far as I know, in the client C management they have a few women, who was my project manager he has grown in the IT company with a big management role, regarding his behavior same, people are afraid to him.
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1 reply by Demetrius Williams
Aug 10, 2016 8:05 PM
Demetrius Williams
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Wow. This sounds like something out of the 50's. Unbelievable that this could happen in this day and age.
Saving Changes...
Selva VijaiBusiness Manager | IBMBangalore, Karnataka, India
Thanks Radhika & Maria. I agree that the standards are same for men and women and each gender has complementing attributes. I am fortunate to have supportive leadership and good mentors around me in my company to have those dialogues openly. Saving Changes...
Selva VijaiBusiness Manager | IBMBangalore, Karnataka, India
@Maria: Making coffee... that is totally an unprofessional attitude. I am definitely not talking about those jobs. :-) I am lucky to have been associated with company that has high ethics and follow fair employment practices. Saving Changes...
"In the real world, the right thing never happens in the right place and the right time. It is the job of journalists and historians to make it appear that it has."
