This week is international women’s week. Expect to see a plethora of articles about how important diversity is, how slow change is (expect equality long after your career is over) and public relations articles from companies about what a great job they are doing to ‘solve the problem’. Women will sit around in company paid for lunches and breakfasts hearing the same commentary.
So what will have changed next week?
Little things will improve but at glacial pace.
Don’t get me wrong- I’m not complaining and I really appreciate the efforts of well meaning individuals – I’m just a realist. This is a difficult problem to crack.
As women in Corporate Australia you will be working on an uneven playing field for the rest of your career. Let’s hope that our daughters and sons reap the benefits of a diverse and inclusive society.
So what should you do?
There are three options:
- Level the playing field
- Influence change of the system
- Learn to play on an uneven playing field.
Those of us who are able to achieve option 1, you are privileged and have a moral obligation to effect the change. Most of us do not have this opportunity. Option 2 is possible but our abilities to influence are limited. Option 3 is the only one that we have full control over.
So how do we learn to thrive on an uneven playing field?
How do we get as much out of our career and lives as possible?
Success and achievement for female engineers involve getting the following three elements right.
The first element is Mission. As Stephen Covey says, “If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.” Put as much effort as necessary to getting absolute clarity on what really is important to you. Self reflection and understanding are not self-indulgent – they are essential. They are particularly essential for women who are, biologically and culturally, more invested and more impacted by the decision to have children. Having children is an extremely worthwhile and valuable contribution but it is not compulsory to have children for a happy life and they are only young for a short period of our lives. Being a great mother is part of a great life, not ALL of a great life. What gifts and talents were you given and how do you contribute to our community by growing those gifts and talents into great strengths and where can you best utilise these strengths?
Mastery of the key skills is essential for a successful career. Most of us are overqualified in the technical skills required to do our work and under-qualified in the critical relationship and leadership skills essential for leverage to acheive to our full potential. Personal conflict is rife and there is enormous lost productivity through poor management. Through mastery, we gain confidence.
Finally, Mindset is the most ignored element when it comes to achieving to our full potential. The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is simply what is going on in their heads and their beliefs around how they think things are and their ability to acheive.
So, yes, we are operating on an uneven playing field. Where we can help change this, we should. Otherwise let’s recognise that life is unfair and give gratitude that as Australian women, we are living in the most privileged country in the most privileged of times. Let’s focus on ourselves and make the best of it.
Jenny a leadership coach who is obsessed with creating outstanding leaders in the field of engineering. She is the author of the upcoming book, ‘Women in Hard Hats- building leadership, confidence and career satisfaction in the engineering field’.
Contact Jenny on 0408 400659 or jenny@jennybailey.com.au to see how she can help you get the opportunities that you deserve through building your capabilities and confidence.
