In a past life I worked in a global consulting firm and I think that if you’ve never worked in professional services it can be hard to visualise some of the obstacles women face in forging professional careers. At the time there were no female partners I could turn to for advice. The firm was run by men who shortlisted team members for new projects at Friday drinks at the local pub, with the night often ending with partners snogging their PAs (not everyone was invited but the brave and the stupid regularly turned up up for the drinking competitions in the hope of winning a spot on the big accounts). Their past times included racing Porsches on the weekends and entertaining clients at sporting fixtures. Team building endeavors included canyoning, skirmish, go carting... get the picture?
As a young single women this was all just fine with me, it was fun and I loved it. The work was fantastic and my friends were my colleagues. But combining a family with the firm's culture and working practices would have been impossible. Perhaps that's why these days women still only comprise 12.5% of partners in our top accounting firms and 19.5% of partners in law firms. But with women graduating in greater numbers than men in business, commerce, economics and law, it's time we found some solutions to the issues women face in firms. Which is why I’ve agreed to chair an important event in January on Executing Women’s Initiatives Within Firms.Throughout this one-day connected forum, the following critical issues and more will be explored:
- Building a strategic network for an effective and successful career in firms
- Identifying and breaking through the myths surrounding women in firms
- Making positive changes within firms for dynamic career paths for female employees
- Creating inspiring role models that all women within firms can aspire to for the success of their careers
- Utilising online networks and tools for the advancement of womenís careers within firms
A fantastic panel of expert speakers has been confirmed from:
- Blake Dawson
- Diversity Council of Australia
- Allens Arthur Robinson
- Deloitte
- Norton Rose Australia
- Middletons
- Hickson Lawyers
- Moore Stephens Accountants
- Johnson, Winter & Slattery
- Kemp Strang Legal
- and of course sphinxx
sphinxx also has one complimentary registration to the event to give away - simply post a comment here telling us what you think the biggest challenge is for women in firms today - the best blog post received before 13th December will win the registration valued at $995. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you (it won't be published on the site and your privacy is assured - however I can't contact you if I don't have your details).
And for those of you unable to attend the conference - don't let that stop you from sharing your stories - I'd love to hear your case studies so I can share them at the event, so please do post your comments here.
Comments (15) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink
Madge commented on 05-Dec-2010 02:40 PM
sphinxx commented on 05-Dec-2010 03:08 PM
Susan commented on 06-Dec-2010 08:06 AM
Marle commented on 06-Dec-2010 09:37 AM
Lynette Pinder commented on 06-Dec-2010 03:13 PM
Michelle commented on 07-Dec-2010 04:13 PM
Rinske Geerlings commented on 09-Dec-2010 03:42 PM
Madge - again commented on 09-Dec-2010 05:35 PM
Tereasa Trevor commented on 09-Dec-2010 10:35 PM
Kim Wilkinson commented on 10-Dec-2010 06:07 AM
Bridget Ransome commented on 10-Dec-2010 12:01 PM
Sarah Wilshaw-Sparkes commented on 23-Dec-2010 06:46 AM
The SheEO commented on 23-Dec-2010 10:47 AM
Tracy McGawn commented on 11-Jul-2011 03:02 PM
The SheEO commented on 11-Jul-2011 10:56 PM
Madge commented on 05-Dec-2010 02:40 PM
yet, it seems, another conference where women talk to women. none of the speakers is men and yet it is acknowledged that men basically control, one way or another, the working lives and opportunities of professional women. a conference entitled "Executing Women's Initiatives..." isn't likely to attract any but the most new age of men. those there will likely be the ones who have helped the women in their firms and who are speaking on this day and who don't need to hear the story anyway. it is my view, too, that unless women talk to men in language that is not jaded, pejorative and archaic that change will continue to be as slow as it has been.
sphinxx commented on 05-Dec-2010 03:08 PM
Great points Madge. There's always room for more speakers and agree the addition of some good guys doing good work to support the advancement of women would be a good thing.
I'm very happy to pass on your suggestions as to men the organisers could invite - any names you can share? I know from my own efforts it can be difficult finding men who are leading these gender diversity initiatives but when we do find them they always have great content to contribute.
Please do contact me privately if you prefer at mail@sphinxx.com.au
I'm very happy to pass on your suggestions as to men the organisers could invite - any names you can share? I know from my own efforts it can be difficult finding men who are leading these gender diversity initiatives but when we do find them they always have great content to contribute.
Please do contact me privately if you prefer at mail@sphinxx.com.au
Susan commented on 06-Dec-2010 08:06 AM
I think the biggest challenge for women in the workplace is the male colleagues, friends and brothers, as well as some women, who think discrimination is a thing of the past and that issues of workplace equality center around women wanting to have children!
Marle commented on 06-Dec-2010 09:37 AM
Hi,
I think the biggest challenge for women is to find balance...
Work-life balance: Even though we work just as hard (even harder?) than our male counterparts and put in the same hours, we are still expected to be a good wife, amazing lover, great cook and a kind mum.
Career balance: Driven, but without isolating people. We're expected to fit in with the "boysclub" and join in the at the pub, but still stay professional and hang on to your credibility.
In my experience I can confirm - This is a man's world!! However, females can be successful when they find the right balance. I have several male colleagues that treat me with respect and support me in my career, but these relationships took some work.
I think the biggest challenge for women is to find balance...
Work-life balance: Even though we work just as hard (even harder?) than our male counterparts and put in the same hours, we are still expected to be a good wife, amazing lover, great cook and a kind mum.
Career balance: Driven, but without isolating people. We're expected to fit in with the "boysclub" and join in the at the pub, but still stay professional and hang on to your credibility.
In my experience I can confirm - This is a man's world!! However, females can be successful when they find the right balance. I have several male colleagues that treat me with respect and support me in my career, but these relationships took some work.
Lynette Pinder commented on 06-Dec-2010 03:13 PM
The biggest challenge is to convince people that a part-time Executive can perform their role effectively. Working an 80 hour week does not mean better output, in fact it may just mean you are less efficient. Part-time positions at Senior Executive level are difficult to find, particularly in Government. Maybe it is a cultural issue - would you be happy to work for a senior manager who was only in the office part time?
Michelle commented on 07-Dec-2010 04:13 PM
The biggest challenge facing women in my opinon is 2 fold.
1) How do you progress as far as possible in your twenties, when you don't necesarily understand the unwritten politics on gender, and are still naive in career success through merit only.
2) How to manage your career through the childbearing years so that you don't lose momentum and currency in your skills base. So that when the children are older you can continue your career.
If we can assist women to get through these two periods by the time they are in their mid late 30's they will have the necessary experience and business savvy to continue their career progression and in this way we will get more women into senior leadership roles, and thus begin a real top down change.
1) How do you progress as far as possible in your twenties, when you don't necesarily understand the unwritten politics on gender, and are still naive in career success through merit only.
2) How to manage your career through the childbearing years so that you don't lose momentum and currency in your skills base. So that when the children are older you can continue your career.
If we can assist women to get through these two periods by the time they are in their mid late 30's they will have the necessary experience and business savvy to continue their career progression and in this way we will get more women into senior leadership roles, and thus begin a real top down change.
Rinske Geerlings commented on 09-Dec-2010 03:42 PM
The biggest challenge?
Not falling into the trap of acting like a man, and as a result being neither a woman nor a man.
This quote (by a man!) sums it up:
"Women who aim to be like men lack ambition"
Not falling into the trap of acting like a man, and as a result being neither a woman nor a man.
This quote (by a man!) sums it up:
"Women who aim to be like men lack ambition"
Madge - again commented on 09-Dec-2010 05:35 PM
Dear Sphinxx thanks for the opportunity to suggest the names of some blokes for the conference. i will put my thinking cap on though none immediately leap to mind. i previously commented on the less than thrilling title of the conference - worthy perhaps, enticing no. it could perhaps have been called What Women Want at the Board Table (not on which brings to mind John Brown and his wife c1990) which would have been a play on the film suggesting some humour in a serious topic. (I do acknowledge there is a fine line in using previously sexed-up words which is a topic for another time.) men might be slightly more intrigued and perhaps interested in attending even once they got past the blurb. you might even get away with using phrases like "gender equality" and "glass ceiling" , "equity" and "diversity" with a different approach. if these words and phrases leave me cold i imagine men would respond similarly.
Tereasa Trevor commented on 09-Dec-2010 10:35 PM
The biggest challenge facing women is the art of actively supporting, encouraging and mentoring each other. I've found the greatest support, and the greatest challenges coming from women. We can be each other's biggest advocates, yet so often it's the case that gossip, politics and pretense gets in the way.
Sometimes I think it's been forgotten that women created a movement out of collective dissatisfaction with their choices. Now it's up to this generation to carry the responsibility of choice by making decisions that continue to allow greater choice for ourselves and others.
That means understanding flexible work arrangements. That means discovering how to support and ask for diverse work styles. It means building networks and programs from the ground up if need be.
Encouraging and understanding, without more of it, we're not going to embed the changes we seek.
Sometimes I think it's been forgotten that women created a movement out of collective dissatisfaction with their choices. Now it's up to this generation to carry the responsibility of choice by making decisions that continue to allow greater choice for ourselves and others.
That means understanding flexible work arrangements. That means discovering how to support and ask for diverse work styles. It means building networks and programs from the ground up if need be.
Encouraging and understanding, without more of it, we're not going to embed the changes we seek.
Kim Wilkinson commented on 10-Dec-2010 06:07 AM
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges for women is changing the attitude of men, as a whole, to working with women in senior roles. As individuals men will often respect a female's skills and support her ambitions, however, in a group situation they band together and resist change.
Bridget Ransome commented on 10-Dec-2010 12:01 PM
I believe the biggest challenge for women in firms today rests with our belief in ourselves. If we constantly defer to what others have (for example, men in business) we only serve to highlight our own lack. Highlighting a lack of something or constantly comparing ourselves to others that have more of what we want only focusses on creating more of the same in our lives. Women should be proud of their individual abilities, characteristics and successes.
Sarah Wilshaw-Sparkes commented on 23-Dec-2010 06:46 AM
I think the major challenge in professional service firms is the lack of true partner commitment to seeking solutions that will enable them to hang onto their female talent while still meeting client expectations. And right behind that challenge lie the unconscious biases in the heads of the leaders (affinity bias etc).
These challenges are really problematic for women to actively address themselves because they are about attitudes in other people's heads. Anything we do that lies within our immediate sphere of influence to "solve" the situation will not get to the core of the problem.
The GFC hasn't helped: it strongly refocused professional service firms on clients and away from their talent, who simultaneously became meeker.
Another challenge not listed in the comments above is the ghettoisation of concepts like flexibility and balance as wimmin's issues. Men want choices too but that isn't talked about. Interestingly, I know of one firm where in fact some men as well as women had short working weeks, and ALL of them, men and women, failed to maintain their original part time arrangement. Some ramped up from 60 to 80%, others returned to 100%, others left the firm. I think part time is very problematic in the overdelivery culture of these firms.
Also interesting is a comment I heard that when dads have a 4 day week, they focus on work 4 days and then focus on the child on the fifth. The mum in the same situation never stops thinking about the child...
These challenges are really problematic for women to actively address themselves because they are about attitudes in other people's heads. Anything we do that lies within our immediate sphere of influence to "solve" the situation will not get to the core of the problem.
The GFC hasn't helped: it strongly refocused professional service firms on clients and away from their talent, who simultaneously became meeker.
Another challenge not listed in the comments above is the ghettoisation of concepts like flexibility and balance as wimmin's issues. Men want choices too but that isn't talked about. Interestingly, I know of one firm where in fact some men as well as women had short working weeks, and ALL of them, men and women, failed to maintain their original part time arrangement. Some ramped up from 60 to 80%, others returned to 100%, others left the firm. I think part time is very problematic in the overdelivery culture of these firms.
Also interesting is a comment I heard that when dads have a 4 day week, they focus on work 4 days and then focus on the child on the fifth. The mum in the same situation never stops thinking about the child...
The SheEO commented on 23-Dec-2010 10:47 AM
Really interesting points you raise Sarah - and really shows where we need to focus some firm attention - ie on men and women, not just "wimmin" as you point out. Thanks very much for the comment.
Tracy McGawn commented on 11-Jul-2011 03:02 PM
I wonder if you are going to do another seminar? Unfortunately I missed out on this one. I guess I'm in the position where this is most critical, being a female manager in an audit division. I'm one of two female managers in the office, and being 29 I'm
starting to think about the possibility of maintaining my career at the same time as having a family. My company is being supportive of any changes that I may require (so the boss tells me - putting it into practice will be the big test), however I doubt there
is the actual possibility of being a partner. I would also like to support the young female talent that has joined our firm over the last year or two. However having nothing to benchmark against what is ok and what isn't, I'm going to have to be the pioneer!
Any comments/suggestions/inspirations would be greatly appreciated
starting to think about the possibility of maintaining my career at the same time as having a family. My company is being supportive of any changes that I may require (so the boss tells me - putting it into practice will be the big test), however I doubt there
is the actual possibility of being a partner. I would also like to support the young female talent that has joined our firm over the last year or two. However having nothing to benchmark against what is ok and what isn't, I'm going to have to be the pioneer!
Any comments/suggestions/inspirations would be greatly appreciated
The SheEO commented on 11-Jul-2011 10:56 PM
Hi Tracy we don't currently have anything planned... but there's always events being added to our recommendations page. Sounds like you have a lot to contemplate... if I can help please don't hesitate to use the contact us page to drop me a line. Good
luck with it! jen
luck with it! jen
Comments
{tag_commentlist}