I've had a number of conversations recently regarding the role men can play in advancing women. I’ve written before about engaging the good guys at work, because while ever men dominate leadership roles in our companies and workplaces, we won’t achieve realistic change without them. But what about the role of men at home – must you have a supportive partner in your personal life in order to realize your full career potential? Read More
Nominate your “dream employer” for a $30 Red Balloon voucher and get your outstanding employer noticed
Sunday, August 15, 2010
There are a lot of stories about nightmare bosses. And the occasional twee one about an outstanding boss. But if you’ve actually got a dream employer you should nominate them for a Dream Employers Award. You’ll get a $30 Red Balloon Voucher for your time, which you can spend on a range of great experiences. I’d probably do it just for the voucher, but it’s also a great idea to celebrate the great bosses in the hope others will follow their lead. There is no doubt that great employers are magnetic for top talent, so get your workplace and manager noticed.
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Calling on all the good guys out there - we need your help!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Last week I attended the Women in Banking & Finance luncheon in Sydney as a guest of Pottinger where The Hon Joe Hockey, Shadow Treasurer, spoke about climbing mountains - personal, professional and physical (last year Hockey climbed Mt Kilimanjaro raising $1.5m in the process for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation) Read More
Reverse mentoring, sharing and bringing the blokes along on the journey
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Last week I met with a long-time mentor of mine who’s definitely a Good Guy. Tony and I met on a consulting project, he was on the client side and I was external but still he became a mentor. I went on to take a number of roles in that organisation and over the years we’ve stayed in touch sporadically. It’s one of those informal mentoring arrangements where I’d call on him for help with specific issues as they arose.
It was a welcome surprise when his text message popped up on my iPhone a couple of weeks back, suggesting that we meet. This time though, the tables had turned and it was Tony who was seeking advice. This was a reverse mentoring session: we were meeting so Tony could ask my advice on gender diversity and the approach he should take in his company since he’d been appointed to his company’s Diversity Council.
To use Tony’s words, he didn’t know where to begin and I think this is so often the case with the Good Guys in business. They can see the problem, they see the impact its having on their teams and on the bottom line, and they want to get involved in fixing it. They often just don’t know how.
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Exciting new program, BIG step forward
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
In November the Australian Institute of Company Directors announced that board diversity was an issue, so what are they doing about the fixing this issue? Read More
Looking for a seat in the C-suite?
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Then you
might be interested in the C-Suite Program
launched by the Business Council of Australia last week. The BCA is a
collection of CEOs of Australia’s top 100 or so companies and the
C-Suite Program will match CEOs involved in the pilot with one senior
woman from another BCA member company identified as having the potential
to become a CEO or CFO themselves within the next five years. Read More
Raising the bar and our expectations for women in leadership
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Even if you weren’t at last week’s Chief Executive Women luncheon, you might have read about the highs and lows in The Australian, the AFR and Chanticleer. I was there among the throng of men and women and enjoyed reconnecting with many women in my network and hearing from the ever passionate panel chair, Wendy McCarthy and panelist federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick who both set the scene and the challenge in proclaiming that the new ASX guidelines will have achieved their goal when 40% of board directors are women. Read More
The Perfect Gift for a Man
Friday, November 20, 2009
OK this is not normally a heading you'd expect to find on the sphinxx
site... but it's a terrific project that my good friend Scott Middleton
has been a contributor to. The Perfect Gift for a Man – 30 Stories about
Reinventing Manhood
is a book which aims to get men talking about their feelings and stories about
their own transition to manhood, in a bid to hep prevent male suicide (In
Australia, young men commit suicide at more than three times the rate of women
of the same age and mental illness and drug and alcohol dependency is severely
affecting men aged 16-24). Read More
Comments
My husband and I share 50% of the childcare and household responsibilities between us. My husband works full time in a demanding role and I also juggle many responsibilities with my business and not for profit interests. We do have access to excellent centre-based childcare and we outsource the cleaning. People often ask me how I have the time to do what I do - well, the outsourcing certainly helps but absolutely critical is the equal sharing of responsibilities with hubby. Without that support for each other, neither of us could achieve what we do and have a family life as well.
This is one model that doesn't involve one partner taking a "back seat" but I firmly believe in choice - however you do it, if it works for you and your family, that's all that matters - that is the true meaning of success.
Helen
Isn't the idea that there is generally support behind anyone who is successful? And how about the adage; "Behind every successful man, there is a woman?". So, same for us gals. I agree that a woman/person needs support. However, let's take the credit where it is due. Whoever is the frontman/frontwoman and is being brave by standing up for their belief/business/ideology must take the credit - that is where the risk is.
By the way, I have a wonderful man keeping me on track too.
Is this a great house husband behind a successful woman - sure has been to date, and I am hoping so for the future. Angela
I absolutely believe that behind every (or most at least) great person is a supportive partner. Man or woman.
I've worked with thousands of senior level execs and I can count on 1 hand the ones that have truly "made it to the top" without someone behind the scenes helping them with their day to day personal lives, and supporting the, being their #1 fan, in Jen's words.
I've long held the belief that that's why more women don't make it to the Board room. They don't have that equal partnership at home and / or a husband who truly supports what they do.
I've also seen a number of true house husbands during and I believe that arrangement can work extremely well, given the right dynamic between the partners. I can also be a disaster. You have to manage it very carefully.
I've had a very successful career, but until recently I've never had a truly supportive partner and I believe it's held me back. My partner now is not only my #1 fan, but truly wants to help me grow my business. It's so much nicer to get up every morning and know that there is someone that I can rely on for emotional support (and to kick my butt when I need it) as well as a great business mind that I can tap into when making decisions.
I also think that, as women, we find it easier to excel if we are working for the common good of the family. If we have a bigger goal than just ourselves.
I'm now experiencing what I've observed for so many years and for that I'm truly grateful.