International Women’s Day 2022
With each year that goes by I feel that International Women's Day is more and more important. Not just to celebrate women's social, economic, cultural and political achievements, but to also put a call to action to accelerate gender equality.
With all that is going on in this world, I try to imagine a world where we not only get along much better, a world where we see that this is not just a women's issue, or that the rise of women is not about the fall of men. And later a world where we are equal. A world that is free of prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world where differences are valued and celebrated.
I am often asked how individuals can support the work for more diversity and inclusion. Therefore I want to share some practical ideas about what we can all do.
Here are five things that we can all do. Not just on International Women's Day, but every day.
1. Ask for specifics
According to one study, women who negotiate are more likely to receive feedback that labels them as "intimidating," "too aggressive" or "bossy." In contrast, men are typically told they have good leadership skills, while women receive feedback that they should tone down their approach.
What you can do: If you observe this, ask for a specific example of what she did, and maybe even ask, "Would you have reacted the same way if a man had done the same thing?"
2. Acknowledge accomplishments
When women celebrate their accomplishments, they are often penalized for their self-promotion. As a result, a woman's contribution can go unnoticed. Not to mention, it gets even more complicated when you consider different cultural micro-processes and backgrounds.
What you can do: In everyday conversations, meetings, appraisals - make the effort to recognize women for their contributions.
3. Interrupt less
According to a study titled 'Sex Roles, Interruptions and Silences in Conversations,' women are more likely to be interrupted in meetings, not just by men, but by other women as well.
What you can do: If this is the case with one of your female colleagues, why not interject and say that you'd like to hear her out first? You can also look for ways to frame the conversation so that you can come back to the person who was interrupted at a later time.
4. Set a personal goal
We have all heard "what gets measured gets done." Why would you not set a personal goal and track your progression? Maybe you are a manager of a team and want to improve the demographic diversity of the team. Maybe you can set a goal to read at least one new article on this topic per week. Maybe you can make a pledge to challenge gender stereotypes, discrimination and bias, make space for underrepresented or try to influence others beliefs and actions in favor of positive visibility of women.
Whatever you decide, make sure you set a deadline for your goal so you can go back and review what's working and what’s not.
5. Check your blind spots.
As humans, we are biased. (Don’t believe me? Take a look at implicit.harvard.edu and read Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow.) The effects of bias make headlines every day, not only when it comes to gender inequality, but also in a range of long-standing inequalities in our society. Yet few of us are willing to admit what a big role it can play.
What can you do?
TIP: Dare to see yourself. Who are you? What are the benefits and advantages of being you? Let’s use our privilege to elevate each other.
Finally, why not create your own ways to support inclusion. Maybe even set up some time with a colleague to discuss and share experiences. Because increasing inclusion in the workplace won't happen just by chance.
