'Glass Ceilings' and Women in Leadership

In last month's issue, we presented a participants' exchange that followed ALFA International's October, 2013, Labor & Employment Practice Group Seminar on “glass ceilings.” The conclusion herein shifts the focus from defeating the “glass ceiling” to the state of women in leadership roles, and how these can be reached more regularly.

In addition to myself, a Partner at Wadleigh, Starr & Peters in Manchester NH, participants included Byrona Maule, Co-Chair of Labor & Employment, Phillips Murrah, Oklahoma City, OK; Sarah Powell, General Counsel, Advance Auto Parts, Roanoke, VA; Kymberly Wellons, Associate General Counsel ' Litigation Compliance, MWV, Richmond, VA; Elaine Moss, Principal, Brown & James, St. Louis, MO; and Vickie Carcaise, Corporate Counsel, National Beverage, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

What follows is the conclusion of the conversation:

Q. What initiatives can businesses and law firms implement to achieve diversity and assure that women within their organizations have the opportunity to advance and have a real voice?

A. “For diversity initiatives to succeed, women must truly have a place, and a voice, at the table. We won't see the results of better and more informed decision-making if the viewpoints and opinions of the women at the table are not given equal consideration.” ' Kathleen Peahl

A. “One of the key ways in which business and law firms can achieve diversity and ensure [that] women have a voice is to maintain robust mentoring programs for women and other minorities. Women leaders need to have both female and male mentors to provide perspective on their performance and interaction with other leaders. The ideal mix of mentors would be both senior leaders as well as peers. Mentorships can assist women to figure out how to express themselves and be heard most effectively within an organization.

Many organizations also provide or send employees to leadership conferences specifically addressing issues most often encountered by women leaders. These conferences are very helpful because they provide a forum where women can speak out about issues they are encountering without the stigma that may be created if they raise the issues to leaders within their own organizations. Such conferences also provide an opportunity for women to hear that they “are not alone” in facing specific issues and give insights into resolving those issues.

One of the most important ways all types of organizations can support women leaders is to ask senior leadership to look within and be careful not to stifle the voices of women leaders. Many articles and studies have shown that CEOs and other senior leaders may unintentionally ignore assertions or statements made by women while they accept the same or similar assertions or statements made by male counterparts. This tendency of some senior leaders can often discourage women leaders from speaking up. Senior leaders must be encouraged to take a close look at themselves and recognize any tendency they may have to listen more readily to male leaders so that they can adjust those tendencies and provide a true opportunity to women leaders to have a real voice.” ' Sarah Powell

A. “Sarah, I think you used one of the most important words in your response ' “Opportunity.” At the end of the day, whatever program(s) a company decides to use, it has to create a meaningful opportunity for women in the workplace. Once that opportunity is created, it is up to us to take advantage of that opportunity and really perform. I think sometimes, we are our own worst enemy because sometimes opportunities are created in the workplace ' and women are sometimes hesitant to take advantage of them.” ' Byrona Maule

Q. Being willing to ask for help is just one way women can help themselves succeed. What other things can women do to help themselves achieve leadership roles and truly have their voices be heard? What examples can you give from your own experiences?

A. “Be loud and be proud. Have career goals and life goals, embrace them and advocate for yourself. I grew up in a world where my Mom told me that if I was smart and good at what I did, then good things would happen for me and she was wrong. Being good is part of the equation, obviously, but there's so much more and, in my opinion, women have not been as prepared for, and they are not as comfortable with, articulating, building support and advocating for their advancement in organizations. I would say that this continues to be my biggest limitation ' and it is self-imposed.

As a single working parent, I was often asked to speak on juggling work and life and achieving balance ' none of which I was doing well. I spent most of my speaking time with amusing anecdotes intended to help women understand that none of us [is] Superwoman. As I would often honestly share, most of my days started off with throwing a bunch of balls in the air and then spending the remainder of the day trying to catch as many as I could. I may have eased their minds a bit and taken some guilt off their plates for that day, but I certainly didn't help anyone build a career. What I was doing was haphazard and self-defeating. What I would tell those women today is [to] quit trying to juggle everything. Be strategic in your life and in your career. Think about where you want to be and then decide what you need to do and who you need to cultivate as mentors and bridges to get there (this plan may change over time and that is ok). Then, delegate, share, and offload responsibilities where it makes sense. Devote time to developing your connections. Ask for advancement. Be loud and be proud.” ' Kymberly Wellons

A. “We need to identify our goals and go after them, both personal and professional. We are all responsible for ourselves and making our way in the world. It's unlikely that anyone is going to hand anyone, male or female, the keys to the kingdom without a lot of hard work and determination. I have been fortunate throughout my career to have senior people, both male and female, help me along the way by promoting my work and serving as world-wise counselors. However, I believe advancement has also come my way because I embraced career opportunities, big and small, that have come my way and I have taken risks. If you want something, you need to go after it and understand that the road to it may not always be fun or comfortable. When you figure out you are not going to get what you want or need from your current situation, you need to move along rather than waiting for things to change. But before you move along, don't be afraid to speak up and ask for what you want or deserve because oftentimes, people are so busy they don't notice that something is 'a-miss” and you might find out that you can get what you want, you just needed to ask. Perhaps there are fewer women in senior leadership positions simply because they haven't raised their hand and said, 'I would like to do that job.'” ' Vickie Carcaise

A. “I analogize this to coaching elementary coed soccer. The boys will always take the ball even if they are outmatched. On the other hand, the girls will pass the ball to make sure everybody gets a touch, even when they are in the best position to put the ball in the net. This is not to bash the boys, they are just confident that they deserve the ball. The girls don't want to appear selfish, so they give opportunity to others.

The same is true in our careers. If we never call for the ball, we never get a chance to score. We need to realize we frequently are the best person to take an opportunity and we should stop looking around to see if someone else might want that same opportunity. Women also need to realize that just because they 'call for the ball' does not mean they have to score every time. They just have to be willing to take their best shots.” ' Elaine Moss

A. “I wholeheartedly echo everyone's sentiments on this point. Women must learn to ask in order to achieve leadership roles. Research has shown that men will often readily apply for a new position even though they possess only a few of the qualifications required, while women will pass on the same opportunity if they do not meet every single qualification specified. In other words, women don't ask for the new position or promotion.

On a personal level, I almost let the fear of asking get in the way of my promotion to General Counsel at my current workplace. After my prior General Counsel boss left our company, I was appointed as the Acting General Counsel and served in that role for several months. When asked if I wanted to apply for the General Counsel role at the beginning of my tenure as AGC, I said no. I felt I did not have expertise in a couple of areas of law that surely a General Counsel should have experience in. After several months of being the AGC, however, I noticed that most of the male candidates applying for the General Counsel position did not have expertise in every area either! At that point, I threw my hat in the ring and finally asked the company to consider me for the General Counsel role. I landed the position following some competition with other applicants. I was lucky in this case because I had not waited too long [and had] the courage to ask for the promotion. I learned a valuable lesson from this experience about asking for promotions, raises and resources.

Since taking the position as General Counsel, I have, at times, had portions of the Human Resources function reporting to me. In that position, I have also learned that men tend to ask for promotions, raises and resources not just here and there but regularly. As soon as a promotion is achieved, our male counterparts are often asking where and when the next promotion will be. As women, we should keep this in mind and make sure we advocate for ourselves as strenuously as our male counterparts.” '- Sarah Powell

Conclusion

To wrap up, there really can be no serious debate about whether women have achieved true equality in the workplace. While it is true that there are a number of highly successful women who seem to have broken the mold, almost every study conducted on the subject concludes that women are paid less than men and are less likely to hold the top positions in their fields. (The one exception is a study conducted by Reach Advisors in 2010 of 2,000 communities and found that single, childless women under age 30 earn more than men and in 147 of 150 large cities, the median full-time salaries of young women are 8% higher than young men.) Yet the number of women graduating from college and law school equals or exceeds the number of male graduates that these institutions are producing. Understanding the cause of this disparity is the first step to changing it. As with most complex societal issues, there is not one single cause, but a number of factors that combine to create the disparity. In the interim, we recommend that women leaders take it upon themselves to continue to challenge themselves and their female colleagues to assume new responsibilities whenever they are attainable and thrive at them.

Kathleen C. Peahl, a Partner at Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C. in Manchester, NH, is on the Board of Directors of ALFA International, and is Chair of the ALFA Women's Initiative Practice Group. Reach her at [email protected].

In last month's issue, we presented a participants' exchange that followed ALFA International's October, 2013, Labor & Employment Practice Group Seminar on “glass ceilings.” The conclusion herein shifts the focus from defeating the “glass ceiling” to the state of women in leadership roles, and how these can be reached more regularly.

In addition to myself, a Partner at Wadleigh, Starr & Peters in Manchester NH, participants included Byrona Maule, Co-Chair of Labor & Employment, Phillips Murrah, Oklahoma City, OK; Sarah Powell, General Counsel, Advance Auto Parts, Roanoke, VA; Kymberly Wellons, Associate General Counsel ' Litigation Compliance, MWV, Richmond, VA; Elaine Moss, Principal, Brown & James, St. Louis, MO; and Vickie Carcaise, Corporate Counsel, National Beverage, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

What follows is the conclusion of the conversation:

Q. What initiatives can businesses and law firms implement to achieve diversity and assure that women within their organizations have the opportunity to advance and have a real voice?

A. “For diversity initiatives to succeed, women must truly have a place, and a voice, at the table. We won't see the results of better and more informed decision-making if the viewpoints and opinions of the women at the table are not given equal consideration.” ' Kathleen Peahl

A. “One of the key ways in which business and law firms can achieve diversity and ensure [that] women have a voice is to maintain robust mentoring programs for women and other minorities. Women leaders need to have both female and male mentors to provide perspective on their performance and interaction with other leaders. The ideal mix of mentors would be both senior leaders as well as peers. Mentorships can assist women to figure out how to express themselves and be heard most effectively within an organization.

Many organizations also provide or send employees to leadership conferences specifically addressing issues most often encountered by women leaders. These conferences are very helpful because they provide a forum where women can speak out about issues they are encountering without the stigma that may be created if they raise the issues to leaders within their own organizations. Such conferences also provide an opportunity for women to hear that they “are not alone” in facing specific issues and give insights into resolving those issues.

One of the most important ways all types of organizations can support women leaders is to ask senior leadership to look within and be careful not to stifle the voices of women leaders. Many articles and studies have shown that CEOs and other senior leaders may unintentionally ignore assertions or statements made by women while they accept the same or similar assertions or statements made by male counterparts. This tendency of some senior leaders can often discourage women leaders from speaking up. Senior leaders must be encouraged to take a close look at themselves and recognize any tendency they may have to listen more readily to male leaders so that they can adjust those tendencies and provide a true opportunity to women leaders to have a real voice.” ' Sarah Powell

A. “Sarah, I think you used one of the most important words in your response ' “Opportunity.” At the end of the day, whatever program(s) a company decides to use, it has to create a meaningful opportunity for women in the workplace. Once that opportunity is created, it is up to us to take advantage of that opportunity and really perform. I think sometimes, we are our own worst enemy because sometimes opportunities are created in the workplace ' and women are sometimes hesitant to take advantage of them.” ' Byrona Maule

Q. Being willing to ask for help is just one way women can help themselves succeed. What other things can women do to help themselves achieve leadership roles and truly have their voices be heard? What examples can you give from your own experiences?

A. “Be loud and be proud. Have career goals and life goals, embrace them and advocate for yourself. I grew up in a world where my Mom told me that if I was smart and good at what I did, then good things would happen for me and she was wrong. Being good is part of the equation, obviously, but there's so much more and, in my opinion, women have not been as prepared for, and they are not as comfortable with, articulating, building support and advocating for their advancement in organizations. I would say that this continues to be my biggest limitation ' and it is self-imposed.

As a single working parent, I was often asked to speak on juggling work and life and achieving balance ' none of which I was doing well. I spent most of my speaking time with amusing anecdotes intended to help women understand that none of us [is] Superwoman. As I would often honestly share, most of my days started off with throwing a bunch of balls in the air and then spending the remainder of the day trying to catch as many as I could. I may have eased their minds a bit and taken some guilt off their plates for that day, but I certainly didn't help anyone build a career. What I was doing was haphazard and self-defeating. What I would tell those women today is [to] quit trying to juggle everything. Be strategic in your life and in your career. Think about where you want to be and then decide what you need to do and who you need to cultivate as mentors and bridges to get there (this plan may change over time and that is ok). Then, delegate, share, and offload responsibilities where it makes sense. Devote time to developing your connections. Ask for advancement. Be loud and be proud.” ' Kymberly Wellons

A. “We need to identify our goals and go after them, both personal and professional. We are all responsible for ourselves and making our way in the world. It's unlikely that anyone is going to hand anyone, male or female, the keys to the kingdom without a lot of hard work and determination. I have been fortunate throughout my career to have senior people, both male and female, help me along the way by promoting my work and serving as world-wise counselors. However, I believe advancement has also come my way because I embraced career opportunities, big and small, that have come my way and I have taken risks. If you want something, you need to go after it and understand that the road to it may not always be fun or comfortable. When you figure out you are not going to get what you want or need from your current situation, you need to move along rather than waiting for things to change. But before you move along, don't be afraid to speak up and ask for what you want or deserve because oftentimes, people are so busy they don't notice that something is 'a-miss” and you might find out that you can get what you want, you just needed to ask. Perhaps there are fewer women in senior leadership positions simply because they haven't raised their hand and said, 'I would like to do that job.'” ' Vickie Carcaise

A. “I analogize this to coaching elementary coed soccer. The boys will always take the ball even if they are outmatched. On the other hand, the girls will pass the ball to make sure everybody gets a touch, even when they are in the best position to put the ball in the net. This is not to bash the boys, they are just confident that they deserve the ball. The girls don't want to appear selfish, so they give opportunity to others.

The same is true in our careers. If we never call for the ball, we never get a chance to score. We need to realize we frequently are the best person to take an opportunity and we should stop looking around to see if someone else might want that same opportunity. Women also need to realize that just because they 'call for the ball' does not mean they have to score every time. They just have to be willing to take their best shots.” ' Elaine Moss

A. “I wholeheartedly echo everyone's sentiments on this point. Women must learn to ask in order to achieve leadership roles. Research has shown that men will often readily apply for a new position even though they possess only a few of the qualifications required, while women will pass on the same opportunity if they do not meet every single qualification specified. In other words, women don't ask for the new position or promotion.

On a personal level, I almost let the fear of asking get in the way of my promotion to General Counsel at my current workplace. After my prior General Counsel boss left our company, I was appointed as the Acting General Counsel and served in that role for several months. When asked if I wanted to apply for the General Counsel role at the beginning of my tenure as AGC, I said no. I felt I did not have expertise in a couple of areas of law that surely a General Counsel should have experience in. After several months of being the AGC, however, I noticed that most of the male candidates applying for the General Counsel position did not have expertise in every area either! At that point, I threw my hat in the ring and finally asked the company to consider me for the General Counsel role. I landed the position following some competition with other applicants. I was lucky in this case because I had not waited too long [and had] the courage to ask for the promotion. I learned a valuable lesson from this experience about asking for promotions, raises and resources.

Since taking the position as General Counsel, I have, at times, had portions of the Human Resources function reporting to me. In that position, I have also learned that men tend to ask for promotions, raises and resources not just here and there but regularly. As soon as a promotion is achieved, our male counterparts are often asking where and when the next promotion will be. As women, we should keep this in mind and make sure we advocate for ourselves as strenuously as our male counterparts.” '- Sarah Powell

Conclusion

To wrap up, there really can be no serious debate about whether women have achieved true equality in the workplace. While it is true that there are a number of highly successful women who seem to have broken the mold, almost every study conducted on the subject concludes that women are paid less than men and are less likely to hold the top positions in their fields. (The one exception is a study conducted by Reach Advisors in 2010 of 2,000 communities and found that single, childless women under age 30 earn more than men and in 147 of 150 large cities, the median full-time salaries of young women are 8% higher than young men.) Yet the number of women graduating from college and law school equals or exceeds the number of male graduates that these institutions are producing. Understanding the cause of this disparity is the first step to changing it. As with most complex societal issues, there is not one single cause, but a number of factors that combine to create the disparity. In the interim, we recommend that women leaders take it upon themselves to continue to challenge themselves and their female colleagues to assume new responsibilities whenever they are attainable and thrive at them.

Kathleen C. Peahl, a Partner at Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C. in Manchester, NH, is on the Board of Directors of ALFA International, and is Chair of the ALFA Women's Initiative Practice Group. Reach her at [email protected].