Can You Climb the Tech Ladder?
On the Systers blog hosted by the Anita Borg institute today I found an intriguing subject line – Savvy Geek Chix – promoting an event in SF on how to survive this economy. This is top of mind right now, especially since I just received word that the fiancee’s dad, after 30+ years with Sprint, is on the “take a year and look for a new job” list right now.
But then I stumbled upon something a bit more tangible for me in Dallas – a recent research publication on Climbing the Technical Ladder: Obstacles and Solutions for Mid-Level women in Technology. Here are four things the research points to as solutions that you should look for and consider doing if you are trying to foster growth and prosperity for the technical women within:
1. Professional Development
Leading or being part of a company that invests in each employee is critical to not just the growth of the employee, but of the competencies of the organization and the retention of employees. Being in technology means staying on top of the latest trends and technologies, not, using what you learned 15 years ago only. Find ways to learn, if not via internal training then by going to classes outside of the company.
2. Positive Culture
We need to be in an environment that has positive energy – not necessarily rewarding you for just getting out of bed and showing up for work but – one that can encourage you to deliver great results, foster team work and collaboration while meeting the company’s goals and objectives. We should be encouraged to take risks and try new things, not getting our hand slapped every time we try something different.
3. Managers Who “Get It”
Managers need to understand that there IS a difference in how women and men behave and communicate. They also have different support structures and needs due to their roles and responsibilities not just on the job, but back at home. More may need flex time. Or they need to be able to work from home. But this may relate to men as well, so it is important that managers today understand the world as we knew it – 1 stay at home person while the other works – is not the norm but the exception now a days.
4. Diversity At the Top
To encourage women to stay and see a longer term path for them, it is critical to show that there are female senior leaders in the ranks to show it is possible to get there. An all white male board says something completely different from a board of diverse professionals. Again, you don’t want to just reward a woman for showing up every day and are now a senior executive, but you need to find those with the skill, experience and aptitude to deliver what the company is looking to deliver.
Now if companies were doing this before the bubble burst…
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