There are often conflicting opinions about women-only training and development. Dawn Leane illustrates why 'equal' does not mean 'same' and explains the benefits of women-only development opportunities. 

Engineers Ireland recently reported that Ireland ranks 34th of 36 OECD countries in terms of gender balance among engineering graduates.

Interestingly, it was reported that most female engineers (56%) feel that the engineering sector in Ireland has better opportunities for men than it does for women, a view shared by the majority of Irish adults (57%).

OECD figures also indicate that in Ireland a mere 14% of bachelor graduates from engineering-related programmes are women, compared with the top performers such as Iceland (42%), Poland (40%) and Sweden (37%), with the OECD average 25%.

In February 2020, the 30% Club Ireland released its Women in Management report. The report finds that, while gender balance has improved at middle management levels, progress is needed at the most senior levels of organisations.

This reflects the findings of the second Balance for Better Business report, published in December 2019, which reveals that while progress is being made, a significant gender imbalance persists at the top level of businesses in Ireland.

On average, ISEQ 20 companies reached 25.3% female directors by September 1, 2019, achieving the Balance for Better Business interim target (of 25%) set for the end of 2020. However, little progress has been made among the other listed companies.

Despite a target of no all-male boards listed on Euronext Dublin by the end of 2019, as at July 2020 there remain 11 all-male boards among all listed companies.

And it is not just a challenge in Ireland, the 2019 McKinsey Women in the Workplace survey illustrates how women lose ground early and consequently are underrepresented at every subsequent level.

Biggest obstacle

The report coins the term 'broken rung' to describe how the biggest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership is at the first step up to manager. For every 100 men promoted and hired to manager, only 72 women are promoted and hired.

This broken rung results in more women getting stuck at the entry level, and fewer women becoming managers. Not surprisingly, men end up holding 62% of manager-level positions, while the percentage for women is 38%.

Percentage of women employees by level. McKinsey & LEAN IN, Women in the Workplace 2019

This underrepresentation has a long-term impact on the talent pipeline. Even as recruitment and promotion figures improve for women, without adequate numbers in the pipeline it becomes increasingly difficult to create balance at senior levels.

The situation is undeniably complex and there is no single factor that inhibits women's progress. Yet all too often the issues are represented in an overly simplistic way.

Take for example the so-called ‘confidence-gap’. The very term suggests a deficiency, a shortcoming in women; if only women would be more confident, they could achieve anything.

One determinant of career success

Of course, that’s rarely the case in practice. Self-confidence is one determinant of career success, but it is not the main factor.

There is a widely accepted narrative (despite a lack of quality research to support this assertion) that if a man only has 50% of the skills and experience required for a role, he will apply anyway because he is confident. Whereas his female counterpart will only apply if she meets 80% or more of the criteria, because she lacks confidence.  

When repeated often enough, this narrative can leave intelligent and accomplished women accepting the idea that they are lacking self-confidence. When we tell women to be more confident, to lean in, to ‘go for it’ that can be counterproductive.

Are we really saying that women should apply for roles with just 50% of the requisite skillset? What is the likelihood of any professional being successful in such a scenario?

Misrepresenting a lack of self-confidence as one of the main factors that holds women back is particularly unhelpful as it puts the responsibility firmly back on women.

The issue of confidence is much more nuanced, than generally suggested. In my coaching and training work, I rarely encounter a woman who lacks confidence in her abilities – where there is a lack of confidence it is most often in respect of her environment. If she puts herself out there, how will she be received?

Experiment

Researchers at Northern Illinois University conducted an experiment where a group of female students wrote scholarship application essays, detailing their skills and achievements. They had to state why they were the most deserving recipient.

Participants were randomly assigned to different groupings; some were told their application would be anonymous, others were told their application would bear a man's name or that their application would bear their own name.

The results were most consistent with what is termed ‘backlash avoidance mechanism’ whereby women feel uncomfortable self-promoting due to perceived social consequences.

This issue of how women are perceived is another challenge that is regularly oversimplified. Perhaps the best example of this is the concept of the ‘double-bind’. A double bind is a dilemma in communication in which an individual receives two or more conflicting messages.

In terms of gender balance, it means that women who succeed are held to a different standard than their male counterparts. To succeed, women must display the traits commonly associated with effective leadership, such as assertiveness. However, when women behave assertively, they may suffer a whole other set of consequences that men typically don’t experience.

Being taken seriously

Being empathetic, looking for the win-win or simply having a pleasant demeanour can prevent women from being taken seriously, while being direct, assertive or openly ambitious often means they are labelled difficult.

Simply put they cannot win, and these contradictory expectations are just as likely to come from other women as from male colleagues.

In respect of the double bind, women are told to ‘man-up’, that it doesn’t matter if they are liked as long as they are respected. But the challenge of the double-bind is not that women need to be liked, rather there is a significant, long-term impact associated with it. The double-bind can prevent women from receiving crucial feedback that they need in order to progress.

According to research conducted by McKinsey and Leanin.org, managers were more likely to cite concerns about seeming harsh or provoking an emotional response when delivering critical feedback to women.

The double-bind means that women also face bias when giving feedback. Research has found that employees' job satisfaction dropped more when female managers delivered critical feedback than when male managers did.

Once again, this bias existed in both female and male employees, but the male employees surveyed viewed their female managers as less competent after receiving criticism from them.

These, and other challenges that are specific to women, are the reason why women-only development is one of most efficient ways to accelerate progress towards gender balance in leadership.

Yet, it development is contentious for a number of reasons; some argue that it is not representative of the actual workplace, it perpetuates the belief that women are somehow ‘lacking’ and undermines the argument that men and women are equal. 

However, it is important not to confuse equal with same. While women are equally capable, their leadership journey is very different to that of men. As the leadership journey is experienced differently by women, it follows that some of their developmental needs will also differ.

Access to female role models

Women-only development allows women a space to explore their leadership identity, discuss issues unique to them such as barriers to advancement and provides access to female role models.

It allows women to build skills in areas where they often feel uncomfortable and at a disadvantage, such as self- promotion. It also encourages them to develop a network and support system, while learning from the experience of other participants.

However, it is essential to ensure that it is not the only type of development on offer to aspiring women leaders. Women-only workshops are most effective when part of a wider leadership development programme and, where possible, underpinned by mentoring and sponsorship opportunities.

Those five small, but significant words equal does not mean same, are the basis of any work I do with women. With that guiding principle, I help women to navigate their environment and overcome the advantage men often have when it comes to understanding the behavioural norms and unwritten rules in organisations.

We also challenge the perceived wisdom about self-confidence, balancing family responsibilities and accessing strong role models. We take a practical approach, addressing some of the skills that support women's development such as networking, managing their professional brand and navigating power dynamics.

Author: Dawn Leane is an executive coach and corporate trainer, specialising in leadership development. She has a particular interest in women's leadership and issues of diversity. She will deliver a virtual workshop Women in Engineering: Strategies for Advancing Your Career for Engineers Ireland in two parts on October 6 and October 8.