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Research conducted by everywoman shows that when women have access to role models, they feel more inspired, are more focussed on career development, more likely to be promoted, and less likely to leave the organisation.
[1]
The case for workplace mentorship as a means to advancing women in business is strong. However, there remains a gender gap in the availability of mentors, with female managers more likely than men to feel a lack of such instrumental
resources designed to help them flourish over the long term and succeed in leadership roles.[2]
“A strong mentor can help a young woman find and advance in the career of her dreams that otherwise may have seemed impossible,” says US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. But what does ‘strong’ look like? Based on polls conducted in our
monthly everywomanNetwork webinars, we present three issues currently facing women in business, and the ways in which an intervening mentor can make all the difference.
1. 69% of women have been impacted by the belief that becoming a mother will stop them reaching the top[3]
MENTOR ACTION: Counteract unconscious bias by undertaking regular career plan reviews
That a returning mother will be less focussed on her career than she was prior to starting a family is arguably one of the most pervasive myths that hold women back, and one that even the most diverse and inclusive leader
can unintentionally reinforce.
Benevolence bias is hugely prevalent. It can lead a manager to leave a new mum off the invite list for an overseas business trip, or ask someone else to lead that high profile, potentially career-defining new
project. After all, she doesn’t need the hassle right now with everything else going on.But such ‘favours’ can severely impact careers, leading to reduced visibility and fewer growth opportunities that could just
make all the difference come salary review time or as promotions come into view.
What if, rather than child-rearing itself, it’s the attitude towards child-rearing that stops women getting to the top?
Fiona Morden
everywoman associate and gender intelligence expert
As a mentee winds down to maternity leave, challenge her to consider where she is against her career plan and how she’d like her return to the workplace to aid her future goals. Once she’s back in the hot seat, suggest that regular
career plan reviews are built into the agenda of your meet-ups.
Key considerations include:
- In what ways is she prepared to stand still while she navigates the new challenges in her life?
- In what ways does she want to forge ahead over the coming 12 months?
- How can she best communicate her growth plan to her line manager so that she remains in line for key opportunities?
2. Only 34% of women feel entirely comfortable asking for their mentor’s time and expertise[4]
MENTOR ACTION: Put the mentee firmly in charge of the agenda
Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.
Bobby Unser
US Racing Driver
mentor/mentee relationship, whereby the former lacks the time and inclination to continually drive the conversation forward, and the latter waits to be told what to do.
The most successful mentoring relationships, says Parsons, are ones where, even when the mentee is being coached or sponsored by a much more senior person in the organisation, they “see it as something [they] take part in.”
A strong mentor wants the protégé to take a proactive stance to their learning and development. So, whether you’re laying down the ground rules for a fledging mentorship, or conducting a review of where the relationship is going, permit
the junior partner to take ownership. This might involve them:
- Specifying the frequency and regularity of meet-ups required.
- Setting and distributing the agenda for the conversation: what’s the burning issue we should be seeking to address in this session?
- Agreeing a ‘feedback contract’ whereby it’s understood in what format and how often they’d benefit from receiving constructive advice.
3. 94% of women have repeated past mistakes[5]
MENTOR ACTION: Normalise failure and shine a spotlight on weaknesses
to progress.[6] A transparent and honest assessment of workplace weaknesses, complete with a plan of action for overcoming or mitigating them, is a critical factor in career
growth. But where external help from a mentor is concerned, it seems women might be being short-changed.
Lots of things fail. We have to fail to learn and to innovate.
Nigel Linge,
University of Salford’s telecommunications expert, speaking on BBC Breakfast (June 2017)
Research shows that women in male dominated environments are more likely to enjoy rapid promotions and pay rises when they are mentored by more senior men.[7] But that’s despite the
existence of a so-called “challenge scale”, which sees male leaders push male protégés harder than they do their female counterparts.[8]
Unconscious bias is likely to lay behind such treatment. The authors of a Harvard Business Review article argue that male leaders may be influenced by persistent stereotypes about females’ capabilities and their likely negative or
emotional reactions to criticism, and are socially conditioned to take on more of a nurturing role in their relationships with women subordinates.
“Too many men are averse to pushing their female mentees the way they push their male protégés,” they say, advocating that mentors provide challenging and critical feedback, encourage on-going and honest assessments of flaws, and stay
attuned to tactics employed by the mentee to avoid difficult situations or growth opportunities that necessitate a step outside the comfort zone.
[1] In our 2016 everywomanNetwork member survey, 74% of women highlighted role models as a source of inspiration, 55% as an instigator for greater career focus, and 42% as a means to
promotion. Meanwhile 75% said that access to role models ensured they were more likely to see futures at their existing organisations. These results are explored in our white paper
https://www.everywoman.commy-development/retaining-and-advancing-women-business-model-success/.
[3] Poll conducted during the everywomanNetwork webinar
Understanding the gender dynamic in motivation and ambition
(March 2017)
[4] Poll conducted during the everywomanNetwork webinar
https://www.everywoman.com/my-development/webinars/how-can-i-get-most-mentoring (February
2015)
