Formidable Females BAWP October 2011

1. Formidable Females BAWP October 2011 Mind Associates Ltd Mary Keightley www.mindassociates.com Performance is born in the mindTM

2. 70 years to achieve gender-balanced boardrooms in the UK’s largest 100 companies Equality and Human Rights Commission (2008) 70 %— say they don’t have a strategy for developing women leaders, Mercer. Picture courtesy of Thad Zajdowicz

3. Where we are.... • 190 Heads of State • Seats in Parliament around the world. • Corporate jobs USA • Full professors USA • 9 are women • 13% women • 2002 -15% women • 2011- ? • STILL 15% • 24% women

4. Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia She is a lawyer, and the 27th PM of Australia. • President Mary McAleese, Ireland She is Ireland's second female president.  She is the country's first president to come from Belfast.  McAleese is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, "an international network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development." • President Tarja Halonen, Finland She is the country's 11th president and first female to hold this office. Throughout her political career, Halonen has described herself as supporter of international solidarity • Chancellor Angela Merkel, GermanyShe is the first female Chancellor of Germany. In 2007 she became the second woman to chair the G8, after Margaret Thatcher. From 2006 to 2009, Forbes Magazine has named her the most powerful woman in the world • President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf , Liberia She is the first and currently the only elected female head of state in Africa. In 2010, Newsweek listed her as one of the ten best leaders in the world, while Time counted her among the top ten female leaders. • President Pratibha Patil, India  She is the 12th and current President of the Republic of India as well as the first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007 • President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentina She is Argentina's first elected female president.  She is an advocate for human rights, poverty awareness and health improvement. • Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party, since 1981 and is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, • Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, Iceland After divorcing her husband, she joined in a civil union with Jónína Leósdóttir in 2002. In 2010, when same-sex marriage was legalized in Iceland, Jóhanna and Jónína changed their civil union into a marriage, thus becoming one of the first same-sex married couples in Iceland.   In 2009, Forbes listed her among the 100 Most Powerful Women in the world

5. And the Mercer Survey Says... • 43% NO ACTIVITIES • 23% SOME ACTIVITIES • 19% TRACK AND MONITOR ONLY • 5% ROBUST PROGRAMME • 4% PLAN TO ADD IN FUTURE

6. What is the Problem? • Top three factors “preventing women in their organizations’ leadership talent pools from advancing to the next level.” The leading response, from among 13 choices, • Lack of an executive sponsor (43 percent), • Insufficient breadth of experience (36 percent) • Work-life balance (21 percent).

7. Leading the Change... Question 1: Can you change? Question 2: Do you want to change? Question 3: How quickly can you change

9. Affluence, Technology, Globilization Conceptual Age Creators and Empathizers Information Age Knowledge workers Industrial Age Factory workers Agricultural Age farmers 18th Century 19th Century 20th Century 21st Century

10. “The peril is that our world moves at a furious pace. Computers and networks grow faster and more interconnected each day. China and India are becoming economic behemoths. Material abundance in the advanced world continues to grow. That means that the greatest rewards go to those that move fast. The first group of people who develop a whole new mind, who master high-concept and high touch abilities, will do extremely well. The rest-those who move slowly or not at all-may miss out or worse suffer” Dan Pink

11. Ask Yourself............ are you committed to making change..... ......or just interested in talking about change?

12. MUST HAVES.... • High tolerance for change • Desire to Lead • Talent

13. “Dinnertime was touch-point at the end of each day. Perhaps it was at the dinner table that Michelle honed her undeniable talent for discussing and debating and ultimately persuading others to move to her side of an argument” It was this powerful skill that led her husband to nickname her “the closer” on the campaign trail. When asked “how does your husband get ready for important TV debates?” her reply “he hangs out with me, that’s how he gets ready” extract from the First Lady of Hope, Elizabeth Lightfoot.

14. So what are you brilliant at?

15. MAKING SURE THEY KNOW YOUR GOOD!! Critical Question? What do you do to make sure you are recognised?

16. The Formidable Female.... • Know who they are, what they value and they make decisions accordingly • They know their core strengths and they turn them into capabilities. • They do their homework, take their time and are prepared so they can seize opportunity when it happens.

18. What were you thinking? I am different I feel excited I am unique I feel comfortable I feel excited They wish they were pink! • I am alone • I feel scared • I feel isolated/Outnumbered • I feel uncomfortable • I feel anxiety • I wish I was white Delphic Oracle gave the advice to “know thyself” thousands of years ago Formidable Females must have high levels of Self Awareness which means having a deep understanding of one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, needs and drives.

19. 3 key promotion criteria • 1. High Level of Competence • 2. Decisiveness • 3. Ability to Lead • If it is men or mostly men making the decision about promotion they may misinterpret women’s way of talking as showing indecisiveness, inability to assume authority and even incompetence.

20. Be careful how you make decisions. How you see it isn’t how they (males) see it! • ACTION: You ask the opinions of others around you before making a decision • REASON • You want to preserve and protect relationships • Do not want to appear bossy and arrogant. • INTERPRETATION: Your male boss or male colleague • You don’t know what to do. • You are trying to get others to make the decision for you • Your not smart enough.

21. “I am still surprised that there are people who make decisions because they’re afraid of what might not work” “My mother raised us not to make decisions on what could go wrong or we’d never go forward”. “Growing up, my mother always taught me to work hard to achieve my dreams and to never let anyone tell me that I couldn’t do something. It’s definitely the most valuable lesson I’ve learned” “The challenge for us is to ask, “What are we ready for?” This one is on us see-, we like to talk about change, but we don’t really like change, we want easy change, we want change that will make us feel comfortable, but that’s not how change happens, its not something that’s just going to come to you passively.

22. Five Dimensions of Centred Leadership FRAMING Self-awareness Learning Optimism Moving on Adaptability CONNECTING Inclusiveness Reciprocity Network Design Sponsorship Pre- Conditions Talent Desire to Lead Tolerance for Change Outcomes Impact Renewal Joy Your personal and professional ...context ENGAGING Voice Ownership Opportunities, risks and ..Fears MEANING Happiness Core Strengths Purpose ENERGISING Sources and Uses Recovery Flow Breakthrough Model How Remarkable Women Lead Joanna Barsh, Susie Cranston, Geoffrey Lewis, McKinsey and Co

23. Meaning HappinessCore StrengthsPurpose A defining trait among leaders • Meaning is the motivation in your life, profound belief in what you are doing, feeds commitment and gives you the courage no matter what the odds. • Know who they are, what they value and they make decisions accordingly • They know their core strengths and they turn them into capabilities.

24. Framing Self-awarenessLearned OptimismMoving onAdaptability Male or Female, all leaders must be optimists • Positive Framing gives you a strength and clarity to keep moving ahead no matter what obstacles. • Optimism correlates with success • Women who have positive frames also have flexible mindsets, they believe they can control their futures and that they can influence the outcome • Pessimists will always assume the worst and take it personally, Optimists look for solutions and laugh

25. ConnectingInclusivenessReciprocityNetwork DesignSponsorship Influence flows along the lines of Affiliation and contact! • In a team or group the person who is first to report the findings will get most of the credit for the ideas. • The one who eats lunch with the boss may be doing more to get ahead than the one who sits in the office working! • Do you work on high profile projects that may make you visible to people in power. • Does anyone know you do a brilliant job...

26. LADIES WHO LUNCH..... CHANGE YOUR EATING HABITS..!

27. GET YOURSELF A MENTOR..... PAY ATTENTION TO THE DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MENAND WOMEN IT IS DANGEROUS TO COPY MALE TACTICS IN THE WORKPLACE, OBSERVE THEM BUT UNDERSTAND THE RULES FOR WOMEN DIFFER AND UNDERSTANDING CONTEXT IS VITAL. THIS IS PRECISELY WHY A MALE ROLE MODEL MAY NOT WORK IN A MENTORING ROLE FOR AN ASPIRING FEMALE LEADER.

28. Formidable Females have Verbal Charisma EngagingVoiceOwnershipOpportunities, risks and fears • Leading ladies have clarity and confidence in their own capabilities which mitigates risk. • The ability to intellectually assassinate is comforting when in difficult conversations. • Stand up, Speak up. Leading Ladies have presence. • Leading ladies have courage • They are good at listening as well as talking

29. BEHAVIOURAL RITUALS • Important if.... • You apologise a lot and if others don’t. • You are the only female in a meeting • You will create an impression of low confidence • You weaken your power • Research even shows you may even reduce your chances of promotion!

30. “We judge others not only on how they speak, but also by how they are spoken to” We must manage how we are perceived...

31. EnergisingSources and UsesRecoveryFlow To keep the lamp burning you must put oil in it. Mother Theresa • Know what makes you Stop and Go • Physical: How much energy do you have right now? • Cognitive: How easy is it for you to stay focused? • Psychological: What sparks anxiety? What makes you want to dance? • Social: Who drains you? Who lifts you?

32. The Women on Boards debate will continue.... A woman's presence on a company board might make meetings "prettier and more colorful" (this comment sent his personal stock plummeting) Deutsche Bank boss Josef Ackermann "The financial crisis may have turned out differently if there had been more Lehman sisters instead of brothers," EU Justice Commissioner Reding.

33. The Reality.... "In these difficult economic times, the case for getting more women on company boards has never been stronger. We need to use all human capital available to restore Europe's competitiveness at a global level. We cannot afford to leave out 50% of our population.“ Women on boards Report Feb 2011, Lord Davies of Abersoch, CBE final thoughts....

34. Women almost never make one decision to leave the workforce. It doesn't happen that way. They make small little decisions along the way that eventually lead them there. Maybe it's the last year of med school when they say, I'll take a slightly less interesting specialty because I'm going to want more balance one day. Maybe it's the fifth year in a law firm when they say, I'm not even sure I should go for partner, because I know I'm going to want kids eventually. These women don't even have relationships, and already they're finding balance, balance for responsibilities they don't yet have. And from that moment, they start quietly leaning back... So, my heartfelt message to all of you is, and start thinking about this now, Do not leave before you leave. Do not lean back; lean in. Put your foot on that gas pedal and keep it there until the day you have to make a decision, and then make a decision. That's the only way, when that day comes, you'll even have a decision to make. Sheryl Sandberg

35. “Every woman in public Life needs to develop skin as tough as rhinoceros hide” Eleanor Roosevelt

36. Be careful what you accept........... 70 or should that be 7 years to achieve gender-balanced boardrooms in the UK’s largest 100 companies? 70 or should that be 7 %— say they don’t have a strategy for developing women leaders?