CORPORATE VISIBILITY NEEDS QUOTABLE WOMEN

On the eve of International Women’s Day, millions of women across the globe are preparing to step out of the shadows. 

They will step up to talk about making positive changes at formal events such as UNWomen and curated lunches like Collabor8Women.

They will also step out to acknowledge the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while also issuing a call-to-action for gender parity.

This ‘stepping up’ however is something that is not currently reflected across the Australian media landscape.

In fact, the recent Women in Media Gender Scorecard (which identifies core areas in media analytics to monitor positive or negative shifts towards achieving gender parity)  revealed that, when it comes to quotable experts, women are severely under-represented, with males making up 70 per cent of the ‘expert talent pool’ in Australian media.

This is despite some industries, such as retail and education, employing more females.

So, why is this the case?

A lack of confidence is keeping some women from putting up their hands for promotions, pay rises, media interviews and industry speaking gigs. As a result, they’re missing out on valuable opportunities for professional growth.

Another major contributing factor is visibility – or lack thereof.

In journalism, a source or ‘expert’ is known as talent, and journalists, often time-poor and on deadline, rely on quick access to people in their contact books rather than wasting time searching for a quotable source.

So, it would be safe to assume that, if you’re not visible, you won’t be considered.

The power of visibility cannot be understated and in any organisation; visibility is everyone’s business.

Becoming a media talent or quotable expert should not be predicated on hierarchy – the boss is not always the best person to step up.

Just like a chess game, a king can move out of the way to enable others to execute that winning move.

In a direct response to the need to close the media gender talent gap, a new professional training program has been launched to empower women with the tools necessary to be ready, willing and able to step up to the media spotlight.

The program, Quotable Women, combines two proven brands: The Power of Visibility, which identifies experts and builds a culture of corporate visibility, and TM Media Training, which teaches potential spokespeople how to confidently deal with media interviews. 

The program is built on three fundamental steps to put more women in the spotlight: Review & Assess; Train & Develop; and Execute (RATE).

Quotable Women encourages leaders to put their workplace culture under the microscope, to review and assess their organisations with respect to the level of female representation within their organisations.

It also gives leaders the tools necessary to identify, nurture and maintain your organisation’s talent, skills and knowledge, as well as building up personal confidence.

Developing spokespeople based on potential rather than hierarchy, builds a reserve of talent that is well-prepared for any media 'curveball’.

While nurturing potential media talent is crucial for any organisation, supporting employees in building their professional brand is just as integral.

Encouraging participation in mentoring programs or networking events, for example, sends a tacit message that you’re investing in that employee’s potential.

Giving women in your workplace a platform, from which they can widely share their expertise and experience, speaks volumes about the values of your organisation, as well as your commitment to shining a light on women’s achievements every day, not just on March 8. 

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Karen Eck is a publicity and brand strategist. She helps businesses and organisations build a positive pathway to career visibility through her signature workshop and masterclass. www.powerofvisibility.com.au