How to #EmbraceEquity

#EmbraceEquity. This is the theme of international Women's Day on 8th of March. This is embracing the equity the brilliance of women everywhere. Women who are members of our family: all mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, partners, friends, colleagues at every level.?Only today I was watching the television and a presenter said “it's international women's next week; we should celebrate the 80,000 dinner ladies that feed the children in schools as part of international Women's Day!” and I agree with that!

However I was really disappointed to hear a recent survey by workplace bullying institute. They found that women are bullied up to 80% of the time by other women. The studies have shown that women who report to women experience a greater frequency of bullying abuse and job sabotage and this is even worse for women of colour. I'm horrified by these statistics.

?According to Speak Out Revolution, a non-profit on a mission to stop the culture of silence around harassment and bullying in our workplaces, the most common toxic behaviours reported are manipulative behaviours (72 per cent), everyday putdowns (67 per cent) and excessive monitoring of your work (62 per cent). Research by Glassdoor has also shown that women are more likely to be bullied than men, potentially because female employees are less confident in speaking up for themselves.

Here?is an article about this:

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So why does this happen. Here is an interesting observation by?author, psychologist and CEO at Victim Focus, Dr Jessica Taylor. “Women and girls learn early on that they are in competition with other women and girls. Who is the prettiest? Who is the smartest? There can only be one, you see. And so they are taught to fight for the tiny scraps of power they may be afforded by crushing other women and girls.” This is still a challenge as there is still a lot of bias against women in the workplace. Roles are seriously competed for by women. As women we need to support each other with #EmbraceEquity rather than be in constant competition. Here are some ways we could achieve this:

1.???Lift each other up. Saying ‘Well done’ to other women means a great deal. Acknowledging them; thanking them, especially in front of others goes a long way. Recommending them to others; agreeing with contributions from other women is crucial in lifting up others. One of my pledges each year is to recommend 3 other women for awards. So often we don’t feel worthy or nominate ourselves; a nudge from another woman not only boosts confidence, it could lead to some incredible action.

2.???Be interested as well as interesting. In 2020 I was honoured to be named a leading female entrepreneur. There were many incredible women doing remarkable things. At the reception at the House of Lords, one woman spent ages telling me how wonderful she was (and she is) and then totally dismissed my achievements, looking bored and “I do this” comments to undermine me. This was the equivalent of a man saying “What are you doing here? You don’t deserve to be here”. It was rude and surprising given we were both there due to our achievements. She forgot to be interested as well as interesting. Listening to others demonstrates you value them and their achievements; it shows respect. Remember, it isn’t just about you and #EmbraceEquity is about others too.

3.???Be a good role model.?I call this SuperStar Significance. How you behave at every level from leadership role to onboarders?is noticed by?others.?Everything from demonstrating credibility; respect for others; listening; being prepared; being punctual and completing tasks on time are examples. As women we are more visible, with more criticism being directed at us, showing how you should behave goes a long way.

4.???Consciously recommend other women. When there are requests for speakers; experts; suppliers etc ALWAYS men’s names are shared. From both women and men. This is the default bias. Spend a moment to consciously think of a woman you could recommend. This also applies to discussions about promotions; joining someone to join your team or talent from other departments or companies.

5.???Avoid gossip, rumour sharing and being bitchy. Getting sucked into this behaviour is never a good idea. It undermines other talented people; it could be manipulative and it reflects badly on those involved too. On a number of occasions I have worked for managers (male and female) who have gossiped about other team members – including private conversations with them. This is unacceptable and only devalues you as a more senior person.

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Madeleine Allbright famously said:

“There is a special place in hell for?women?who don’t help other women”

#EmbraceEquity is the perfect International Women’s Day theme to support other women and celebrate how incredible we all are.