"But I didn’t mean it like that!"

On International Women’s Day 2023, we can look back at the many small steps – and occasional giant leaps – that have enabled a more equitable life for many in the Western World. Today, more people than ever before can live and love free from social injustice, regardless of their characteristics, preferences or beliefs.?While we have much to recognize and celebrate, I still reflect on the glacial pace at which the corporate world tracks against wider societal change. Diversity and inclusion remain comparatively new concepts in many companies and a recent McKinsey study forecasted that it will take another century for women to achieve full equality in the top levels of business if we continue to advance at the current pace.

?Gender Equality for All – What’s stopping us?

One major issue we face is that we are not starting with a blank canvas. The ingrained and institutionalized habits and experiences must be untangled before we can accelerate progress. Although many companies advocate for gender equality in principle, attitudes are very different in practice. A 2020 UN report noted that 90% of male and female respondents demonstrated a negative bias towards females in the workplace either consciously or unconsciously.

?As a mother of two girls who are just entering the world of work, I wanted to bring this a step closer to home, so I asked a number of females of different ages about their lived experiences as working professionals. The anecdotal evidence supports the statistics. It seems that unconscious bias remains a pervasive and limiting influence on the corporate journey to gender equality. Here is a snapshot of what I was told:

• “My team leader finishes every meeting by saying ‘thanks guys’. More than half of his team is comprised of women”.
• “A male colleague told me he was looking for a senior manager with grey hair. He didn’t think about how few older or more senior women in the workplace allow their grey hair to actually show”.
• “As the only female in a meeting of my peers, a male colleague asked if I would mind taking notes. Why didn’t he ask another man to take a note of the meeting?”
• “My colleague told me he only sees experience and capability when interviewing candidates. He didn’t see the need to actively look for diversity as a way to influence change”
• “A female leader decided not to offer a female colleague a relocation opportunity, in case it proved to be too much for her after recently having a baby. That wasn’t the leader’s choice to make”.

?‘But I didn’t mean it like that!’

When I asked whether they challenged the status quo, I was pleased to hear that many spoke up and called out the problematic comments. Less reassuring was the response they received. Their colleagues were often keen to correct their concerns by explaining that they had been misunderstood.

There may be a disparity between what is intended and what is said. We need to acknowledge that.?Our brains navigate 11 million bits of information per second, and we are capable of consciously processing around 50 bits per second. This is why our brains must rely on encoded information and behaviours – to prevent information overload. It will inevitably lead to blind spots and unconscious responses. That’s not a weakness, it’s a biological reality that needs to be acknowledged before it can be adjusted, through self-awareness, training and an openness to learn.

How do we make the needed change?

If we are going to push forward positive change at an accelerated pace, we need to start by acknowledging that companies are more than their processes, policies and practices. Companies are communities of individuals who need to take personal and professional responsibility to “be the change they want see”. We can all start work on this right now, by reflecting on the language we use and the comments we make. We also need to be courageous to speak up when we hear problematic language, and courageous to listen when we hear there are issues with our comments.

Imagine if how we behaved in business was truly equitable, for diversity in all its forms. Imagine if we felt safe and encouraged to express our differences, and the value they bring to the business we serve. ?

As we reflect on how we can live into this future, I leave you with the question: what is it that you will do differently today to bring this new reality a step closer?