Three Views: Embracing Equity at Different Stages of Leadership

Reflecting on this year’s International Women’s Day theme of #EmbraceEquity sparked more thoughts and questions for me about how people at different stages of their career journey think about this topic and the impact they can make. I’ve asked several leaders that I know and respect to share some of their own insights, representing views across a wide spectrum of experience: from a relatively new people leader to a seasoned executive and board advisor.

On this International Women’s Day 2023, hopefully these perspectives will encourage you and others to further reflect on the difference you can make regardless of where you sit in your own career.

Let’s get to know these incredible leaders that were gracious enough to humor my questions a bit more:?

• Lucy James , Manager, Global SMB Portfolio Relationship Management, Bullhorn?
• Kristina Bell , Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Bullhorn?
• Teresa Carroll , Founder and Principal Consultant, Three Data Points?

If only viewing your Zoom background, what would someone learn about you??

• Lucy: Working from home full-time has resulted in having to share my office space with my rather extensive vinyl record collection. With a collection of over 1000+ records, it has been the talking point of many client and team conversations over the years. Would it be easier to blur my background and not have a personal aspect of my life on display? Maybe, however I have found that a small insight into my life outside of work has helped champion the human side of my role and interactions with many. Sometimes a small nudge that we are all people on the other side of the call goes a long way!
• Kristina: You can learn a lot about me by noticing what's in my Zoom background. There's a framed poster called "The Thinker" with Martin Luther King, Jr., President Barack Obama, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and Bob Marley. This represents Black pride and respect for my history. I spend the majority of my time prioritizing family and work, so it's fitting that you can see pictures of my children and their artwork, greeting cards from my husband and Bullhorn swag. Finally, candles and plants! I'm really earthy and I love natural scents, essential oils, the idea of growing food, and the power of plant energy (and good energy in general!).?
• Teresa: That I support female empowerment.? My background is a large picture of the "Fearless Girl" facing down the "Charging Bull" in NYC.? It's a great conversation piece for both males and females and it initiates conversations that ultimately result in highlighting one of the many interesting labor market statistics we all need to be aware of

What does it mean to you to bring your authentic self to work? Why is it important??

• Lucy: When starting my position managing Bullhorn’s Portfolio SMB Relationship Management Team little over a year ago, I was very conscious my predecessor was a strong, well liked, and confident individual. When taking over the team, I wanted to ensure I met a similar enthusiasm and energy, however, was conscious to bring my own personality to the role too and not fall victim to impostor syndrome. I wanted to champion the community built within the team, but also ensure I did not lose my own persona too. I wanted to allow each member of my team to understand my position as their manager, but also learn more about me outside of work to aid with breaking down any barriers which may have been in place as a new manager. For me it was important that each individual had their own voice and knew they would be heard and supported.??
• Kristina: Bringing my authentic self to work means I can succeed at my job without changing what’s core to me - my beliefs, my humor, my personality. This is important because of how much time we spend at work. If I have to switch my values and core behaviors from day to night then I will live in constant conflict and won’t be happy or successful. It’s also important to note that bringing my authentic self to work does not mean walking around with no filter! There are still appropriate times and places for certain jokes, behaviors or conversations and you can still distinguish what those are from a place of authenticity.?
• Teresa: For me, it used to be about not trying to be something I'm not and embracing my strengths.? Today, it also includes advocating for well-researched strengths of good leaders that tend to not always be what is accepted by those who have historical biases.? It's important to evolve work constructs to fit what works today vs what was perceived to work in the past (without evidence).

With this context, the panel shared more specific examples of what they’ve done or experienced as they’ve grown within their own careers and had the opportunity to pay it forward as leaders. They also shared input on navigating the long journey towards true equity, as it will take time to experience significant change.?

Can you share an example of what you have done as a leader to create a more equitable team - or plan to do in the future to promote equity within your team??

• Lucy: Taking accountability for the different personalities within my team is critical when planning team meetings, training sessions, 1-1s, providing reinforcement, incorporating feedback and within overall discussions. Within a team meeting setting, for example, I am aware some are not averse to having an open discussion without prompt, whereas others fear speaking out loud within the team. By including the more reserved individuals within the discussions by name or referencing how this has an impact upon their individual work, paired with continued reinforced feedback has resulted in these individuals feeling more confident within their positions in the team and knowing their own voice is being heard. Creating an open and nonjudgmental environment within my team has been fundamental to the confidence of many individuals and is something I take great pride in.

As a leader, what have you seen as a winning strategy or exercise when coaching women to build their confidence??

• Lucy: For me personally, obtaining a mentor and extending your professional network has been critical for building confidence and seeing my positioning within business from a new perspective. Personally, my mentor aided me in obtaining the confidence to move into a leadership position and was invaluable when returning back to work after maternity leave. Having the freedom to speak with a mentor about concerns you are aware of, and those you may not be aware of, can be a genuine pivotal moment within your personal and professional career. Furthermore, I also would proactively encourage all women in my team to have a male mentor too, as this can likewise provide a different perspective and view on obstacles you face being a woman in business. Building the trust and confidence in a mentor to have the more difficult conversations which you may not feel comfortable having with your direct manager can provide such powerful and uplifting self-assurance, I highly recommend it to all women within my team.
• Kristina: I like to walk people along a path to recognizing their truths. Sometimes it's difficult to accept constructive feedback. But an outside perspective can be really enlightening. So instead of telling someone,"You need to work on your confidence," I ask them what confidence looks like. Then I ask them if they see themselves in that description. I'm not answering the questions for them, I'm just helping to illuminate whatever their truth is. Getting them to own it increases their awareness and accountability and builds trust within the coaching relationship. ??
• Teresa: I work with female leaders to identify behaviors that may be holding them back from the book "How Women Rise" written by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith.? Through self reflection, we work together to develop behaviors that don't change their authentic self, but rather help them rely on their strengths and show up more confidently.

How do you respond to people that believe or voice that leaning into supporting women with more specific resources could create inequity for the men on the team that don’t have something additional tailored to them???

• Teresa: I always include men in any opportunities where I develop groups of women and ask that they think about their wives, their daughters, their mothers, their sisters, etc and maybe they will learn a thing or two about supporting the women in their lives (and themselves).?

How do you practice patience on a journey to a more equitable end state?

• Kristina: I practice patience by prioritizing gratitude. There's a lot to be proud of on our journey to a more equitable environment - socially in the world and within Bullhorn. So when things feel overwhelming or frustrating, I think about the good things and it gives me energy.?

As these leaders shared, it takes a commitment to growth, openness to doing the work and having open conversations to be in a position to #EmbraceEquity for the long term. Are you taking steps now towards building a more equitable and inclusive workplace? Please share any examples or lessons learned in the comments so we can all continue to learn together on this journey.