The Time is Now - Let’s Reset - We Need A Better Place for Women in Work.

What could possibly go wrong?

What do you get when two men host a women in economic development and business clubhouse conversation in anticipation and celebration of International Women’s Day?

Did I mention one of them, the author of this article, is a middle aged (ouch is that really possible?) white guy. I like to think of myself as progressive and open minded. I have learned recently that on this and other related topics that as open as I am, I’ve been in a bubble most of my life. 

I didn’t ever really think of myself as privileged. So I am guilty as charged. On this and related topics I am guilty of ignorance, naiveté and dare I say I am part of the problem. I share this information as backdrop for a move forward agenda that is long overdue and discussed in our clubhouse conversation on community and economic development. 

Back to the earlier question …. What do you get? 

An education, a thoughtful discussion, a peel and reveal, a look behind the curtain, a refinement of women’s views and perspectives - by women, collaboration on a new model and … wait for it … a new version of “Imagine”, yes that imagine by John Lennon. Stay tuned.

Let’s review the discussion and understand where we are. Yes we, men and women, black, brown, white and all the colours of the rainbow.

One of our participants, Navneet Mann, pointed out that it’s the 21st century already, 21 years into it, why are we still talking about this - meaning why are we not “there” yet. Equality, equity, parity, level playing field? Come on already, it is time. 

Personally, I think females are superior to males, look out, perhaps the issue of equity will leap frog and it will truly be the end of men? We’ve had our turn, perhaps women will replace us, lead in droves. Women leaders in New Zealand and Germany have shown us they do just fine thank-you very much.

Our conversation opened with Kerry Ramsay, sharing thoughts on the need to connect communities and women. That especially now, during COVID women feel alone, isolated, feeling and needing to connect. Even more so with marginalized groups like those women of little means, with disabilities and indigenous.

The idea of support was a theme that strung it’s way through our talk. Not surprisingly support from men but also support from women, let’s come back to support from women for women.

There are so many issues to deal with. But these are not issues with women, rather they are issues with structures, thinking, mindsets, biases and men. Even men like Bob and I, who are open yet not quite there yet, through lack of awareness, education, training.

The question that was posed is what can we do to support women, which was reframed as what can we do to shift peoples mindsets?

They need help getting into business, overcoming barriers, developing skills, equality and inclusiveness. 

It was suggested that while women are hard workers, perhaps it’s because they have to be in order to prove themselves. Business is a game and strategy is part of the game. One female participant suggested strategy isn’t as strong as it needs to be with women, they are less comfortable, less confident.

We have a major awareness problem, if someone like myself, who is open and progressive doesn’t even know he is part of the problem what do we do about the middle and the extreme. 

So where do we go from here? What’s the path forward 

Women need support, they absolutely need it from men, but also from themselves. They need grass roots support and broad institutional support. 

They need to connect and to celebrate one at a time. Kerri King, shared that she was involved in a grass roots women’s support group that blossomed to 5000 women over 2 years. We need more of that.

Men need to step up to the table and become 21st century men. Aware, knowledgable, open, understanding and emphatic. We need to recognize different types of people and women have different needs, we need to allow their voice to shine though. We need to help lift people up and make safe spaces for different voices.

We really do need a reset and build from the ground up. Perhaps take a step back, see where we are, what our barriers are and relook at how best can we reboot and get on the best path to women having their rightful place in the world.

Rebeca Mackenzie shared with us that she did an audit of pay and parity in her organization as a step towards women supporting women. Lara Fritts, literally stepped it up a notch and spoke about sitting down with her staff and women and planning out a career ladder.

Kadie Ward reminded us that in Ontario, and I’m sure many other places, that pay equity is the law and has been for 30 years. And there is compliance for the most part. So we are making strides, slowly but surely. These are great demonstrations of women and institutions supporting women.

One of our speakers shared how she needed to fight for her title, not out of ego but out of positioning herself at the table to demonstrate credibility and efficacy in her role. She works in a male dominated industry and was going to be negotiating business deals with mostly men. Her title meant something. Another participant shared off-line how women are often not heard or even understood, meaning their perspective is lost on deaf, dumb and blind male leaders.

Men we still have our work cut out for us.

What does success look like?

One poignant conversation stuck out to me, which was about defining success. The unanimous position of the women on the call was that the hustle culture of “success” at all costs, 80 hour work weeks, toxic masculine culture was not the path forward.

Dare I say they really are looking for a kinder, gentler approach to success, where there is awareness, understanding, compassion, support, opportunity, and balance as my surf teacher used to say.

Leadership, I think we need a major action platform from which to really highlight the problem of privilege, biases baked in and subconscious. We need men and women to work together as a team to lead a significant awareness and eduction platform, maybe not unlike the drinking and driving campaigns. It took a while, and it's not perfect but the message has really taken root as far as I can see.

The collective we need to create forums and platforms from which to create change.

We need to shift the focus on such things like women have “issues” and understand that we have structural issues. Our issue is we need to be celebrating women, not diminishing them, raising them up, not putting them down.

Let’s redefine success, for women for sure. More balance and less machismo in the “success at all costs” mentality as a holdover from a day who’s time has come.

We need to move out of what I often refer to as the industrial age mentality of one size fits all and understand like the digital age that everything is niche and micro. We need to understand and recognize that there are many types of people who all have different needs at every level. We need to make safe spaces for them to be themselves, express their voices and needs for equal opportunity.

I am not sure I am qualified to write this article or comment as I have. I do know I am part of the problem as are my brothers, and therefore part of the solution. I continue to want to open my eyes, ears and become more aware of what I can do to help our sisters rise to their rightful place.

As John Lennon wrote in Imagine about breaking down the barriers in humanity and a song for peace … Isabelle Poirier, one of our guests said ….

“ I dream of a world where I don’t need a women’s day”

Bam, that’s a punch in between the eyes. Just Imagine.