January 22, 2022

Author: Jana Mosley, Board Vice-Chair and Sponsorship Committee Chair, Women+Power

I’ve had the privilege of formally leading people for the last 15 years, and I have to say they have been the most rewarding years of my career. Leadership is a journey, and I must admit I’ve hit some bumps in the road, maybe even a few potholes. (I just went back and forth on whether not to use the word “few” or “a couple”, not wanting to be too imperfect – such a female thing to think!)

I’m grateful to the people along my path who have been patient with me when I’ve started a new role, to those who cut me some slack when I didn’t take the time to understand their perspective, and to the many who have been kind enough to give me feedback so I could improve. You know who you are – keep it comin’!

As I’ve progressed in my career, it became clear that the strengths that got me the latest promotion were not necessarily the same strengths I needed to leverage to be successful leading at the next level, or at least how those strengths needed to change in order to bring out the best in those around me. It was less about what I had accomplished and more about what the team had accomplished.

I recently read a book called “Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You” by Frances Frei & Anne Morris. I was intrigued, as we often talk as leaders about empowering others, but find we get stuck in our comfort zones and hierarchical society. The book starts by stating clearly “It’s not about you”. Leadership is about empowering other people as a result of your presence and making sure that impact continues in your absence. If you are all about unleashing the potential in others, check out this book!

Here are the main principles the authors cover, taken from the contents summary:

1. Trust – Trust is the foundation for empowering leadership. You build trust when you reveal empathy, logic, and authenticity
2. Love – You empower other people when you simultaneously set high standards and reveal deep devotion to them
3. Belonging – You empower teams when you champion difference and ensure that everyone can contribute their unique capacities and perspectives
4. Strategy – You empower organizations when you show people how to create and capture value on their own
5. Culture – You empower communities – organizations and beyond – when you change the way people think and act

They say there is no “I” in TEAM, and throughout my leadership journey, I can tell you the times when I’ve felt the most fulfilled and proud have been when I have seen those around me in my team nail a presentation they were nervous about, have a difficult conversation they thoughtfully prepared for, rally others to achieve great results, or create a solution to a problem without being told what to do. When, through coaching, mentoring, learning, and trying, people in my organization move the needle on their path to reach their full potential, I get to sit back and smile knowing that in some small way, I made a difference. And that’s what it’s all about.

Post Author: Stefania Cerisano, Board Member – Events & Programs Committee, Women+Power

The words we choose in both casual and formal communications can have a significant impact on the perpetuation of gender stereotypes and inequality. Impacts are not just reserved for blatantly derogatory phrasing, but also extend to more subtle language choices and pairings.

Imagine receiving a group email from a male co-worker which begins, “Good morning, Kevin, David, Larry and ladies”. Even if you are not bothered by the term “ladies”, seeing this term used in a greeting that acknowledges male peers by name and female peers only generally can leave a bad taste and negatively impact a culture of inclusiveness far more than you may think. While some may choose to downplay wording implications as an over-reaction or unintentional ‘slip’, according to recent studies conducted by Stanford University, these kinds of ‘slips’ are often highly correlated to views held by the writer or speaker and if left unaddressed, bias wording will continue to encourage a culture ripe with obstacles for inclusion. According to leading research and advisory company, Gartner, “Any behaviour, habit or routine, will continue to persist as long as there is something in the environment that rewards and reinforces that continued action”. Reinforcement can take the form of inaction and result in missed opportunities to evolve mindsets.

This is not to suggest that every person who makes a statement with a bias undertone should be explicitly called out, but rather that there is a range of reactions that could serve to change the narrative, including leading by example. A reply such as, “Good morning, Team” or “Good morning, Lisa, Karen, Kevin, David and Larry” may just be enough. Regardless of how one chooses to reply, the point is simply that by ignoring less than ideal wording, we forgo an opportunity to reduce counterproductive behaviour.

It is interesting to note that some wording biases may be inherently linked to the specific language spoken. A study by Carnegie Mellon, which investigated the male-career bias in 25 languages, found that “languages that heavily associate men with careers and women with family also have speakers who live out those biases”. English was found to be the 6th most biased language of the 25 reviewed in the study. The research results showed a positive correlation between biased language and high male-career gender bias and further demonstrated that the more biased the language, the lower the percentages of women in STEM fields and STEM higher education. According to the study’s lead author, Molly Lewis, those who speak a language filled with bias are more likely to hold gender stereotypes.

This is certainly something to consider the next time you find yourself wondering if it’s worth the effort to promote more inclusive language in the workplace. Collectively, we have the potential to shift mindsets towards a more inclusive environment by simply choosing our words more carefully and calling on others in our workplace to do the same.