Strategies can help women overcome workplace inequities
As dean of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Pharmacy, my role is not only to fulfill the traditional missions of a college CEO, but also to facilitate successful learning and healing environments for all. With most of our student body consisting of women, I decided to publish a commentary in a leading pharmacy journal primarily recommending strategies to help women overcome barriers to advancing to leadership positions.
This lack of women in leadership positions is not confined only to pharmacy.
Evidence supports that the inclusion of women in business leadership significantly improves a firm’s value, innovation, financial performance and growth.
It is disheartening to find that women are almost absent from CEO positions, even though they earn almost 60 percent of all bachelor and master’s degrees, 50 percent of doctoral degrees, and hold 50 percent of managerial and professional-level jobs.
Among Fortune 500 and S&P companies, women represent approximately 5 percent of CEOs and hold less than 25 percent of executive and senior positions and board seats.
Women are 30 percent less likely than men to be promoted from entry-level to managerial positions. Pay disparities continue to exist, as full-time female workers make only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.
Although systemic challenges heavily influence these outcomes, there are some strategies that women can implement at an individual level to help overcome some of these inequities.
As I reflect over my career, I think it is very important to know what you want — to set career goals and priorities. You must understand the playing field and boundaries, as well as the necessary qualifications (education, training, experience) for achieving specific career goals.
Develop relationships with mentors, sponsors, and advocates, and know what constitutes success in your current job and in future positions. It is vital that you emulate your next desired role as soon as possible, while carefully carrying out the duties and responsibilities of your current position in ways that are measurable and demonstrate exceptional performance.
From my personal experience, establishing a supportive network is critical to advancement. Find trustworthy individuals with whom you can share experiences and seek advice. It is not imperative that these people be in your exact discipline, although that can be a benefit. Networks should be able to assist you in considering multiple perspectives, while keeping your best interests in mind.
People often ask me whether written plans are necessary. The answer is yes. They help to guide and keep you on track. They are your map to the future you hope to achieve.
You should periodically revisit and tweak the plans as necessary, allowing time for needed breaks and opportunities. While it is important to be realistic with your plans, allow them to let you stretch, so you can grow into more challenging and rewarding roles. Do not be afraid to take chances!
Recognize up front that you may not succeed at each goal in the time frame you initially set — some may come sooner or later than planned.
There will be stumbling stones but, as the adage states, “use stumbling stones as building blocks.” In times of despair, it is critical to be persistent, while constantly taking an inventory of what can be added to your portfolio to strengthen it.
Always keep in mind, “success is a journey, and not a destination.”
Most important, recognize that success is the result of a series of deliberate, intentional strategies. Thus, it is critical that women remain strong, pursue our ambitions without doubt or apology, and constantly find ways to break glass ceilings
Marie Chisholm-Burns is the first female dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.