Victoria Semanie on LinkedIn: It’s Time to Redefine Our Gendered Idea of “Ambition” (2024)

When women return to work after a baby, there’s a lot our society implies about how that’s supposed to look. On this week's Coaching for Leaders episode, Danna Greenberg shares what women, their partners, and their managers can do to support a better transition in returning to work https://lnkd.in/gVMgBgRJ #management #professionalwomen #careers #humanresources Jamie Ladge

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Fun fact: women are just as good at negotiating as men.In studies by Harvard and Carnegie Mellon, they found that when things are ambiguous and we don’t have much data, we struggle. Men are much more likely negotiate than us in that scenario, and therefore get more. But we are also holding back often because we are penalised when we ask for more: https://lnkd.in/gXA_ZXN2Interestingly when women are negotiating on behalf of others, we aren’t just the same as men, sometimes we are even better. We need to invoke that warrior spirit on behalf of ourselves, but we do that by trying to remove ambiguity. Now in HR, we have a sense of what others are earning, but do we really know enough about what our peers are earning...? We can learn how to eliminate ambiguity by arming ourselves with market data. But how? Together obvs. Whilst women are commonly heralded for being great at supporting one another, we truly suck at asking for help when it comes to our careers, even with our friends.That’s because we have been taught not to ask for more. But guess when we feel better able to ask? When we are in a group where that is expected of us. Which is exactly where community for us is so powerful. When I say I want to build a Bloom community, I really mean it. I mean a group of women where we are constantly seeing how we can be of service to each other, where we each share our situation transparently and arm one another with data that means that we all get to win. Transparency and community will eventually even the playing field 💫#HRLeadership #WomenInStartups #CompensationRevolution #Trailblazers #OurTimeToBloom #BloomTogether #WomenInLeadership

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I attended an incredible event and panel hosted by Joe O'Connor and Grace Tallon last night discussing the future of work and workplaces One of themes that continuously came up throughout the night was the power and call toward intention. Specifically, the importance of organizations being intentional with where they put their focus, how they measure outcomes, and creating the operating systems that allow for that instead of just measuring in hours per day. It was fascinating to see on a macro-level what I see day in and day out with the women I coach on a micro level. The power of intention and the desire to be more intentional with time is one of the biggest reasons clients come to me whether its: 👉 Women going back to work after mat leave who have more demands on their time 👉Women who are getting ready to take on more senior roles, and the additional responsibilities that requires 👉Women considering career shifts, role changes, or even entrepreneurship to leave room in life for the things that matter most to them Time is one of our most precious resources and more and more we will continue to see individuals and companies shifting toward greater intention with where it is being spent.

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Have you said "no" this week? Often successful women are asked to do moreBecause they are viewed as capable, trustworthy & accountableThey often say “yes” more than “no”Every week I speak to women who rarely say “no”Who tell meThey are overwhelmedThey are scatteredThey want differentWhen we get deep…I often find they take a misplaced pride In being asked to do so muchIn being busyYet we when go further…They say things likeI have so much to doI don’t know how to get startedI haven’t done much because it’s just too muchI ask…💥What do you really want?💥How are you feeling?💥What’s the last thing you did for you?During our work together, they often discover✅No is not personal ✅No makes room for other perhaps more valuable yes’sCan you relate?Would you like to say "no" to requests that don’t align with your values, goals, or resources?Let’s work together to implement my five-step system for creating the life and career you really want!The first step is to “Clear the Clutter”DM me!Hit the 🔔 to follow me------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I offer successful faculty women a 90-day 5 step method for getting tenure, being promoted & paid your worth without sacrificing your personal relationships, your health, or your wealth.#personaldevelopment #KATwellnessKoaching #boundariesarehealthy #success

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What really makes a worker 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬? For too long, we've stuck to the old script: it's the person who's all about racing to the top, no distractions. But let's get real - that idea came from a time when the office was mostly men, with women holding down the fort at home.𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅.Women are killing it in the workforce, but often, they're still the ones juggling the most at home.So, if they're not laser-focused on climbing that corporate ladder every second, does that mean they're not ambitious? That's the outdated thinking that's kept too many talented women out of the top spots.𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆.We need a fresh take that really gets the whole picture, especially from women's viewpoints. Let's value growth and learning as much as, if not more than, just putting in the hours... https://lnkd.in/d4JSkzfA

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Earlier this year, I launched 💯 Days For Women where I spoke with aspiring professional women each day to listen to their challenges, expand their perspectives, and help them develop career confidence.I’m going to spend the next few months sharing my learning from that experience. So, follow and share if it’s helpful to you. 🙏First, the breakdown:-Average age was 28 (youngest was 21 and oldest was 42)-38% ethnically and racially diverse-34% employed by s small company-30% employed by a mid-sized company-20% employed by a large enterprise-12% students/unemployed-4% self-employedMost troubling of all, only 8% were thriving in their current role. Perhaps that shouldn’t be a surprise given that a free coaching session tends to invite people who aren’t necessarily thriving. An astonishing 74% were struggling (feeling undervalued, disrespected, underpromoted, and unfulfilled) and just 18% were surviving/neutral about their current career status. 😞So, what’s going on with the women I spoke with?➡️ They want to advance but don’t know how and employers aren’t helping➡️ Their transition from college was/is ignored and unsupported➡️ They expect pay equity but struggle to pursue it, discuss money, and negotiate➡️ They crave feedback to grow but are not getting it from their managers➡️ They want better relationships with their managers but don't know how to go about it ➡️ They have ideas to contribute but not the communication skills to be heard or to self-advocate➡️ They want full lives but struggle to draw boundaries without guilt or fear of retribution➡️ Their success is not about power and status but about being valued and contributing in a meaningful way➡️ They yearn to experience belonging through connected and supportive relationships at work➡️ They feel like an untapped resource held back by outdated hierarchies and processesSome of these women may conclude that staying the course or fighting bureaucracy is not worth their time and energy and will ultimately leave the workforce, job hop, or do their own thing as a solopreneur or entrepreneurs.However, MOST want to grow and advance in their organizations. 🤩They just need more support along the way.That’s a reasonable request and I hope corporate leaders will rise to the occasion – or risk an even leakier leadership pipeline of aspiring talent.#empoweringwomen #earlycareer #leadershipadvice

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Ethnic minority women are groomed to be people pleasers. 👉🏽 We are told not to do dress or act a certain way because “what will people think?”👉🏽 We are encouraged to follow “successful” careers, such as medicine, engineering or accounting because it looks good to others.👉🏽 We are groomed to be giving and caring without expecting anything in return.So it’s hard to do something different. Something that goes against the status quo.It takes a lot to learn to put ourselves first. It takes a lot to say “no” to things that don’t align with our needs, dreams and goals. But we owe it to ourselves to set boundaries. We owe it to ourselves to go against the status quo.It’s what we need to live the life we actually want, not the one that someone else decides for us.Give me a 💗 in the comments if you agree. #growthmindset #peoplepleasing #statusquo

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Hook: Imagine a talented woman, ambitious and skilled, yet repeatedly overlooked for promotion. In our workplaces across Australia, this isn't just imagination—it's a daily reality for many. We're not just failing these individuals; We're failing our entire workforce. Today, we confront this truth and seek to change it！My data story: I am a UNSW student and I chose SDG5 to do data research in the COMM5501 course this semester.When I look at the top of corporate Australia, a grim picture emerges: only 19.4% of CEO roles are held by women. This number is more than just a statistic; it represents numerous qualified, ambitious women whose voices are not heard in the most impactful decisions. The imbalance is stark when compared to the 80.6% of men holding these positions.The imbalance doesn't end there. Women hold only 32.5% of key management positions, while men hold 67.5%. Women make up only 33% of boards of directors and only 18% of board chairpersons. These numbers are not just gaps, they are chasms that separate talent from opportunity.Interestingly, women’s overall representation in the workforce is slightly higher at 52.8% compared to 47.2% for men. However, when the story turns to promotion, the plot twist goes against the women. Women’s promotion rates fell by 25 percent, while men’s promotion rates were unchanged. Women's chances of advancement stagnated after a career break, while men's chances increased by 1%.These data reflect deeper issues in our workplaces. I want to call on board members and HR to take action to change this. I believe in the ability to challenge these gender stereotypes and create a workplace where talent and ability are the only criteria for advancement.My reflection:In this data processing class, I learned how to find data on an unknown topic and how to use Excel to display them to the audience as clearly as possible, which improved my ability to process large amounts of data. This is a class that requires a lot of communication with teachers and classmates. I have learned to listen to other people’s feedback and apply it. This class has benefited me a lot.Self-assessed score: 9/10#unswDataVisComm

💡🖥️Fantastic Resource Friday - It’s Time to Redefine Our Gendered Idea of “Ambition”💡🖥️Workplaces that don't seize the opportunity to provide an environment that offers women (and men) a chance to thrive and grow professionally when they choose to start a family are doing a disservice to the individual, the company, and the broader professional community. This recent article from Harvard Business Review provides some deep and thought-provoking insights on how the standard workplace blue print can not only hold women back, but the broader organisation when leaders take a "black and white" view of ambition and capacity.📢We'd love to hear your thoughts - what's been your experience balancing your career ambitions and family life? https://loom.ly/m4AQgo8

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Confession: I rarely pay attention to who wins the Nobel Prize for Economics.(The Literature prize? Sure. But economics? That was the class I couldn’t wait to get out of my freshman year of college.)But this year is different.Maybe it’s because this year’s winner, Claudia Goldin of Harvard, happens to be in my own (proverbial) backyard.Maybe it’s because the issue of women and their role in the workplace intersects directly with the work that my very talented Perceptyx colleagues think about every day on behalf of our customers: how can we help organizations create an environment where ALL workers are able to grow and thrive?Then I read this sentence in an AP story about Goldin’s work, identifying what she found as the source of the continuing gender and pay gap.“Goldin identified the key culprit: Parenthood. Once a woman has a child, her pay tends to drop and subsequently doesn’t grow as fast as it does for men, even among women and men with similar educational and professional backgrounds.”She goes on. “When I look at the numbers, I think something has happened in America,’' she said. “We have to ask why that’s the case ... We have to step back and ask questions about piecing together the family, the home, together with the marketplace and employment.’’(My working parent heart beat just a little bit faster.)This is why flexibility of when and how work gets done is so important for so many. And yes, likely more so for women as they traditionally bear the burden of caregiving responsibilities. But men benefit from these policies too.As we see the "return to office" and remote work battles play out day after day in the news headlines, I hope leaders will take Goldin’s lessons, based on a career of deep research, to heart.I’m grateful to work for a company and a marketing team that “values the whole person,” and understands that the lines between work and family are fuzzier than ever.Congrats, Claudia Goldin. Prize well deserved.(Link to the above mentioned story in the comments!)

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