Smart Woman-The future of being a woman in technology
Dear woman,
The way you act in the world of business depends on your ability to know your part and how to play it. This is because, we are judged by whether we understand the nuances of what it means to act professionally or not.
As I write this blog, let me start by encouraging fellow women to develop a culture of investing in yourself in ways like reading so as to acquire more knowledge and best ideas from a wide range of knowledge centers freely available to us. This will improve your thinking and get ahead of the challenges in the Tech world.
“Knowledge is Power” ~ Anonymous.
Whenever I see women taking up roles in STEM domains, I imagine a diverse future of technology and its impact on the world. Both business and society will benefit from the influx of a more diverse and digitally savvy workforce.
As we increase our focus on applied artificial intelligence and digital transformation, we must continue taking diversity and inclusion with us -on applying not just our hands and minds but also our hearts and emotions to what we do. We need more women to get into creative tech roles. If we can do this, then technology will not replace us, but will amplify our human ingenuity and change the world for good.
That being said, I will point out 3 reasons why it has taken decades for women in Tech to climb the corporate ladder ASAP despite all the avenues created for their empowerment.
“Women have a tendency of playing safer, being overly nice, and working harder rather than working smart”.
- Needing to be liked by majority: it’s critical to understand the difference between being liked and being respected. If you are only concerned with being liked you will most likely miss the opportunity to be respected. Your need to be liked will preclude you from taking the kind of risks taken by those who are respected. Paradoxically, it’s the people who are liked and respected who are most successful in the workplace.
- Not asking questions (why? who? when? what?) for fear of sounding stupid: asking a legitimate question to ensure understanding is mare a sign of confidence than of ignorance. Asking yourself the simple question, “will the answer apply to only me?” should help you decide whether you should ask it.
- Society: This is a major factor and has programmed so many women to the extend that professions have been perceived and categorized according to gender. we need to change the cultures of thinking that a woman cannot acquire a job opportunity on merit, a woman cannot learn “complicated” courses, stop looking at women in Boardrooms and think that they came to take minutes or serve tea to the rest of the team. All this makes me say kudos to initiates like #SheLead Tech, One In Tech, Foundation -an ISACA initiative.
Below are tips; not technical but in one way or another, they will enable you to climb the corporate Tech ladder in a smart way.
1. Learn to Play the Business Game: Typically, women do well at listening, collaborating, motivating, and seeing the human side of their staff. The areas where women often aren’t as skilled as men are in knowing where the imaginary boundaries are and understanding the unspoken rules. You need to be aware of the rules and develop strategies for making them work to your advantage. Not only is business a game, but the rules of the game change from organization to organization and from department to department. Play the game safely and within bounds. Women have a tendency to play safer rather than play smarter. You have to use the entire field available to you. These may include; your network, family and well-wishers.
2. Instead of Working Hard, Work Smart: Today, women aren’t hired and promoted simply because they work hard. Some people think that women are hired or promoted because of femininity and the gender balance directive that compels companies to involve women in positions. However, hiring and getting promoted happens because the decision maker knows the character of the person and feels confident about her ability not only to do the job, but also to do it in a way that promotes collegial team relationships. As a woman, you should forget about the comfort of femininity getting you to the corporate ladder and focus on how to get work done. I am not saying that, you forget about dressing, talking and associating like a woman… no. my point is that, sometime as a woman, if you need the job to get done, you must take off your earrings. Therefore, dare to Lead the corporate Tech world in your own style.
3. Have #networks and #connections in your field and out of your field to push you further but don’t forget to create a boundary. Careers are made or broken in the #workplace, families and our networks based on how we relate.
Your brand may be associated with a number of things including; the way you show up, your integrity, the way you tolerate negative treatment from others in the name of believing in “karma”, how you associate with other especially those of opposite sex, the list is endless.
4. Build your personal Brand carefully: Some women are good at building relationships but are less comfortable about leveraging those relationships. Why is that? It’s because women don’t set standards for themselves. This contributes to their #emotional resilience and often makes them connectors within their organizations, go-to people who bring others together. But women don’t always benefit from the strong relationships they cultivate and nurture in the workplace because they are reluctant to leverage their relationships, by which we mean engaging others to help them meet either specific or long-term career goals. Build your own brand to gratify your passion.
“Build your #brand to a point that you no longer have to introduce yourself to people, let people recognize your work from a mention of your name.”
4. Since society programmed us from childhood, women are known for multitasking so that the work gets done. However, multitasking today is one way of not accomplishing anything due to lack of focus and direction. Some women in the workplace are fond of doing the work of others and tend to take responsibility for not only their own work but also the work of others. Which results into working without a break or non-stop to crank out a project. Girl! giving the impression you are always up to your ears in alligators could hinder being given special opportunities that could later bring you recognition, therefore, stop being naive and unlearn everything negative you were taught during your childhood. We often don’t probe deeply to determine the veracity of what we’re told, either because we don’t want to embarrass the other person or because we want to see only the good in people. Always remember that you can’t please everyone, as technology advances, so you should move away from the programmed culture you were raised in.
5. Besides being a Tech Lead, remember; work without reasonable pay makes you a failure as well. I have seen a number of women who are directors, senior programmers, senior data scientists, cyber security experts etc. who have competed with men on interview panels to acquire a high profile job and the panelists select them accordingly. However, when it comes to negotiating their salary, the story changes. This must change, women should learn negotiation skills, and be empowered to make sound financial decisions as they would when be carrying out installations, commissioning systems to production etc. Stop pinching company pennies when it comes to negotiating your salary, yet you work twice as hard. If you don’t ask for the amount of salary you need, you are likely to be paid pocket change. Know your value and skills because when you pinch pennies, you ‘re wasting time and energy on meaningless matters. You may be viewed as someone who isn’t ready to play in the big leagues.
6. A Network of women who are focusing on growing their careers in Tech should learn to capitalize on relationships. Men rely on relationships to open doors for them; they don’t view it as taking advantage of anyone. We do business with, and trust the judgments of people we like. Don’t be afraid to connect the dots between the people in your network to achieve what you want. It all start with you and it is all about you. Identify the right people to work with, the right people to hang out with and the right tech games to play.
7. Be mindful of how you act before and after reaching the at peak of the corporate ladder. The way you act in the world of business depends on your ability to know your part and how to play it. We are judged by whether we understand the nuances of what it means to act professionally. This chapter focuses on the subtle, stereotypical ways in which women behave that contribute to an overall impression of their being less competent than they really are. Any one of the behaviors would not be a deal buster – but put several together and they can divulge a woman’s underlying naivete, need for approval, and lack of self-confidence.
“Together, We Work Smart.”
Originally published here https://www.fuzu.com/forum/article/smart-woman-the-future-of-being-a-woman-in-technology
