Pratima Rao Gluckman, author of Nevertheless, She Persisted, talks about the challenges women face in their career in the technology field and busts the myth that ability is linked to gender.
01 women just need to work hard to be successful
Is it really true that a woman will succeed based on the hard work she puts in and the results she produces? Time and again, we have heard that the tech world is a meritocracy—a system in which people attain advancement based on their proven success and achievement.
Research indicates that in most cases meritocracy is a myth, particularly for women and especially when unconscious bias is holding them back in their careers.
I have four recommendations for women. First, yes, be exceptional at work. Second, understand that meritocracy alone will not reward your efforts, so develop a diverse set of strategies to keep your career moving forward. Third, be aware of your surroundings, network and get to know the key players in your organization. Fourth, take initiative to showcase your work and impact.
We all have a responsibility to counter the meritocracy myth—by developing performance metrics that are resistant to bias. Company and organization leaders should scrutinize how performance is judged and how salaries and bonuses are handed out. If your company looks carefully at performance and salary metrics and an inconvenient pattern of bias emerges, then you can welcome the journey to make your organization more equitable. It is okay to be transparent about these numbers because doing so will increase accountability and push your organization to improve.
02 mentors are key for women to be successful in tech
This story is from the September - October 2018 edition of The Smart Manager.
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This story is from the September - October 2018 edition of The Smart Manager.
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