During my acceptance speech for the 2018 NAED Women In Industry Trailblazer Award I gave three pieces of advice::
1) Enjoy the journey
2) Check your woman card
3) Find a mentor or two or ten.
I was a bit concerned about my #2 piece of advice, wondering how people would respond to this statement. But I had to be authentic and true to my beliefs, so I put it out there….and I was amazed at the positive responses I received. Both from men and women, in the electrical industry and in other networks.
When I read this article “Women benefit when they downplay gender” and research report from Ashlsey Martin and Katherine Phillips, I was energized with their insights and advice.
Here is the full article for your reference and a few of my key take-aways:
- Women who believed in "gender blindness," or the similarities between men and women, felt more power and confidence
- Downplaying differences made women more confident….overcome challenges….take more risks, take initiative, negotiate.
- An emphasis on these 'differences' negatively affected people's perceptions of them (women) as leaders.
So the study isn't advocating for women to ignore their femininity or behave in a way that's associated with masculinity. Rather, it allows people to be truly authentic
Focus on similarities and individuality: what makes someone unique as a person rather than what makes someone different as a woman.” (Check your woman card at the door!)
Gender blindness doesn’t actually mean ignoring differences. It means de-emphasizing them, and instead focusing on similarities and individuality: what makes someone unique as a person rather than what makes someone different as a woman.”