EquiLead, collaborated with senior social sector leader Ms. Anita Ratnam, to run a workshop titled "Challenging the Green Ceiling: How Can Women Leverage Power for Career Growth?".
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According to the World Bank, women constitute only 15% of the board positions and 4% of CEO positions globally. Restrictive policies, unconscious bias, unfavourable hiring practices and discriminatory hiring practices contribute to the grim picture where “green jobs” are no different. It largely excludes women. The gender gap begins at the hiring stage with only 62 women for every 100 men are considered “green talent”.
As a response, EquiLead, collaborated with senior social sector leader Ms. Anita Ratnam, to run a workshop titled "Challenging the Green Ceiling: How Can Women Leverage Power for Career Growth?" for mid-senior women professionals in the climate sector. This workshop took place at Climate Asia's 3rd annual conference held at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
During the session, participants learned valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating male-dominated workspaces. This session was tailored specifically for women like me who constitute 34% of the mid-career stage (report for FY2024 by Economic Times) targeted at unpacking individual, societal and workplace factors that influence professional leadership and growth.
At this juncture of age and stage, at personal level most women are juggling between taking care of their ageing parents, decisions around marriage, being a new mom or planning to become one, financial planning, etc. while also aspiring to take up leadership roles at work. But the workplace across industries, promotes men over women as they see the “potentiality” of leadership, over the reality of having proven it by meeting all the indicators at current level. “Potentiality” of leadership as it is often associated with masculinity and assertiveness is ingrained in the structured biases as a result of years of conditioning for both men and women which needs to be worked upon.
Hence, this workshop was designed and meant to equip women with the tools needed to climb the career ladder and break through glass ceilings. Here's a glimpse into the experience:
The workshop commenced with an engaging discussion about the glass ceiling and its varied implications for women across personal and professional contexts. Using an interactive flashcard activity, participants explored how societal norms and organisational structures perpetuate an environment that's not fully inclusive.
Individual reflections shed light on the personal impact of these barriers, with participants sharing experiences of rebellion against societal expectations and internal struggle to balance personal and professional responsibilities. From feelings of guilt to the pressure of conforming to ingrained gender roles, the conversation explored the challenges of navigating career growth within traditional frameworks.
The participants were grouped into different sub-groups dissecting the root causes of the challenges further. We examined the societal, organisational and personal factors that contribute to the persistence of the glass ceiling. Participants brainstormed actionable steps for dismantling these barriers, emphasising the importance of self-reflection, boundary-setting, and challenging self-limiting beliefs on a personal level.
At the organisational level, discussions revolved around the need for cultural and policy shifts to foster inclusivity and support women's career advancement. They explored strategies such as implementing new workplace cultures and policies, as well as reframing conversations regarding career planning and advancement, to effect meaningful change within their respective organisations.
Difficult conversations around societal expectations related to marriage, motherhood, and caregiving were also addressed, with participants sharing insights on managing housework, care work, and financial responsibilities while pursuing professional growth.
A participant shared, “I feel guilty for prioritising my work over some chores related to my family and kid because it’s so ingrained through years of conditioning”
Another shared, “If my husband takes care of the child for 1 hour, he is applauded and I am made to feel lucky to have him while its taken for granted that childcare has become my full time job”
A young woman added,“I am seen as rebellious, if I question my parent’s intention to get me married or any other responsibilities which are based on gender confirming roles”
The workshop culminated in a discussion on strategies for transitioning from management roles to leadership positions. This empowered participants to leverage their strengths and experiences to drive significant change within their organisations and beyond.
Overall, the workshop acted as a catalyst for personal and professional growth, equipping participants with actionable insights and strategies to navigate workplace intricacies. Additionally, they learned to balance professional milestones while honouring their personal responsibilities and commitments.
We at EquiLead are committed to our mission of accelerating women’s leadership in the social impact sector and building gender equitable organisations of the future. Towards that aim, we are building a community of solidarity of, for and by women committed to social impact. If you want to be a part of this movement for women’s leadership, please join our LinkedIn group.
We aspire to work with organisational leaders and people teams in social impact organisations on GEDI policies as well as co-design intra-organisational communities such as listening circles to create a supportive space for women, encourage open dialogue about the challenges women face in leadership positions, and build work environments where women leaders can thrive. Through our "Organisational Development for Gender Equitable Institutions" programme we curate online masterclasses/panel discussions on various organisational themes to build awareness on concepts including DEI, allyship, belongingness and more. Also, if you are an organisation seeking support in policy implementation, gender mainstreaming, women’s leadership development and related areas in institutional structures and operations, write to us at maathangimohan@equilead.org.
