As we delve into the challenges and opportunities that come with being a woman in tech, we turn to the experiences and insights of two remarkable experts: Rachel O'Sullivan, Finance Director at NetApp, Gohar Movsisyan, Senior Manager, R&D Engineering, Solutions Group at Synopsys, Laura McIntosh, Manager, TIS Business Relations at Enbridge. These are professionals, hailing from different corners of the tech world, share a common vision for empowering women within the sector. They explore strategies for advancing gender equality and inclusivity within the workplace, advocating for policies that support the growth and visibility of women.
1. What role can networking and professional communities play in women's career development, and how can women leaders facilitate these connections?
Your Network is your net worth. For women aspiring to thrive and ascend their career ladder, your network is worth investing in. There are many platforms of connection available, from informal networking to formal networking and professional communities.
Networking and professional communities have a crucial role in women's career development by providing opportunities for building connections, sharing knowledge, and accessing resources.
Women leaders can facilitate these connections by actively participating and inviting active participation in such communities, organizing focused & intentional networking events, and encouraging female colleagues to join relevant professional groups to enhance support & growth.
Being a role model is crucially important as a female leader, on the premise of “You can be what you can see”. By sharing their own experiences and insights, women leaders can help create a supportive, collaborative, and thriving environment that fosters career growth and development for women.
Rachel O'Sullivan, Finance Director at NetApp
I was lucky to meet influential leaders in my career path, who were directly or indirectly mentors for me. Our career path is built on learning and teaching.
The best inspiration is leading by example. To push others towards excellence, one shall demonstrate this excellence.
I would highlight the importance of delegating your knowledge and roles in the team. Leader’s growth equals team's growth.
Gohar Movsisyan, Senior Manager, R&D Engineering, Solutions Group at Synopsys
Networking and professional communities, especially female-focused, are essential for women’s careers, they can be absolute game-changers. Women can leverage these networks to gain access to new opportunities, share knowledge, receive guidance, and feel seen and heard.
Women leaders can facilitate connection by sharing opportunities and events, being inclusive and making introductions across their networks, creating spaces where women can collaborate and support each other. I was struggling to feel the connection when I transitioned into Enbridge’s Technology Information Services (TIS) department from the Legal Services department which had significantly more female representation. At first, I thought I was just missing my work colleagues, but as the months passed, I realized it was the female connection I was missing, women to relate to the experiences I was having, I decided to reach out to the women in my larger team to determine if they were feeling the same (seeking female connection at work) and the resounding response was yes-and so began a monthly Ladies Power Hour+ for us to connect as professionals and women to create a fabric of support for each other. Women are inherently natural connectors, and we need to always lean on our strengths as women and not think the need for connection makes us weak or unprofessional—it is one of our superpowers and it needs to be celebrated and shared.
Laura McIntosh, Manager, TIS Business Relations, Safety & Reliability, Legal Sevices & NET at Enbridge
2. In what ways can women leaders create a culture of collaboration and mutual empowerment within the workplace?
Leaders can create a culture of collaboration and mutual empowerment within the workplace by fostering open communication, encouraging diverse perspectives, and promoting inclusive teamwork.
Leaders can establish platforms for sharing ideas, recognizing contributions, and celebrating achievements.
By actively promoting a culture that values collaboration over competition, women leaders can create an inclusive environment where everyone feels supported and empowered to succeed.
Innovation is a key output of diverse and inclusive collaboration. Gender diversity is critical for innovation around the table, especially in the Tech industry. Females represent 50% of the genius in the world and we need all of that genius around the table to create a future we all feel belonged in.
My advice for women working in male-dominated industries would be:
- Keep the focus on work and enjoy what you are doing.
- Set higher goals that are achievable. Don’t stay in your comfort zone for a long time, be in situations where you can learn and grow. Enjoy professional achievements.
- Just be positive. Don’t bring life difficulties to work.
1. Show up curious and always willing to learn.
2. Be willing to be vulnerable.
3. Show up as our authentic selves.
4. Demonstrate inclusive behavior.
5. Emphasize work-life balance.
6. Share opportunities and bring visibility to others.
3. How can women leaders champion recognition and visibility for other women's achievements in the workplace?
At a baseline level, leaders are required to assess and challenge the policy of recognition & awards in the workplace, ensuring gender parity.
Thereafter, women leaders can champion recognition and visibility for other women's achievements in the workplace by actively highlighting and acknowledging their accomplishments.
This can be done through various means such as public recognition, sharing success stories, nominating deserving women for awards and actively advocating on behalf of top talent to management and within talent reviews.
By actively advocating for the visibility of women's achievements, women leaders can help break down barriers and biases that may hinder their professional growth while also paying it forward to inspire and create a norm for gender parity related to recognition and visibility.
Involve them in visible projects and important decisions.
Ask for their opinion during the meetings and project discussions. Involve them in project success presentations.
It’s essential that women understand their importance and role in the team/company.
4. How have mentorship and sponsorship played a role in your career, and how can women leaders extend similar support to their female colleagues?
Mentorship and sponsorship have played a significant role in my career, providing guidance, support, strong advocacy, and opportunities for growth.
As leaders we are called to account at a greater level, our superpower is our influential currency.
Who are we invested in? paying it forward too? and sponsoring to thrive?
It’s important that we invest in future leadership, that we actively invest as a sponsor to top talent, be their biggest cheerleader, carrying their papers into the room, arguing passionately and comprehensibly for their progression, on their behalf.
By serving as mentors and sponsors, women leaders can provide valuable insights, help navigate challenges, and create pathways for success for other women.
I have been lucky in my career to have had many wonderful mentors, all of them male, who recognized my capabilities long before I even realized them myself. These mentors all encouraged me to show up as my authentic self which has allowed me to stand on a foundation of confidence—not without feeling uncomfortable or the dreaded imposter syndrome manifesting from time to time—feeling fully supported for exactly who I am, has ultimately unlocked the success I’ve had in my career. Some mentorships led to opportunities of sponsorship, unknowingly to me at the time, which allowed me to be championed for roles and opportunities I would never have even considered—all of them extremely challenging but have helped me grow and develop. I’ve taken these experiences and paid it forward to others, especially the fantastic women I get to work with, by being their cheerleader and telling them about all the capabilities I see in them that they don’t believe or even recognize in themselves, identifying them for opportunities and championing them, taking the time to share feedback and insights. Creating visibility for female colleagues is key—there are many fantastic women within our organization and all they need is a stage to showcase their talents. Amplifying female voices when we have the opportunity is also crucial as a female leader, never be afraid to speak up with a female perspective.
Often, I don’t think I’m making a big impact for females in my department or at Enbridge, but then I hear from my amazing team and female colleagues about the impact I have on them.
Women leaders can advocate for various initiatives and policies to promote gender equality and inclusivity within the organization.
This can include implementing flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance, addressing pay inequality, promoting diversity in leadership positions by advancing a fair promotion process, conducting unconscious bias training, and establishing mentorship and sponsorship programs.
Women leaders can also advocate for executive sponsorship, Male Allyship, and gender diversity in leadership, innovative and strategic decisions to drive gender parity at a broader scale.
By actively championing these initiatives, women leaders can contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees.
5. What initiatives or policies can women leaders advocate for to promote gender equality and inclusivity within the organization?
Women leaders can advocate for various initiatives and policies to promote gender equality and inclusivity within the organization.
This can include implementing flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance, addressing pay inequality, promoting diversity in leadership positions by advancing a fair promotion process, conducting unconscious bias training, and establishing mentorship and sponsorship programs.
Women leaders can also advocate for executive sponsorship, Male Allyship, and gender diversity in leadership, innovative and strategic decisions to drive gender parity at a broader scale.
By actively championing these initiatives, women leaders can contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees.
- Making sure your team understands the company's vision, values, and goals and how they lead to its success. When your team members understand how their work connects to the company vision, they will better understand their value and purpose, their "why," at the company. Understanding of the vision and goals may help everyone feel more included and be part of the company. I think it is up to leaders to inspire others by modeling a commitment to our vision and supporting inclusiveness for everyone.
- Explaining that inclusiveness also means different visions, which makes us more open-minded, flexible, and adaptive. Those qualities are key to success. Keeping such a mindset will bring us to promoting inclusiveness.
- I think promoting initiatives that foster mentorship to support the career development and advancement of women within the organization contributes to creating a workplace culture that values gender equality and inclusivity.
- Advocating for transparent and fair pay structures to ensure gender pay equity within the organization.
- Supporting initiatives that provide networking opportunities for women to connect, share experiences, and empower each other.
These initiatives can contribute to creating a workplace culture that values gender equality and inclusivity, fostering an environment where women can thrive and contribute effectively.
Actively promote and highlight women’s accomplishments, give them credit in meetings and discussions, and nominate women for awards or opportunities. Create time to mentor and sponsor others, ensure you advocate for their advancement—fight for what is right, even when it’s difficult, when no one’s looking. Always remember there is a seat at the table for every woman, there’s power in sisterhood and room for everyone. It’s not only about how you speak about other women when they are in the room with you, but more importantly how you speak about them when they’re not.
• Increased woman representation
• Build a pipeline of talented women
• Equal pay
• Transparency of hiring and promotion processes
• Work flexibility
• Promote diversity and inclusion training
• Create Employee Resource Groups for women
• Zero tolerance policy towards harassment and discrimination
Conclusion
Drawing from the invaluable insights shared by Rachel O'Sullivan, Gohar Movsisyan, and Laura McIntosh it's clear that the path to empowering women in tech is multifaceted, involving networking, mentorship, and the creation of supportive communities. Their perspectives highlight the significant role of leadership in fostering environments where women can see themselves reflected in their leaders, thrive through collaboration, and celebrate shared successes. The call to action is clear: If you're inspired by the strides Rachel and Gohar have discussed, consider engaging with professional networks as members, partners, or gain insights from thought leaders in tech, industry experts on topics like Mentorship & Sponsorship, Personal Branding, Professional Networking at the Women in Tech Global Conference.
