AMA Quarterly Spring 2018

AMA

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

Creating a Respectful and Diverse Culture OTHER HIGHLIGHTS WOMEN LEADERS AND EXECUTIVE PRESENCE Page 4

AMA RESEARCH IS YOUR COMPANY FREE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT? Page 9

PATH TO THE C-SUITE: HELPING WOMEN GET PAST FEAR AND COMPLACENCY Page 10

CREATING A CULTURE OF GENDER EQUALITY Page 26

TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR WOMEN IN LAW Page 32

THE INCOMING TIDE OF GENERATION Z Page 43

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UARTERLY SPRING 2018 • VOLUME 4 • NUMBER 1

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UARTERLY

SPRING 2018 Volume 4 • Number 1

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

Creating a Respectful and Diverse Culture How do you create an inclusive and respectful culture when what’s acceptable in society can be very different from what’s acceptable in the business environment? How do you encourage those most likely to be impacted to voice their opinions in the most important decisions that influence a workplace?

14 Women in STEM: Solve the Problems, Solve the Worker Shortage

32 Talent Management Strategies for Women in Law

FEATURES

4

26

Women Leaders and Executive Presence If you’re a woman in leadership, at some point in your career the discussion has likely defaulted to your executive presence, with vague or illdefined expectations of what you need to do to develop it. By Suzanne Bates

Creating a Culture of Gender Equality A major discussion today is how gender equality in the workplace is a critical factor for achieving business results and curating executive growth and strong leadership. It’s time we stop and apply that adage once again. By Maura Smith

Path to the C-Suite: Helping Women Get Past Fear and Complacency Nearly every company these days is concerned about how to increase and manage diversity, particularly when it comes to bringing more women into leadership roles.

Supporting the Progress of Female Executives In 2017, the Fortune 500 saw a record number of female CEOs on its coveted list: 32, to be exact, which represents a 50% increase from the previous year. By Clare Hart

10

By Nada Usina

14

Women in STEM: Solve the Problems, Solve the Worker Shortage Two of the most discussed problems in U.S. corporations today are how to get more women involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers and how to solve the U.S. STEM worker shortage. Yet it is rarely, if ever, noticed that solving one problem would address the other. By Candice Hughes

22

The Generational Gearbox: Developing Female Executive Talent The discipline of generational study, which was finally and fully pushed over the top in the 2000s, is now imperative knowledge, training, and strategy for American business—especially when developing executive talent. By Chuck Underwood

29 32

Talent Management Strategies for Women in Law Talent management of women in law firms presents a unique challenge. By Judy Magee

39

Leading With CONSCIENCE As leaders, there are many qualities we need to cultivate as we try to attain the most rewarding relationships with our internal and external stakeholders. By Joan Marques

43

The Incoming Tide of Generation Z AMA Quarterly spoke with Angie Read, who along with Jeff Fromm wrote Marketing to Gen Z: The Rules for Reaching This Vast— and Very Different—Generation of Influencers.

By Christiane Truelove

DEPARTMENTS

2 EDITOR’S PICK

How to Help Women Keep Doing It for Themselves

3 FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO

Creating a Respectful and Diverse Culture Sexual harassment in the workplace is an issue that’s plagued organizations for generations, but over the past few months it’s come even more into the spotlight. By Manny Avramidis

9 AMA RESEARCH

Is Your Company Free of Sexual Harassment?

19 FROM AMA PLAYBOOK

Four articles from American Management Association’s blog.

36 CEO INSIGHTS

Setting the Stage to Develop Future Women Executives As someone who started as a recruiter and then founded Atrium Staffing, I have perspectives on what it takes to mentor women to executive leadership positions. By Rebecca Cenni

46 OFF THE SHELF

Listening to Feelings: The Key to Diffusing Difficult Situations Emotions affect virtually everything we do—for better or for worse. By Robert Bolton, PhD, and Dorothy Grover Bolton, EdM

AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 1

EDITOR’S PICK

How to Help Women Keep Doing It for Themselves I

t’s Women’s History Month as this issue of AMA Quarterly is being wrapped up and International Women’s Day has just passed.

Appropriately enough, this issue is all about the advancement of women to executive levels in business, and how to achieve the personal and workplace transformations to make that happen.

In his column, Manny Avramidis, president and CEO of American Management Association, focuses on how to address and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and features research by AMA’s Women’s Leadership Center. The WLC was created to offer professional women a safe and supportive forum where they can share career-building knowledge, develop new skills, and make meaningful connections.

Learn more about the WLC at wlc.amanet.org Suzanne Bates looks at the issue of women leaders and executive presence. Her research has outlined the 15 distinct qualities that enable leaders to engage, align, and inspire people to act, and provides a definition of executive presence.

Nada Usina defines the path to the C-suite, and presents research from Russell Reynolds Associates that reveals men and women have very different perceptions of organizational efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

Candice Hughes addresses how to fix the shortage of women in STEM careers and identifies the particular pitfalls girls and women face when trying to get into these jobs.

Chuck Underwood shares the generation-molded characteristics that make Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial women so different as leaders, and the keys to mentoring and training these women.

Maura Smith asks what equality really looks like and discusses how workplaces need to build it by making equality a cyclical and ongoing process that is part of the foundational and cultural background of an organization.

And Judy Magee at Stark & Stark talks about how that law firm built a talent management program for its female attorneys.

As an old cigarette advertisement campaign once said, “We’ve come a long way, baby.” Though we still have some way to go, American Management Association can help on that journey.

AMA

UARTERLY

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION GUEST EDITOR

Christiane Truelove CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Lauren McNally COPY EDITOR

Eileen Davis GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Tony Serio

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Claire Koby

PUBLISHER

Christina Parisi PRESIDENT & CEO

Manny Avramidis

AMA Quarterly © (ISSN 2377-1321) is published quarterly by American

Management Association International, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-7420, SPRING 2018, Volume 4, Number 1. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to American Management Association, 600 AMA Way, Saranac Lake, NY 12983-5534.

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Christiane Truelove Guest Editor, AMA Quarterly

2 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO

Creating a Respectful and Diverse Culture:

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

S

exual harassment in the workplace is an issue that’s plagued organizations for generations, but over the past few months it’s come even more into the spotlight. In a December 2017 survey conducted by AMA with over 3,000 respondents, more than one in three business professionals (38%) reported having been a victim of sexual harassment. In addition, 47% said they had witnessed acts of harassment, even though 90% of organizations that took part in the survey have sexual harassment policies. What is even more worrisome, one in every five respondents said they did not feel comfortable reporting incidents of sexual harassment to management. Clearly, having appropriate policies is not enough to combat this issue.

Companies are examining a variety of ways to combat sexual harassment, but all of these efforts boil down to one key area: changing company culture.

This encompasses: • The ability of victims to speak out • The responsibility of management to educate individuals on what is and what is not acceptable in the workplace • The need for thorough investigations into inappropriate behavior • What to look for when hiring new talent Creating a respectful culture starts with defining what type of behavior is appropriate in the workplace, especially since what’s acceptable in society can be very different from what’s acceptable in the business environment. It’s important to include a team that encourages women to voice their thoughts about what is “acceptable.” Far too often, those most likely to be impacted are not involved in the most important decisions that influence a workplace.

When management is made aware of behavior that goes against guidelines, including sexual harassment, it’s imperative that the matter be addressed immediately.

HR departments can take many measures to protect and nurture a respectful culture. For example, most hiring managers and HR professionals are adept at asking the right business questions to make sure a candidate can perform the job, but it’s just as important to determine whether or not the candidate is a good fit for the culture.

HR can measure existing employees through performance and behavior metrics as well to make sure they match up with the company culture. Having the right people and managing them appropriately go a very long way toward creating the desired company culture.

Flawed workplace cultures can absolutely change, but unfortunately, shifting a culture doesn’t happen overnight. And it won’t change just because leadership wants it to. Cultures change when leaders set parameters, then follow through by leading by example. This starts at the very top with the CEO and other top management.

AMA helps many organizations create a respectful and inclusive workplace with an intervention model that requires an organization to assess its culture from three perspectives: leadership and management, HR practices, and the women among its workforce. Diversity and inclusion, especially during succession planning, provide organizations with an opportunity to bring women to the table—which will ensure diverse thinking and role-modeling.

AMA’s comprehensive approach to addressing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace has helped many organizations. While no two organizations are the same, all have a similar goal in mind, and that is to provide a safe and fair workplace for all.

Manny Avramidis President and CEO American Management Association AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 3

WOMEN LEADERS and

EXECUTIVE PRESENCE

BY SUZANNE BATES

Globally, women held under a quarter (24%) of senior roles in 2016—an increase of only 3% from 2011.

They are just 25% of executive and senior officials and managers, 9.5% of top earners, and 6% of CEOs in S&P 500 companies. As of 2016, women held just 18% of S&P 1500 board seats. Yet women are 47% of the labor force and 49% of the college-educated employees entering the workforce each year, and they earn 38% of MBAs and 48% of specialized master’s degrees.

More confounding is the fact that when women are represented in senior management, companies profit. A study of 22,000 companies in 91 countries found that businesses with women at the top see unusually strong firm performance.

A company with just 30% female executives could expect, on average, a 15% boost to profitability. Still, 50% of companies in the United States have no female executives.

It’s not for lack of desire: It’s because companies are not doing the things that will make a difference.

So why isn’t it a burning issue, to get more women into the C-suite? In fact, it is. Boards of directors and executive teams say that advancing women to senior roles is a strategic priority. In the current climate, many companies are feeling significant external pressure from activist investors and customers that makes advancing women even more urgent. These activist investors and customers expect the organizations with which they do business to have a healthy representation of women in senior management.

So, it isn’t true that most companies don’t care. They are having this conversation. They are investing in helping women to succeed. But what they are doing isn’t making enough of a

4 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

difference. In this article, we set out to explain why that is the case and what can be done to level the playing field.

SETTING THE STAGE: DEFINING EXECUTIVE PRESENCE If you’re a woman in leadership, at some point in your career the discussion has likely defaulted to your executive presence, with vague or ill-defined expectations of what you need to do to develop it. In many organizations, executive presence is a mysterious “X factor”—it’s important, but what is it? More important, how do you leverage this elusive quality to make an impact and drive outcomes?

Through extensive research, we have cracked the code on executive presence and redefined it in a scientifically validated model that levels the playing field for women leaders. Our model of executive presence, the Bates ExPI™, identifies the 15 distinct qualities that enable leaders to engage, align, and inspire people to act, and provides a research-based definition of executive presence. Through this model, and the 360° multi-rater assessment that makes the model actionable, individual leaders can measure and pinpoint how they stand when it comes to the defined elements of executive presence, and where their opportunities are to build out their influence in the context of their own business goals and imperatives.

And through the data we have collected by implementing the assessment with thousands of leaders globally, we access key insights about leadership behaviors and, statistically speaking, what matters to leading well and leading with impact.

BREAKTHROUGH RESEARCH ON WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP: WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON While we didn’t set out to understand why women are not advancing faster, in the course of our research we uncovered what we believe are some breakthrough data. It revealed surprising truths about how women leaders are perceived in qualities of executive presence—including confidence, assertiveness, and resonance. We share the findings because we believe they have critical implications for dramatically changing how we advance women and level the playing field for all leaders.

Is executive presence what is holding women back?

Figure 1

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In analyzing the data, the question in our minds was whether a perceived lack of executive presence was holding women back. This is something we read about in the leadership development press and hear about from leaders as a de facto explanation for lack of progress. In fact, our analysis suggests quite the opposite. Our data looks at highpotential and senior executive leaders, men and women, in a variety of industries and on several continents. A sample of the assessment data (as rated by peers, direct reports, managers and self) of more than 700 leaders found that:

Figure 2

• Women were viewed as the same as men on 60% of the 90 items that comprise the 15 facets or qualities in the ExPI assessment survey (see Figure 1) • More surprising, where there are differences, women are rated higher about 30% of the time (see Figure 2) AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 5

When we look at the 15 qualities of executive presence, women receive statistically higher ratings in seven, while men receive higher ratings in only one overall (see Figure 3). We want to emphasize that these are averages, and that interestingly, within populations of men and women, there are greater differences among them than between them.

Still, it is significant that women as a group are regarded as higher in the qualities of integrity, concern, humility, interactivity, resonance, appearance, and inclusiveness.

These are the socio-emotional qualities that are increasingly in demand from leaders in the changing workplace, and the ones that create the engaging, inclusive workplaces necessary to bring in the women’s perspective. Men as a group are viewed as stronger only in restraint.

Figure 3: Women’s and Men’s Executive Presence Strengths * & / #! " & " 9 ('/ " & " 6

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Is confidence an issue for women leaders?

Confidence is typically a focus in women’s leadership programs; it is equally often given as the cause for women’s lack of advancement. Yet our research shows that women compare favorably with men in having the confidence to lead.

The assessment does not measure feelings of self-efficacy (“Can I do this?�), but rather, how others view leaders’ confidence in very specific ways, such as making timely decisions, accepting risk, and promoting shared ownership.

In the Bates ExPI, there are six ways to measure confidence: Men and women receive similar ratings in five of them.

The only statistically significant difference we found is on the leader’s “willingness to take on difficult issues without delay,� and in this item, women were rated higher overall, as highlighted in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Women Leaders and Confidence

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It is easy to assume that one reason women aren’t advancing is because their managers don’t think they’re as ready as men at similar levels; again, this is a common theme in the leadership development literature. It’s important to know what the boss thinks, because he or she may be the most important person determining that leader’s opportunities for stretch assignments and promotions. Once again, contrary to many expectations, we find that in our assessment data, managers tended to rate women higher than men in more categories of executive presence.

There could be several explanations for this. When managers complete the assessment, they often haven’t thought about these ways of evaluating the leader’s performance. The qualities of executive presence, as defined in the ExPI, are not the focus of most traditional assessments and models of leadership.

When managers have a chance to assess the leader in these 15 areas of presence that we know are critical, it expands the way they appraise the leader and gives them a more well-defined, clear, and accurate language for talking about it. We find that the very act of completing this assessment and participating in the development of the action plan helps managers change the conversation about employees—male and female—moving up in the organization.

6 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

Another way to evaluate a leader’s confidence might be in how they rate themselves, versus how others rate them. Here we found that women often did rate themselves lower—in fact in 11 of the 15 qualities. However, men also underrated themselves in 10 of the 15, though not by as much. What does this mean?

There are a few theories that would explain it. One could simply be that leaders, both male and female, have had enough experience in their lives and careers that on average, they have some humility. Their self-ratings track closely with those of others. But they may be tougher on themselves and set higher goals for their own development. And we can’t discount that seasoned leaders at this level have often taken several 360° assessments, so they are more likely to be conservative in estimating their strengths.

MOVING BEYOND ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL Given these findings, the failure point, therefore, cannot be that women do not have executive presence. Each leader’s brand of presence is different, for sure. Women leaders are not broken, yet that can be how some may interpret the message of one-size-fits-all development programs. At the same time, all leaders hit inflection points in their careers and need to adapt and grow. The question is how to support them.

Women’s leadership programs too often send women through skill-building classes, based on assumptions about where they need “help.� A classic example of this are courses on confidence and assertiveness. As the data above demonstrates, men and women leaders are rated as similar in both.

It stands to reason that when spending leadership development dollars on such programs without examining the underlying assumptions not based in fact, it not only doesn’t help but may significantly hinder some women. They won’t learn what might be holding them back, or what to do about it. They may also lean more heavily on qualities of presence to the point that they become over-strengths that cloud others’ views of their leadership.

ADDRESSING THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF WOMEN To understand the power of looking at women leaders as unique individuals, look at two business cases, that of Amanda and Melissa. Amanda’s strengths are in authenticity, integrity, and appearance. Her gaps are restraint, composure, and practical wisdom (see Figure 5). Amanda is a leader people like and trust. She’s real, easy to talk with, energetic, and passionate, and she holds herself and others to high standards.

At the same time, when people disappoint her, she lets them know, and they often feel discouraged. She also isn’t demonstrating to the CEO and executive team that she has practical wisdom, the ability to offer strategic advice in a clear, succinct, powerful way.

They also see her as capable of making decisions and getting things done (confidence). Her challenges are in doing what Amanda seems to do naturally—connect with people, understand their thoughts and emotions, and express interest in them as people.

The good news is that each leader was able to address her gaps in meaningful ways, once they had the specific direction of what to build on and where to dial back. After six months of coaching, they completed a second assessment. Their peers, direct reports, and managers saw a change. Amanda improved in the areas she focused on in coaching and more; her ratings on the ExPI improved in 14 of 15 categories.

Melissa also improved in her focus areas, and her raters also gave her higher scores in 11 of the 15.

What this tells us is that accurate data and intervention make a difference. Sometimes small changes in the behavior of a leader can make a major difference in how others view them.

Both leaders earned the praise of their managers as a result, and they were better prepared for the next assignment and advancement to the next level in their career trajectory.

CHANGING THE GAME FOR WOMEN

Figure 5: A Tale of Two Women Leaders

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Melissa might have some traits in common with Amanda, but on balance, she’s a very different leader. She is viewed as strong in integrity and appearance, but that’s where the similarities end. Others see her as quite capable of getting to the heart of the matter and offering strategic advice (practical wisdom).

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Based on our research and experience in working with individual women to help them advance, we offer six recommendations for organizations looking to help women leaders develop executive presence and expand their influence.

Establish a concrete, shared understanding of what executive presence means. The first step is to be clear and specific about what it means to ask a woman leader— or anyone, for that matter—to “develop more executive presence.� People cannot take useful action on vague or subjective instructions on how and what they need to improve to advance; nor do those types of requirements or recommendations necessarily link to business goals.

By changing the conversation about executive presence to provide a concrete, objective definition of what leaders must do to advance and create more business impact, a company provides clarity and alignment for individuals and the organization at large.

Give women leaders individual, meaningful, and accurate data on how others see them. As with most things in business, data talks. A scientifically valid assessment is a necessary—and empowering—tool to provide actionable data and credible advice to an individual leader. This enables her to understand how she is perceived in the AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 7

“ Define how you will measure the success of your efforts, and lay out a set of milestones and targets to deliver on the advancement you seek.”

organization and how that matches with her intent.

It also eliminates “blind spots,” which is especially important to leaders who often have limited feedback.

That’s not enough, though. We next need to ensure that any feedback or developmental recommendations will be specific, relevant, and aligned with that leader’s business imperatives and situation.

it helps the manager, and the organization, see the leader differently and be more helpful in their development work.

Having such conversations keeps the focus on desirable behaviors and on exploring avenues of development and improvement in a constructive dialogue. Over time, it can change the nature of the relationship between a leader and her boss or her peer.

Set a corporate goal to uncover what is getting in the way of helping women get ahead. As a companion to getting actionable, individualized data on women leaders, it is gamechanging to assess top management in the organization by the same standard. When we gather ExPI data and prepare an analysis of top executives’ strengths and gaps, we can often understand and guide the organization to appreciate how the leadership culture is supporting—or derailing— women’s ability to make progress.

Really helping women move the needle on executive presence requires an assessment that looks at an individual leader’s strengths and gaps within her business context— rather than basing developmental efforts on preconceived notions or sweeping generalizations.

We have found it insightful to compile a heat map of the top corporate leaders and to provide data-driven insight into how to modify cultural norms to help women and diverse leaders advance. We might find, for example, an overabundance of confidence—charging ahead—combined with low scores in inclusiveness and resonance, is making it hard for women to feel engaged or be heard. This provides a compelling “aha” to get senior leaders and board members involved in driving the change needed to be more inclusive and diverse.

Move beyond offering generic development, and start tailoring it to each woman’s gaps and needs. Our research found there are more differences among women than between men and women. Every leader has a different set of strengths and gaps, when measured against the 15 qualities of presence. When they can access accurate data on specific behaviors, leaders are motivated to change and know what to do to make that change happen. Design programs for women that have a significant component of individual assessment, to customize the development path and help leaders understand what strengths they can leverage and what gaps are important to address to increase their effectiveness as leaders in their current roles.

Set metrics and measure your progress. As a nod to the adage “what gets measured, gets managed,” define how you will measure the success of your efforts, and lay out a set of milestones and targets to deliver on the advancement you seek. Consider both leading indicators (such as number of women enrolled in individualized development, percentage participation in science-based 360° assessments, percentage of high-potential female leaders tagged for advancement projects, and percent improvement in individual and leadership team feedback) and lagging indicators (such as percent increase in promotions, percent increase of participation in executive ranks, and increase in tenure length).

Set up a process that enables women to have powerful, specific conversations with managers. When a woman believes she is receiving feedback that is unhelpful or even unfair, she begins to suspect that the foundation of it is gender bias. This disengages her from the process. We help organizations change the language and the conversation that’s happening between leaders, their managers, and mentors, which has the effect of removing suspicion that executive presence is a code word for why women or diverse candidates don’t fit in.

In summary, the surprising truth about women and executive presence is that they already have the skills and expertise in place to level the playing field with men. What’s holding them back is how we approach the solution. The secret to changing the paradigm is to get the data on the behaviors that matter and work with women to create their unique path to success. AQ

When we change the language and provide specific definitions of important qualities of leadership, the conversations that ensue can serve to disconfirm negative perceptions of the manager. It doesn’t just help the leader;

8 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

Suzanne Bates is the CEO of Bates Communications, a global leadership consultancy that works with senior leaders in the world’s top companies to help them communicate to drive strategic execution. Bates is the author of four books, including All the Leader You Can Be: The Science of Achieving Extraordinary Executive Presence (McGraw-Hill, 2016) and the bestselling Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results (McGraw-Hill, 2005).

Is Your Company Free of

AMA RESEARCH

Sexual Harassment?

DO YOU:  KNOW you have a harassment problem and are looking for a solution?

 SUSPECT you have a harassment problem but don’t know what to do about it?

 DOUBT you have a harassment problem but want to prevent an issue?

It’s crucial to take decisive steps to ensure a safe, respectful and harassment-free workplace for all employees. While your organization may have the appropriate corporate policies in place, this is not just a “check-the-box” eLearning compliance issue.

Why is this issue so urgent right now? The fallout and legal implications of harassment situations can be enormously visible, with damaging and possibly even permanent consequences for your corporate reputation.

The cost of trying to repair such damage can destroy an organization.

If there is already an issue pertaining to harassment in your workplace, there is a high probability that the people affected don’t feel comfortable in reporting it—but they are more likely to open up and share information about the issue when there is a safe and neutral third party involved that can offer a solution.

American Management Association takes a holistic, comprehensive approach to addressing and preventing sexual harassment and creating a respectful and inclusive workplace. We apply a carefully developed intervention model that helps your organization look at its culture from three perspectives: leadership and management, HR practices, and the women among its workforce.

Changing any culture doesn’t happen overnight—but with consistent, interactive and effective training, you’re well on your way to establishing a harassment-free workplace where all employees feel safe and respected.

To learn how you can educate your workforce, change your culture and protect your organization, speak with an AMA training advisor today.

Statistics based on an AMA survey of 3,000+ 25- to 65-year-old male and female business professionals from over 25 industries (December 2017).

Learn More

1-877-880-0264

PATH TO THE C-SUITE

Helping Women Get Past Fear and Complacency

BY NADA USINA

10 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

Nearly every company these days is concerned about how to increase and manage diversity, particularly when it comes to bringing more women into leadership roles.

Yet, despite years of effort and handwringing, few have figured it out. Often, that’s because even the best-intended actions don’t translate effectively to their target audience.

Russell Reynolds Associates recently surveyed more than 2,100 senior executives around the world and learned that men and women have very different perceptions of organizational efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

Overall, fewer than half of respondents are satisfied with the gender balance of their leadership, but women are much less satisfied than men. Forty-four percent of men feel their company’s senior leadership team is sufficiently diverse, for example, compared to 30% of women (see chart on page 12).

When it comes to some of the most popular structured initiatives to improve diversity, such as advocacy by leadership and collaborative team structures, women are generally less likely to see them as helpful, compared to men. They also are consistently more likely than men to see problems with corporate culture and weak processes when it comes to attracting and retaining diverse talent.

Meanwhile, 37% of women say they feel pressured to conform in their organization, compared to 25% of men.

These findings are discouraging, yet they don’t mean companies should give up. In fact, companies can’t give up. The results point to the basic fact that men and women often see the world in fundamentally different ways. If they work together, they’ll have a competitive advantage. If the conversation is always one-sided, no one wins.

That leaves us with two questions: What can companies do to improve the experiences of female professionals? And, equally important, what can women do to become more engaged and feel more at home in the workplace? Avoiding another decade of well-intended but toothless efforts will take participation from both sides of the equation, along all stages of the pipeline.

We can think about the answers in three key dimensions: how to attract women to new opportunities, how to elevate women in an organization, and how to influence the world around the organization.

HOW TO ATTRACT Approach women differently about new opportunities.

Take a lesson from Tinder: Men tend to swipe right far more often than women, but they’re less likely to follow through on building a relationship. In at least one experiment led

by Gareth Tyson, a lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, men followed through on a swipe with a message only 7% of the time versus 21% of the time for women.

Women’s messages also tended to be much longer than men’s, bridging beyond the cursory “hi” to a more substantial introduction.

In the executive search world, this trend plays out in the form of women being more loyal and less likely to jump ship than men, even if they’re not completely happy in their current role.

I’ve seen this at every stage of the cycle, from approaching female executives about new opportunities to pushing junior women in my organization to take ownership of their promotions and leave their old responsibilities behind.

When you call a woman on a search, she rarely responds to an email or phone call before she has processed whether or not the opportunity is truly interesting to her, what impact her departure would have on her current team, what the conversation with her boss would be like, and how a move would affect her family.

Men, conversely, are much more likely to jump into a process and ride along until they decide they don’t stand to benefit from it anymore. In my experience, they’re much more likely than women to get to the point of a job offer, only to turn it down.

It’s not that men are disloyal or unethical, it’s just that making everyone else in the world happy is not their top priority.

What this means for companies: Be patient and clever when trying to attract women to your organization. Be prepared to ask multiple times, and try multiple avenues, such as introductions through mutual friends or networks.

What this means for women: Don’t fear the breakup so much that you stay stuck in a bad—or even mediocre—relationship.

Take the call, or email, or introductory coffee and see where it takes you.

HOW TO ELEVATE Fast forward. Mentorship programs and internal networking groups have their place, but what matters most in accelerating someone’s career path is giving them the right kind of exposure to the things that matter: big accounts, key product development projects, and top executives and board members. Often, this means overlooking a lack of past experience or current job level.

It also means giving promising professionals a range of opportunities to prove themselves, rather than expecting AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 11

them to fit a standard mold. At information services and software solutions provider Wolters Kluwer, for example, high-potential employees often get opportunities to participate in key task forces and speak in front of colleagues at annual summit meetings, but CEO Nancy McKinstry makes a point to give them many offstage opportunities as well. While it’s not gender-specific, “not everybody feels that comfortable in an environment where you’re being measured by how you contribute verbally on a team. And so you have to find ways that people can make a contribution, or find ways that you can assess their true capabilities if they tend to be more introverted by nature,” says McKinstry, who is also a member of Russell Reynolds Associates’ board of directors.

What this means for companies: Make a commitment to push high-potential women to places they don’t necessarily think they’re ready to be yet and support them around that. Aim to assess promising professionals on multiple dimensions, not just on how well they present in meetings.

What this means for women: Be willing to say yes before you think you’re ready. Aim to surround yourself with people who will support uncomfortable conversations around your growth, your future.

Take a hard look at numbers. It’s no secret that women have long worked for less money than men. Women earn about

12 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

80% of what men do for equivalent jobs, according to data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. That’s not counting the hidden pay gap related to fewer women holding the highest-paying jobs.

It’s easy to let this status quo persist, since pay data tends to be confidential and women tend not to ask for more. But participating in the inequality is just another way of (perhaps unwittingly) undermining the diversity agenda.

Recently, we’ve seen a growing trend toward more disclosure and accountability on this front. Large companies including Apple, Citigroup, Facebook, and Microsoft have begun publishing gender pay gaps and commitments to close them. External pressures from shareholder groups are contributing to the momentum, as well as new state and local laws that prohibit companies from taking past pay into account when making an offer.

What this means for companies: Even if you don’t publicly disclose gender pay ratios, step up your scrutiny of the gap and proactively address it. Consider the deeper issues of opportunity inequality and how to move women into higherpaying roles.

What this means for women: Do your research and ask for more than you think you can get. Statistically speaking, chances are good you’re due for a raise.

“ Make time for the networks that matter…. Find the people who get called 20 times a week for new opportunities and persuade them to cascade some of those opportunities down to you.”

HOW TO INFLUENCE Filter opportunity streams. Companies often sponsor internal networking groups as a sign of support. Yet what might be more useful is to help women filter and target the external groups that will be of highest value. Alumni groups, industry associations, think tanks, and the like are often the most powerful alliances to invest in, as they yield the most varied opportunities.

It pays to think about networking strategy. Ten years ago, Janet Schijns set a goal to be a senior leader at a large publicly traded company. To get there, she realized she needed more people in her network who were already at the executive level and would be asked to give referrals when a position came open. That led her to strategically reach out to 20 to 30 new people each year—and stay in touch with each of them quarterly. She also started an online networking community to encourage women to stay in technology.

Schijns, who recently achieved her goal by becoming executive VP at Office Depot, credits her introduction to the company to a woman in her expanded network.

What this means for companies: Consider ways to make internal networking groups more productive and promotionfocused. Help the women in your organization connect more broadly, both for their benefit and yours.

What this means for women: Make time for the networks that matter, especially those connected to previous employers, schools, and associations. Find the people who get called 20 times a week for new opportunities and persuade them to cascade some of those opportunities down to you.

Push the diversity agenda outside company walls. Many companies have client advisory groups or focus groups that

put them in touch with people across the business world.

However, these groups often lack a mandate for a gender balance, even when they could obviously benefit from it.

Consider these groups a branding opportunity—a chance to show the world that gender diversity is something your company prioritizes. This effort will make attracting the next generation of women that much easier.

What this means for companies: Organizations should openly declare their interests in making any groups they organize more inclusive and diverse. The goal should be for diversity and inclusion to become embedded in all activities, rather than being a standalone topic.

What this means for women: Declare your ambitions to be part of these industry and advisory groups and proactively seek them out; don’t assume that the right groups will find you.

LOOKING AHEAD The #MeToo movement has created a momentum toward change that all women can and should benefit from. On both sides, it’s time to recognize that intent has not always translated properly into action. On both sides, it’s time to recognize that the dearth of women in senior roles comes with a price. With hard data and popular sentiment showing the need for greater equality in the workplace, I’d encourage both companies and women to move forward with a deeper commitment to setting things right once and for all. AQ Nada Usina is managing director of Russell Reynolds Associates, a provider of senior-level executive search and assessment. Usina leads the firm’s Technology sector globally and is an active member of the Board & CEO practice.

AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 13

WOMEN IN STEM Solve the Problems, Solve the Worker Shortage

BY CANDICE HUGHES

Two of the most discussed problems in U.S. corporations today are how to get more women involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers and how to solve the U.S. STEM worker shortage.

Yet it is rarely, if ever, noticed that solving one problem would address the other.

The data provide a good idea of where the gaps are in getting more women hired in STEM. For many of these gaps, solutions have been identified and discussed, meaning effective solutions are at hand.

ROBUST PIPELINE OF GIRLS IN STEM We often hear the problem is that more women need to get involved in STEM. Increasing amounts of data are now available to better examine the problem, and it is clear that girls have gotten the message that STEM careers can be profitable. Girls are entering STEM in equal numbers to boys, and there are many excellent programs, with more coming each day, to help girls begin STEM studies. In both high school and college, girls make up half or more of STEM students. This is a wonderful situation, and credit needs to go to all the STEM nonprofits, teachers, mentors, and others helping these girls and young women.

While we should congratulate all who are involved, there is still more work to do. These programs should be continued so that no backsliding occurs. Also, anecdotally, individual girls still become discouraged, lack confidence, and drop out when they might have succeeded with more support and encouragement.

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The key is to get girls into STEM at an early age, when they are in elementary school. Any student who falls off the STEM or accelerated track can find it nearly impossible to get back on later due to prerequisites and the way STEM knowledge builds in layers each year.

The mission here is quite clear. Reach girls early. Tell them why STEM is beneficial to them and the world. Provide exposure, training, and support in an ongoing fashion.

THE SKILLS GAP PROBLEM Although the overall numbers look very encouraging, a deeper examination reveals gaps in the learning of certain skills desired by corporations. These include engineering and computer science (see Figure 2 on page 17). Girls should be provided with career advice by late middle school or early high school on the current job situation for STEM careers. Some may choose to shift from overcrowded STEM areas, such as the more popular life sciences, to less populated fields.

But the full solution will require the involvement of other stakeholders, not just the girls. Part of the reason girls do not enter engineering and computer science, in my opinion, is that they are in fact knowledgeable about these areas, and what they know doesn’t encourage them. They read news about less than welcoming environments, particularly in tech. We also know that girls need female role models to feel

Figure 1

Shrinking Pipeline: Girls/Women in STEM High School: 50% College: >50% Work: 29% CEO 500s: 1.5% Š Candice M. Hughes

confident in pursuing challenging careers like STEM. Many companies and groups have fantastic programs to promote women in STEM, but there is room here to mention only a few. One that helps young girls is Girls Who Code, a nonprofit supported by a number of corporations. Women In Bio helps women who have already begun their careers in biopharma. Other groups include the National Girls Collaborative Project, Women in Engineering ProActive Network, Million Women Mentors, and the Association

for Women in Science. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC, supported by about 250 firms) promotes women-run businesses by connecting them with large corporate buyers.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: GETTING FROM COLLEGE TO A PAYING JOB While the pipeline going from colleges to the workforce for women in STEM is strong, they are falling out between college AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 15

“ We need to examine how we can encourage women to obtain jobs in engineering, computer science, and other areas that need workers.� and work. Also, there are skill-specific gaps in education that could be addressed to better position women for the workforce.

Once women trained in STEM fields hit the workforce, we see the first significant loss of these women. While more than 50% of them are trained in STEM, only 29% actually work in STEM. What could be happening? One possibility is that women are training in STEM areas that lack a strong employer need.

This problem can be addressed by communicating clearly that some areas are full (jobs are scarce), while other areas are desperate for workers. Cooperation between high schools, colleges, employers, and the federal government and other nonprofits should be able to spread the message within a short time frame using women leaders, social media, scholarships, and communications from colleges to applicants or students to convey the best areas for employment. To some extent, this message is already out

16 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

there, given the growing number of nonprofits devoted to robotics, engineering, and computer science for girls. But the connection between college major and salary or employment could be more clear and immediate at the time of choice.

Next, we need to examine, for those who have received the message about which areas are hot and which are not, how we can encourage women to obtain jobs in engineering, computer science, and other areas that need workers.

This is the most crucial issue. Women do not choose jobs based solely on salary concerns. Many tend to rate corporate culture and family-friendly policies (such as flex time) highly.

Younger women consciously or unconsciously look for role models. If they perceive that the culture in a career area is less than hospitable for women, they will turn away to other areas where they can work and advance without daily friction at work or between their work and personal lives.

Figure 2

Gap Areas for Women 57% All College Degrees

>50% Biology

<20% Comp sci/ engineering This is quite logical. As social beings, we like to be part of a community that welcomes us. Thus, we need to carefully examine whether jobs in the areas of lack are structured as welcoming and family friendly. Or are women being dissuaded by the challenges of culture and community?

WHERE ARE THE ROLE MODELS? FAILURE TO BREAK THE CEO CEILING Women are roughly half the population in the U.S. but comprise only 8% of CEOs at larger firms. The numbers are even lower at Fortune 500 firms, where only 5% are women.

Of these, only 1.5% of STEM Fortune 500 firms (or one firm) is led by a woman (see Figure 3 on page 18). This means that there are few role models for girls and young women pursuing STEM careers. The lack of role models is a crucial dampening factor as they pursue careers.

This disparity has existed for so long that it seems expected.

But if we consider it with statistics, we get a better understanding of the unusualness of the low number of women CEOs. For example, there have been 44 contested elections for U.S. president (a better-defined facsimile for a corporate CEO). Each of those elections as been won by a male candidate, making the odds of a female candidate winning 18 trillion to 1.

Most major corporations have a strong awareness of the lack of role models and have established women mentoring and leadership programs. They have developed robust policies against bias and encourage diversity. These efforts are moving the corporate culture in a positive direction.

50% College Workforce

29% STEM Jobs • 68% Biology/Life • 15% Engineering • 25% Comp sci/math

© Candice M. Hughes

Since the increase in women CEOs is occurring slowly, however, other factors should be considered. These include a need for changes to entrenched elements of organizational structures that favor men over women, an increase in job flexibility without career penalty, access to career-enhancing projects, and a reexamination of hiring and promotion criteria for unconscious bias.

IS IT CATERING TO WOMEN OR IMPROVING YOUR BOTTOM LINE? Companies may consider changing their organizational structures and cultures to be too much effort. Why expend time and money for one group? After all, the goal of a corporation is to make money, not optimize society. The reality is that many of the changes that would encourage women to continue in STEM careers are the same changes that would make men happier, more productive, and more loyal employees as well.

So the issue is not solely gender based. Men have gone with the flow due to their traditional role as family providers. But the growing Millennial generation is much less willing to fit into traditional organizational structures and roles. Companies that do not modernize will have an increasingly difficult time attracting and retaining the best employees in STEM. When deciding how to fix the women-in-STEM pipeline, we need to understand the real question. The question is not, “Should firms expend effort to attract women in STEM?” It is, “Should firms expend effort to get the best-skilled global STEM employees?” Each decision carries a cost—both AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 17

Figure 3

Breakdown of Female CEOs in the U.S. 500 CEOs: 5%

HCP = Healthcare provider HC = Healthcare 500 = Fortune 500

Tech 500 1/41

500 CEOs STEM: 1.5%

Pharma 500: 0/10

Big Corp CEOs: 8%

HCP 500: 0/8

HC Insurer 500: 0/8

Big Pharma 8%

© Candice M. Hughes

a financial and opportunity cost of potential lost revenue and the greater efficiency lost when a company foregoes stronger, more productive employees.

• Educators and mentors to tell students the STEM opportunity lies in engineering, computer science, and other key areas

Large firms also risk brand damage by sticking to traditional structures and processes that don’t optimize women as employees, given that women make a majority of purchasing decisions. This is especially true in healthcare, where they make 80% of the purchasing decisions.

• Corporations to reexamine structures and processes to further optimize for and promote women leaders/CEOs

What happens to the women dissuaded from taking corporate jobs? Do they give up? No. Women are starting companies at unprecedented numbers. About 10 million businesses in the United States are owned by women, according to the National Women’s Business Council. Of these, 1.3 million are in professional, scientific, and technical services, one of the top three categories. Women who are highly skilled in STEM and are discouraged from taking a large corporate job may become innovative competitors or corporate partners.

TWO BUSINESS HEADACHES, ONE SOLUTION The following changes are needed to solve two problems: how to get more and better STEM employees and how to keep women in STEM in the workforce: • Society and business to make cultural changes to offer a diverse, welcoming STEM environment that provides flexibility without career penalties

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• Government and nonprofits to provide grants and scholarships for midcareer STEM-trained women who want to switch to or return to key fields such as engineering and computer science Growing the women-in-STEM pipeline solves the second corporate problem of not having enough STEM workers. In fact, employees may already be trained and ready to work, but they are walking away due to the less than welcoming environment. All companies need to do is be innovative enough to put out the welcome mat and make it pleasant for women in STEM to begin and continue working in their organizations. This effort would eliminate the cost and time of searching for workers, achieving a win-win for companies and society. AQ Candice M. Hughes, PhD, MBA, is a strategy and management biopharma consultant who has worked with more than a third of the top-tier global pharmaceutical/biotech firms via her firm Hughes BioPharma Advisers. She advises, trains, and supports firms on marketing, commercialization, and regulatory issues such as alliances, process improvement, and product approvals.

AMA PLAYBOOK

Rethinking HR: From

Chief Compliance Officer to Chief Culture Coach

BY JATHAN JANOVE, J.D.

Several years ago, I interviewed a senior executive for a magazine article on how executives perceive the human resources function, and vice versa. He said, “With HR, it’s never about what I need. It’s either ‘You can’t’ or ‘You must.’”

He added, “I’m an engineer. I get engineering, manufacturing, IT, accounting, and so on. The only thing I don’t get is human behavior in the workplace. Thus, the very thing I need the most help on, I get the least.

That’s why I hate HR.” Since then, I’ve heard similar sentiments expressed by many executives and managers. For them HR is a (barely) tolerated cost.

Why the antipathy toward HR? I have an answer: HR typically focuses on legal compliance and claim prevention, not on creating great workplace cultures, which

is why many managers perceive HR as a roadblock to success. I recommend that HR replace its current compliance paradigm with one centered on creating cultures where employees learn, grow, and perform successfully. From my experience in labor and employment law, the best way to avoid claims is to focus on the people and culture, not on compliance. Although a lawsuit may center on the compliance issue, what drove it in the first place was related to culture—how employees were treated.

HR’s role in an engaged culture If HR puts culture first, working to create one focused on learning and performance, companies will have more loyal, productive employees and their compliance claim risk

Networking and Career Development for the Next Women Leaders

BY KATY TYNAN

For women in leadership roles, managing and growing in your career is an ongoing process of professional development, networking, and active engagement with the ever-evolving landscape of work. As technology and innovation transform the workplace, it’s more important than ever for women who aspire to take on leadership roles to be proactive about career development.

Here are four steps that can help future women leaders develop their careers: Build relationships one at a time. When thinking about building out your network, you may be tempted to just gather as many business cards and LinkedIn connections as possible. But the real value of networking comes from creating deeper relationships and finding opportunities to help people in your network, as well as asking for help yourself.

Create and maintain a personal development plan. While many employers offer professional development and learning opportunities, it’s a good idea to build a plan

that clearly outlines your career development goals. This way, you can leverage opportunities that are available through your organization but also seek out opportunities to fill the gaps in the company’s resources and offerings.

Develop a personal board of advisors.

While a broad and deep network is a great asset for your career, it’s also a great idea to select three to five individuals that know you well who are willing and able to give you honest feedback about how you can make progress in your career. This board of advisors should be as diverse as possible, but put the primary focus on finding people who are willing to spend some time with you one-on-one to provide more active guidance and support.

Own and manage your personal brand. One of the first things recruiters do when considering candidates today is to

will be reduced dramatically. A culturebased approach speaks directly to what keeps executives up at night, which is not staying out of court. It’s achieving their goals, which is far more likely to occur when employees share an enthusiastic commitment to success.

In fact, a compliance culture is antithetical to an engaged culture.

Compliance cultures are transactional: “Follow the rules and you’ll keep your job and continue to get paid.” Engaged cultures are other-centered: “How can we as leaders help you succeed?” In a compliance culture, I contribute what I must but nothing more. In an engaged culture, you get my discretionary energy that you can’t command or control.

I think about how I can maximize my contribution to my current employer.

By shifting focus to creating great workplace cultures, HR moves from being a cost of doing business to a valued strategic partner.

Jathan Janove, J.D. is principal of Janove Organization Solutions, a contributor to HR Magazine, and a popular management blogger. explore how they present themselves to the world.

At a minimum, you need to think about how you present yourself on social media and ensure that your privacy settings are correctly configured.

However, to truly maximize your career potential, you should create a website or blog where you can showcase your work. Be sure to optimize your LinkedIn and other social profiles as well to help build your personal brand in the marketplace, differentiate yourself from other candidates, and support your career development.

We are just a few generations removed from the days when women were not able or allowed to participate in many roles in the workforce. While we now find women working in every sector and at every level of the organization, there is a continued need for active networking and career development for each woman to reach her full potential.

Katy Tynan is an author, speaker, consultant, and coach. She is the founder of Liteskip Consulting Group.

AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 19

AMA PLAYBOOK

To Eliminate Sexual Harassment, Focus on Culture, Not Compliance BY JATHAN JANOVE, J.D.

In my experience, when employers make a respect-based standard a non-negotiable core policy and value, they: (a) keep surprise harassers off the behavioral slippery slope; (b) protect the company against surprise plaintiffs; and, best of all, (c) protect surprise victims, the ones who suffer without reporting.

3

# Every day, we learn of more victims of sexual harassment. Many people have been surprised by this escalation. After dealing with this issue professionally for more than 30 years, I’m not.

I began my career as an attorney representing harassment victims. Later I switched to the management side, defending these claims. Currently, I deal with workplace harassment as a consultant, executive coach, and investigator. Here’s my take:

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#

Our current approach to eliminating sexual harassment doesn’t work

Most sexual harassment policies and training programs in the workplace are at best ineffective. Although they’ve been commonplace for 30 years, as found by the EEOC’s Select Task Force on Workplace Harassment, there’s no evidence they’ve proved effective. You’re as likely to be harassed today as you were 30 years ago.

Why? The overwhelming majority of antiharassment policies and training programs are legalistic exercises designed to check a compliance/claim prevention box. They may deter reporting instead of encouraging it. They completely ignore these workplace realities: • Most victims of sexual harassment don’t complain to management or HR. They don’t go to agencies and they don’t hire attorneys. The reasons for this include: a fear of retaliation and embarrassment; a strong desire to avoid conflict; a desire to be one of the group and be accepted; self-doubt (“Did this really happen?” “Should I have reacted differently?”); and doubts about whether management will understand or care.

• Although there are predators who combine power with sex, most people who engage in offensive sexual behavior don’t think they’re harassing anyone; typically they think the opposite. They make assumptions about what’s welcome and get encouragement from the reluctance of victims to take action. They assume a lack of complaint means consent.

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• Workplaces that tolerate sexual behavior leave themselves vulnerable to people who engage in such behavior and later turn it against the employer. I’ve defended harassment claims from plaintiffs who brought cakes shaped like male genitals to company birthday celebrations and entertained co-workers with a reenactment of the Katz’s Delicatessen scene in the movie When Harry Met Sally. Typically these “surprise plaintiffs” emerge when they’ve been fired or fear being fired and adopt the “best defense is a good offense” approach.

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Our new standard must be a respectful culture

If you’re serious about eliminating harassment, replace a legalistic scare-youinto-compliance approach with one that focuses on core values. The goal is not to avoid a harassment lawsuit. It’s to create a work environment where people are treated with dignity, professionalism, and respect at all times.

When employers focus on “harassment,” they focus on a problematic legal standard.

The law permits workplace sexual behavior, even if offensive, so long as it doesn’t pass the “pervasive or severe” test. This creates plenty of room for argument, which is why most alleged harassers think of themselves as victims and point the finger back at the complainant. The legal standard increases victims’ reluctance to take action.

Set the behavioral standard at dignity, respect, and professionalism, not the law. Draw the line at sexual behavior, not sexual harassment. Make alleged consent, welcomeness, or absence of complaint irrelevant. If the behavior is in any way sexual, it violates the behavioral standard.

Don’t burden an employee with having to assert she or he is a victim of “harassment.”

Rather, enlist all employees to help maintain an environment where every employee feels safe, secure, and respected at all times.

We need to empower victims and bystanders

Few anti-harassment policies and training programs address the actions victims can take directly or how bystanders can help. This is a mistake. Often the problem starts small and “progresses” to a truly hostile environment.

If you’re dealing with a surprise harasser (making erroneous assumptions about what is “welcome”), this simple, direct statement can work: “When you _________ [describe the behavior], it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Please stop.” This statement eliminates ambiguity or erroneous assumptions, without labeling the behavior or threatening consequences. If the offender genuinely didn’t mean to offend, he (and sometimes she) has an easy way to self-correct.

When taught to employees, self-help should never be required. In certain situations, it’s not even appropriate. It’s simply an option that can be taught, as you also reinforce the point that under no circumstances should offensive behavior be allowed to continue.

Even when victims don’t report, co-workers often have knowledge of the offensive behavior. Without necessarily intending to do so, bystanders who do or say nothing make the environment worse for the victim. Instead, they should be taught intervention options. Depending on the circumstances, bystanders can: (a) confront the offender directly; (b) encourage the victim to confront the offender or report the problem; or (c) report the problem themselves.

Workplace sexual harassment is eradicable It starts at the top. Leaders must make a commitment to setting the bar at a respectbased environment, not a harassment-free environment. Next, employers must align policies, training, and enforcement with this commitment. Instead of plucking weeds, create soil conditions in which workplace sexual harassment cannot grow.

Jathan Janove, J.D. is principal of Janove Organization Solutions, a contributor to HR Magazine, and a popular management blogger.

Observations on Inclusive Cultures: Inclusion Starts with “I”

BY JAMIE HECHINGER AND AMY HAYES

When shown research that identifies the importance of the role leaders play in advancing diversity and inclusion (D&I), senior executives are, unsurprisingly, unsurprised.

Most understand that D&I strategies are a necessary step toward future-proofing their businesses. Some have appointed D&I experts to lead the charge. But after the tone has been set and the budget allotted, many are still failing to take an active role in the process of enacting change.

Our firm has found that standout leaders think of D&I as a holistic, long-term, and organizational-level effort. They envision D&I as a journey, rather than an end goal.

And like all transformational journeys, this one is nuanced and nonlinear and comes with the need to be inclusive and open, yet unwavering and insistent.

Leaders must be able to embody what may be perceived as competing competencies

spanning the continuums of heroic yet vulnerable, disruptive yet pragmatic, and galvanizing yet connective leadership. The ability to span not only differentiates the leaders themselves but also their effectiveness in transforming cultures and institutions.

There isn’t a simple solution to the challenges of D&I, but there are steps senior leaders can take to point their organizations in the right direction: Go public. Once leaders commit to the journey, they must visibly hold themselves accountable to meeting D&I goals. Our CEO, Clarke Murphy, recently signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, committing to an open dialogue on D&I, implementing unconscious bias education, and sharing best practices. Simultaneously, leaders need to demonstrate their commitment to D&I in the form of actions and results.

Enable and empower. Leaders must build a platform that brings new ideas to life. This requires them to build diverse teams, insist on the involvement of diverse stakeholders in decision making, create safe and supportive environments in which diverse voices are heard, and empower diverse leaders to execute against their visions.

Get uncomfortable. Leaders who are driving change must have the courage to have uncomfortable conversations, ask questions, and act on the answers they receive. This may mean tackling tough situations with executives who refuse to get behind the D&I journey.

Go first. Leaders need to model authenticity and inclusion to give their teams “permission” to do the same. Mark Zuckerberg’s participation in Facebook’s family leave policy sends a clear message to his thousands of employees. Not only does the company support a culture in which new parents feel comfortable taking maternity or paternity leave, but more broadly, it believes that parenthood is a part of public life during a career with the company.

D&I impacts the bottom line. However, to truly move the needle, leadership must approach D&I work with authenticity, humanity, resiliency, resolve, courage, and above all else, action.

Jamie Hechinger and Amy Hayes are leaders in the Diversity & Inclusion Practice at the executive search and leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates.

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Learn. Practice powerful skills and gain knowledge through unique learning experiences, experts and your peers.

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Learn how you can be a part of our positive and inclusive community or bring a women’s program to your organization.

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The Generational Gearbox

Developing Female Executive Talent

BY CHUCK UNDERWOOD

The discipline of generational study, which was finally and fully pushed over the top in the 2000s, is now imperative knowledge, training, and strategy for American businessâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially when developing executive talent.

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Three generations currently dominate the U.S. workforce: • Baby Boomers: ages 54 to 72 in 2018 • Gen X’ers: ages 37 to 53 • Millennials: ages 18 to 36 The women of these three generations have experienced unique passages through their formative years (the first 18 to 23 years of life) and thus far in their careers. Each day, they enter the workplace possessing unique generational core values, strengths, and weaknesses.

As a result, the development of female executive talent requires, from those who mentor or train employees, a “generational gearbox” that enables them to shift gears swiftly and accurately from one generation to the next when developing executive talent. One-size-fits-all-generations executive development is dead.

And yes, the same is true in developing male executive talent.

Here is the short version of the talent development picture for these three generations:

WOMEN OF THE BABY BOOM GENERATION (AGES 54 TO 72) Boomers had their passionate core values of idealism and right-and-wrong pounded into them by the teachings of their elders and the times of their youth. With these core values and their enormous size (80 million), they propelled forward eight major cultural revolutions: • Feminist movement • Civil rights movement • Environmental movement • War protest movement • Sexual revolution • Drug revolution • Religion revolution • Youth empowerment Boomer women fought the furious fight for their gender and won. Their bold vision, refusal to yield, and strong ethics in the 1960s and 1970s—despite their constant uncertainty about whether the movement would succeed—are now a spellbinding chapter in U.S. history.

In 2002, Time magazine chose three Boomer women as its Persons of the Year because each had exposed corruption by their male bosses—at the FBI, WorldCom, and Enron. A few weeks later, an Associated Press reporter, writing about one of the three, Coleen Rowley (FBI), summed up those Boomer core values of ethics and courage—and their generation’s role in the feminist movement—when she wrote, “When

you’re called to stand, you stand, even if your legs are shaking.” These Boomer women…stood.

In that same Time story, Rowley herself was classic Boomer in the way she explained why she had alerted Congress to the wrongdoings in her FBI office: “It was the right thing to do. The country is starved for integrity.”

What does this mean when it comes to developing Boomer females for the C-suite? It means tailoring development program to fit their generational core values, skills, and vision. Boomer female leaders are likely to deliver: • A strong commitment to the highest ethics • Long-term thinking, instead of the current quarter-byquarter mindset • Weighing of the social benefits of decisions, not just profits • Less complacency toward executives’ decisions • A willingness to ask the tough questions, such as “Why are we doing it this way?”

• A desire to include emotional considerations in executive decision making • A heightened sensitivity to the “human factor” and the impact of executive decisions on workers and their families, customers, vendors, and the community, instead of the attitude of “anything for the shareholders” • Idealism, which means doing the right thing every time and pursuing “exactly right” instead of merely “good enough” • The “whole package,” as Boomers’ formative years molded in them virtually all the key values, attitudes, and skills considered essential for good leadership (if this sounds ordinary, wait till we get to the next generation) Boomer women—if only the C-suite frat house will let them in—stand ready to, without exaggeration, save this nation from the leadership calamity that began a quarter century ago when the white men of the Silent Generation— unprepared by their unique formative years to lead—were taking their turn at the top. (But that’s another story.)

And they’ll get magnificent support and complementary skills from Generation X women.

WOMEN OF GENERATION X (AGES 37 TO 53) Oh my, what a unique formative-years passage this generation had! And, the boys had a very different experience from that of the girls.

Gen X endured the most difficult childhood in U.S. history because of the unique times and teachings of their formative years, the 1970s to early 2000s. Consider: • The divorce rate skyrocketed as X’ers came of age • American leaders and heroes in business, government, AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 23

religion, and sport were regularly caught lying and cheating and failing to deliver on their promises • The Silent Generation Leadership Era dismantled the American middle class, and X’er kids saw their loyal, skilled, hardworking moms and dads laid off as their bosses enjoyed a year-end bonus, in part because they laid them off • The U.S. education system faltered badly during X’ers’ classroom years, and more disciplined immigrant kids, especially Asian, poured into America and surpassed them But this generation’s youth was a rollercoaster ride. In addition to these unique lows, there were also unique highs, especially for the girls: • The women’s movement was in full swing during this time, and all around them X’er girls were hearing and seeing and

• Self-reliance: “I am a Gen X Army of One!” • Independence: They often prefer to work alone rather than in teams or groups • Creativity: They’re skilled at developing new products, services, and methods • Entrepreneurship: They’re willing to step outside the square and try new things • Family-first mindset: “My parents divorced or were workaholics who weren’t around; I’m gonna be there for my kid” • Efficiency: They want to arrive, give a no-nonsense eight hours, and leave But beyond their control, and in sharp contrast to Boomers and Millennials, Gen X came of age during times and

“ Older Boomers retire, take their excellent and long list of leadership values and skills with them, and attempt to hand the reins to their X’er successors.” reading and discussing all the excitement swirling around this Era of the Surging Female • In virtually all of those divorced families, the courts granted child custody to the moms, not the dads, so X’er children saw females leading households • The landmark federal legislation Title IX mandated, among other things, equal sports opportunities for boys and girls • X’er girls came of age absorbing the full force of the feminist message and seeing women kicking butt and living strongly and independently on television (Charlie’s Angels) and in real life (women were admitted into the regular U.S. Army) • Just as Generation X began its classroom years, the nation’s education system launched girl-sensitive education, “The Girl Project,” which was initially designed to wipe out girls’ historic weaknesses in science and math but did so much more • The girls of this generation became the first in U.S. history to quantitatively surpass boys in classroom performance Boomer women had kicked open the door, and in the mid1980s X’er females poured through it, entering adulthood and expecting opportunity, expecting equality, and expecting their own career skills to of course be worthy of the C-suite.

A few of the Gen X female values are:

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teachings that did not prepare them for leadership. And the enormity of this problem is just now becoming clear as older Boomers retire, take their excellent and long list of leadership values and skills with them, and attempt to hand the reins to their X’er successors.

Gen X will benefit enormously from generation-specific leadership training.

During their formative years, many X’ers developed a core value of “survival of the fittest”: “If I make it to the top and lay you off and get a year-end bonus for doing so, that’s just the way it is. That’s all my generation has ever seen in America. I take care of me, you take care of you.”

Because of their unique childhood years, many X’ers also developed a core value of self-focus. “Me first.” And this value usually clashes with the value of “we” and “us” that leadership requires.

The women of Gen X are about to accelerate their surge to the top: Boomers are retiring, there are not enough X’ers to replace them (for every eight Boomers born in the U.S., there are only six X’ers), and because of their childhood, there are fewer X’er men prepared to lead.

The profoundly different passages of Boomers and X’ers demand a thorough understanding and different methods from the executives, mentors, and trainers tasked with developing each generation for the C-suite.

“ Millennials possess, as a core value, a viewpoint that embraces ‘we/group/team/us’ instead of ‘me-me-me.’

And groupthink is essential to C-suite success.”

And now, here come these folks:

WOMEN OF THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION (AGES 18 TO 36) This generation experienced unique times in their formative years and unique teachings. As a result, they have unique core values.

The Millennials came of age from the 1980s to, for the very youngest of them, the present time.

Parenting in America changed from the absentee and permissive approach used with Gen X kids to “baby on board” protectiveness and overparenting; this created in Millennial children a strong sense of self-esteem (mostly a good thing) and an overreliance on their elders to help them with just about everything (mostly a bad thing).

Females continued to surge, and males continued to struggle, and so the gender separation that began within Gen X continued with Millennials.

Millennial kids had a largely positive experience with adults, after X’ers had a largely negative one. This difference shows up in the workplace with Millennials being predisposed to trust their bosses and learn from them, while X’ers are more guarded and skeptical.

And finally, consider the elephant in the living room: the tech revolution. While X’ers are the nation’s first computer generation, Millennials are the first full-blown tech generation.

We are now documenting that—beyond their control— Millennials are as damaged by technology as they are helped by it. The list of workplace shortcomings attributable to tech is a long one. But Millennials know this, and they want help in identifying and overcoming the damage.

The Millennial generation, like the Boomers and unlike Gen X, will produce a bumper crop of exceptional leaders.

Because of childhood events such as the terror attack of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the war against terrorism, and others, Millennials grew up thinking, “We’re all in this together, so let’s truly take care of each other.” They possess, as a core value, a viewpoint that embraces “we/group/team/ us” instead of “me-me-me.” And groupthink is essential to C-suite success.

As leaders, they will care about their workers rather than trample them with layoffs. They’re likely to be an ethical

generation in the executive suite. They will care about the environment. They will be big dreamers. (Gen X is more where-the-rubber-meets-the-road pragmatic; no right or wrong with any of this, just “different.”) Like Boomers, Millennials want to save the whole world and possess the swagger to think they can. Their self-esteem is not in short supply. Compare this with the self-esteem of X’ers, which took an unprecedented pounding in their formative years.

Like the women of Gen X, Millennial females are riding the tsunami triggered a half-century ago. That means Millennials assume equality, assume opportunity, and assume they will have the necessary toolbox of leadership values and skills when they begin their turn at the top.

But when mentoring or training this generation’s females for leadership, remember that Millennials have gotten off to the rockiest, young-adult start in the history of the American workplace for two primary reasons, both beyond their generation’s control (they were kids!): • The startling damage done to them by the technology revolution, which has eroded a long list of soft social skills • The overparenting by so many of their moms and dads that diminished their self-reliance and critical thinking Any executive development of Millennial women that does not devote significant attention to these two influences will be a big kerplunk.

THE BIG PICTURE? Whether it’s men or women, the development of executive talent must take into consideration generational dynamics and differences. And for the first time, the field of generational study is in place to provide all the necessary train-the-trainers content and skills necessary to achieve success with it.

As with most fields, a caution: There are very bad generational consultants out there. And very good ones.

Do your homework and choose wisely. AQ Chuck Underwood, a pioneer of generational study, trains American and Canadian business, government, education, and religion in a comprehensive list of generational strategies. He is the author of America’s Generations In the Workplace, Marketplace, and Living Room and host of the PBS national television series America’s Generations With Chuck Underwood. He can be reached at 937-247-1123 and chuck@genimperative.com

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Creating a Culture of

Gender Equality

BY MAURA SMITH

We’ve all heard the adage “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

If you’re in the corporate world, chances are you’ve applied this saying to business growth, strategies, and outcomes.

But what if the lack of certain organizational elements— which should already exist but do not—is standing in the way of big goals?

For an organization to achieve prime success, the members of its teams must function at an equal level. A major discussion today is how gender equality in the workplace is a critical factor for achieving business results and curating executive growth and strong leadership. It’s time we stop and apply that adage once again: Equality won’t be achieved in a discussion.

Where we stand in 2018, the spotlight on workplace equality, especially with regard to gender, is at an all-time high. But it’s time that all individuals accept and understand their responsibility for turning the conversation into action.

Despite a greater focus than ever on equal pay, treatment, and representation of women across levels, industries, and channels, recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and Institute for Women’s Policy Research show that a staggering 19.5% wage gap remained in 2017. And that’s counting only full-time, year-round workers. If change remains at its current pace, the data shows men and women will not reach equal pay until 2059, a disconcerting 41 years from now.

Organizations must lead the way in initiating and expediting change that empowers industries and individuals to do their part to help level the playing field—and not just at the top.

While it is true that women account for an average of only one in five C-suite positions, the largest gender gap lies at the first major promotion point from entry-level to manager level, where women are 18% less likely to be promoted

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than their male counterparts, according to McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace study.

Inequality spans entire careers and is present throughout all levels of organizations, so it must be addressed with equal vigor. By instilling values that support the leadership, growth, and development of all levels and genders equally, companies allow every member of an organization to share in making and supporting sustainable changes, whether in behavior, perception, mindset, or treatment.

WHAT DOES EQUALITY REALLY LOOK LIKE? Gender equality is not accomplished with a statistic. It is a mindset, a behavior, and a cultural value. Equal gender representation in an organization or a select number of women in the boardroom does not automatically equate to a level playing field and therefore cannot be a measure of success.

Instead, equality must be treated as a cyclical and ongoing process that is part of the foundational and cultural background of an organization. The recent focus on gender equality opens the door for organizations to evaluate whether they are instilling values of equality in their culture or merely achieving it in static numbers. The latter is likely causing them to overlook areas where career development and leadership are not as readily available to some individuals as they are to others. Rather than waiting for this disparity to surface as a company-wide problem, an organization should regularly evaluate whether its belief in equality is being successfully translated into a culture of equality.

THREE SIMPLE MINDSET SHIFTS HELP BUILD A CULTURE OF EQUALITY Achieving a cultural change can be a daunting task if organizations rush for a quick fix. Before attempting to tackle the change, first look at how it’s being defined.

Traditionally, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines culture as “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization.” It’s no secret that we cannot expect attitudes or values to be changed overnight, and determining where to start can send teams into a tailspin.

Instead, turn to the more actionable definition of culture from Merriam-Webster: “the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education.” An organization can easily begin educating its members to inspire a new set of values that support an equality culture. From the highest level, this education starts with a few simple mindset shifts: Build coaching moments into the everyday. When building new values and cultural ideals, organizations that focus on small coachable moments can demonstrate their values on both a corporate and personal level.

With matters of equality, and for women especially, there are typically several critical moments of the workday that can potentially give way to bias, stereotyping, or discrimination, sometimes even on an unconscious level. By making these moments teachable and offering coaching to both men and women to shift their mindset or behavior, an organization can lead the way by showcasing what it stands for and demonstrating how each person can do his or her part.

This coaching can and should reach all levels and individuals, so that men and women throughout the organization equally understand how to avoid behaviors that may encourage inequality and how to diffuse situations where they may see or experience it occurring.

While these moments of impact take many forms and focuses and can vary by industry, company size, and so on, there are several coaching moments that should be a top priority for all organizations focused on building a culture of equality: • Labeling biases. Ensure that characteristics, personalities, and communication styles are not stigmatized for one gender while celebrated for the other. For example, an email or conversation that comes across as direct should be understood as direct, not “rude” for women and “strong” for men. Coaching around moments like these allows all individuals to understand how to avoid stigmatizing behavior and how to diffuse it if they’re on the receiving or observing end.

• Language empowerment. Provide resources and education on how to communicate most effectively with others and avoid biased beliefs that certain individuals should communicate in certain ways. This coaching suits a variety of moments but may include calling attention to a belief or assumption, even if unconscious, that women should justify their reasoning or use exclamation marks to demonstrate they are not angry.

• Nonverbal communication. Open a discussion around nonverbal communication behaviors, such as stance and eye contact, that provide men and women with an understanding AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 27

of how to communicate in an open, equal, and collaborative manner. These types of coaching moments work well in onboarding and company-wide training programs so the lessons can be generalized to standard best practices that all individuals can keep in mind.

• Compliance. Ensure the workplace is not tolerant of belittling or controlling communication, including instances of “manterruption” or “mansplaining” where a man talks down to a woman, speaks over her, overexplains ideas, and so on. Coaching in these moments can include simple corrections that call for a pause in the conversation so that individuals aren’t interrupted and ideas aren’t ignored.

Encourage a focus on perspectives, not penalties. In the workplace, it is important for various employee backgrounds, demographics, and experiences to be considered positive elements of a company’s composition.

Individuals should be encouraged to carve their own path personally and professionally, and doing so should be seen as an all-around benefit to the organization’s success, rather than a distraction.

For women, unfortunately, a negative stigma is often associated with having a family, despite McKinsey & Company’s 2017 data showing women are not leaving or planning to leave the workforce any more than men are. For an organization to best support executive development and growth for women, this stigma must be addressed through more than just benefits, instead functioning as another component of an equality culture.

Consider the detriment of not doing so: A woman takes full advantage of her organization’s maternity leave policy only to return to a team that has the mentality that she is now distracted, not able to work as well, or not as strong a leader due to the demands of a family. In this case, which is more common than realized, the problem and stigma exist in the culture of the organization, not in its policies, and must be addressed accordingly.

Ensuring an organization’s culture is free from this “mom penalty” supports women in growing their career path when and how they desire, without the threat of experiencing team bias or being passed over for a promotion opportunity.

It should be widely accepted and understood that having a family is supported and welcomed as an added perspective rather than coming with the assumption that families are a burden to women or make them any less of a leader.

Create a transparent organization. For an organizational culture to be conducive of equality and a level playing field, there must be a degree of transparency, both at the corporate level and among employees. It is paramount that an organization acknowledge any gender gaps it may have and share in the ownership of how those gaps will be addressed, leading the change by example. In addition to offering coaching moments and addressing stigmas

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and stereotypes, companies can demonstrate a culture of equality by making employees aware of the resources that are available and welcoming all conversations on the matter, without the risk of consequence.

Cultural influence and change demand trust, and individuals will instill greater trust in an organization that is transparent not only about its values but also its faults and commitments to change. Three “transparency checkpoints” can help an organization evaluate whether it can communicate more openly about matters of equality and gender parity: • Do onboarding programs, mentorships, and trainings equip individuals to support and initiate a culture of equality for themselves and their peers? This ensures that standard best practices for equality are instilled at all entry points and educational moments of the company.

• Are female-specific leadership committees or mentorship programs in place at the organization or offered via third-party organizations? Such programs support and encourage the growth of female leadership throughout the organization and demonstrate the company’s commitment to the dialogue.

• Does the organization hold itself accountable? A transparent organization discloses not only its plans but also its results.

Employees should have visibility into how equality initiatives are doing, even if means there is still work to be done.

WHAT’S THE EQUALITY ROI? Organizations that equally encourage and empower all individuals to lead and succeed achieve more than just happy employees and desirable new applicants. In 2016, results of a global study by Peterson Institute for International Economics suggested profitability would rise 15% if the share of women in top management positions of an organization went from zero to 30%. To achieve that profitability from the top positions, a company must break down and eliminate gender gaps throughout the organization and at every critical stage of career growth, leadership, and communication.

Measuring and achieving equality not only by demographic figures but also by its value in the organization’s culture causes employee and client loyalty and retention rates to improve, ultimately leading to a more sustainable bottom line. When a culture of equality is achieved, all individuals in an organization understand their importance and their role in contributing to a higher-functioning team where talent development and business success can be driven to new heights. AQ Maura Smith is senior VP of Affiliate Network at Pepperjam, a company that gives brands and retailers the resources and confidence needed to promote their brand and grow their business. Smith manages the client and publisher relationships that drive the success of Pepperjam’s performance marketing technology.

Supporting the Progress of

Female Executives

BY CLARE HART

In 2017, the Fortune 500 saw a record number of female CEOs on its coveted list: 32, to be exact, which represents a 50% increase from the previous year.

This brings the grand total of women who have graced this list to 64, starting with the Washington Post’s Katharine Graham, who became the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 1972. While I was pleased to see such a significant leap in the number of female CEOs on the Fortune 500 last year, the reality is they represent only 6.4% of the total list—and that’s just not good enough.

For reference, take into consideration that women make up a majority of the U.S. population today, and they earn almost 60% of undergraduate degrees and 60% of all master’s degrees. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they make up 49% of the college-educated workforce and hold 52% of all professional-level jobs.

The fact that women are so highly represented in the

workforce—and hold the majority of professional positions— really puts the Fortune 500 list into perspective. However, there’s no doubt that progress has been made, albeit slow progress. I’ve certainly seen this in my own environment, as one-third of the professionals on Sterling Talent Solutions’ executive committee are women. Our leadership group, made up of vice presidents and above, is also more than onethird female.

WOMEN IN THE BOARDROOM Women made up 27.3% of board seats of the Fortune 500 in 2016—a percentage that had slowly been increasing year over year but fell two percentage points from the previous year. Yet research suggests that companies that have more women on boards have better financial results than those AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 29

“ Encouraging girls to pursue their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math fields positions them for a future at the forefront of technology and innovation.” that have fewer. According to Catalyst research, companies with the most women board directors had 16% higher return on sales than those with the least and 26% higher return on invested capital. Is this causal or is it correlated? It is unclear to me, but the fact remains—companies with women on their boards perform better.

Having women in the boardroom can also impact recruitment efforts. The American Economic Association found that having more women on the board makes it more likely the company will hire women executives. Aspiring female executives should take note of companies with female board members and consider them as they contemplate their path to success.

CLOSING THE PAY GAP While men still dominate the top-ranking positions in corporate America, there has, fortunately, been steady progress made toward closing the pay gap that has historically existed between men and women. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not there yet. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, women are paid 20% less than their male counterparts performing the same job.

But the tides are turning, and some companies are making headlines by taking a hard look at salaries and closing the gaps between men and women doing the same job. Take a look at what leading companies such as Salesforce are doing in this respect, with its CEO Marc Benioff announcing that more than $6 million has been spent on correcting the pay gap within the company. Not only did Salesforce raise the pay of 11% of its employees around the world after a second round of salary evaluations, but Benioff declared that it was “easy to do so” with just a small amount of HR data and research.

Other companies, such as Google and Facebook, have also made significant strides in this area, paving the way and setting a precedent for others to follow suit. At Sterling Talent Solutions, I’m proud to say that we have gone through the same exercise of evaluating salaries and have fixed discrepancies for both women and men.

What’s more, this issue is also being addressed at a legislative level. Since 2016, eight states and cities have

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passed salary history ban legislation, which prevents employers from asking job candidates about their salary history in an interview. These laws were designed to help reduce the wage gap between men and women workers.

According to an American Association of University Women study, this gap begins at college graduation even when the course of study is the same. New York City is the latest to enact a new law, in October 2017, that prohibits employers in the city from asking about, relying on, or verifying a job applicant’s salary history during the hiring process. I expect other cities will soon follow suit.

HOW WOMEN CAN HELP OTHER WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright famously said, “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.” When asked to elaborate on this, the former secretary explained that in 1997, as the first female secretary of state and the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government, she had a support group of women foreign ministers throughout the world that leaned on one another.

She further explained that it was often difficult being the only woman in the room, so she appreciated having a support system in place of other, like-minded individuals.

So how can we help women who aspire to executive leadership positions? It’s really all about supporting one another, and this can begin at a very early age. We must encourage girls to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, as these fields teach the skills that are necessary to compete in an increasingly tech-centric marketplace. Girls are often afraid to pursue these careers either because they aren’t considered “cool” or they don’t see women well-represented in STEM, making them feel they do not belong. But encouraging girls to pursue their interest in these fields positions them for a future at the forefront of technology and innovation. It also provides them with the skills necessary to compete with the men who have traditionally dominated in these areas.

Once in the workforce, women can support other women in a variety of ways. It’s worth noting, however, that the following actions can provide value to both women and men with significant career aspirations.

Encourage mentoring. Mentorship has many benefits.

People not only can learn new skills from their mentor but also further hone their leadership and management skills with trusted guidance. Companies with dedicated mentorship programs have reported reduced turnover and improved productivity, given the decrease in the amount of time it takes to get an employee up to speed in a new role. Plus, mentorship programs can help identify and train emerging leaders and put them on the right track for success.

Mentors should not be confused with sponsors, whose role is to advocate on an employee’s behalf. While in some cases a mentor may turn into a sponsor, a mentor is often someone whose own career path is closer to that of the employee, allowing the mentor to share knowledge and experience from a similar and recent point of view.

Reverse mentoring can be equally important. This relationship involves a senior-level person who is mentored by a more junior-level person, often on topics in which the seniorlevel person is not well steeped. When I was first starting out as CEO of Factiva, my reverse mentor was a technology expert who kept me abreast of the latest developments.

His perspective was incredibly valuable to me. According to Workforce magazine, in 2018 “millennial leaders will look for boomers in financial, legal and HR roles to coach them on economic cycles they have not experienced and to point out best practices to avoid potential hazards.” Similarly, Boomer executives can benefit from Millennial mentors who help them understand the mindset of this population.

Promote lifelong learning. I cannot stress the importance of having outside perspective from people—both male and female—at your career level. Women focused on the executive track should find a professional organization that allows them to meet and network with like-minded individuals who understand where they are in their careers and where they wish to be. Not only can they learn best practices from people who have “been there, done that,” but they may even connect with someone who may influence a future career move.

Many people overlook the need for lifelong learning, likely because it involves time outside the office. However, I encourage women to invest in themselves by taking this extra time—don’t blow it off. Make it part of your professional development goals.

Have their back—and help them develop as leaders.

Madeleine Albright was right—women need to back each other up. Female leaders can do this in several ways, and some are as simple as giving women who are less outgoing a voice by engaging them in the discussion. When people are asked for their opinions, especially by senior executives, they will feel valued, gain confidence, and understand that their opinions matter.

Female leaders can also support aspiring women in developing their own leadership styles, which, unfortunately,

are often scrutinized as they make their way up the career ladder. While common stereotypes are not easy to overcome, I find that women can combat them by coming to the table with facts and data to support their claims and points of view.

Of course, men can benefit from this idea of “knowing your stuff” just as well as women can.

Stress the importance of hard work. Climbing the corporate ladder can be difficult, regardless of gender. There’s no denying it takes hard work to make it to the top, and being a senior-level executive—male or female—isn’t a 9-to-5 job.

I’m often asked if women can really “have it all,” given the demands of both work and home life, and how they can achieve work-life balance. Women need to find their own definition of balance and stick with it. Personally, I prefer to think of it as a work-life “blender.” This notion considers the idea that work sometimes happens outside of working hours, while life sometimes happens at work. That’s just reality, and embracing this has helped me make peace with the long hours that can come with being a CEO. Push them to take a leap. Did you know that if a job description calls for skills that one does not have, a man is more likely to throw his hat in the ring for the job than a woman? To me, this points to a reaI lack of confidence in women. They feel that just because they cannot tick off every skill on the job description, they aren’t ready for the next step.

Men may feel this way too, but they don’t often let it stop them from taking the new job or promotion.

As uncomfortable as it may seem, women need to take the leap to advance their careers—even if they’re not sure they are ready! Encourage women to go for the promotion and ask for what they want and deserve. Remember, skills can be learned from mentors or from outside peer groups.

During the interview process, if specific skills are questioned, women should demonstrate how other experience equips them to handle the task at hand. This not only shows transparency and a willingness to learn, but also self-awareness, which I believe is a key leadership characteristic.

As we begin a new year, I’m hopeful that female representation on the Fortune 500 will continue to rise.

From the boardroom to the C-suite, female executives can have a lasting impact on organizations and make them stronger. So let’s make sure that aspiring female leaders have the support they need by helping to groom and push the next generation of women into the C-suite. I, for one, am inspired every day by the strong, professional women who are my colleagues, clients, partners, and vendors. And I will continue to do my part to help them succeed. AQ Clare Hart is CEO of Sterling Talent Solutions, one of the world’s largest employee screening companies. With 20 offices in nine countries, Sterling’s team of more than 3,500 employees serves over 50,000 customers around the world, including a quarter of the Fortune 100.

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Talent Management Strategies for

WOMEN IN LAW

BY JUDY MAGEE

32 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

Talent management of women in law firms presents a unique challenge.

Although women are graduating from law schools in equal or greater numbers than men, their presence in law firms has increased only slowly and had almost no impact on the number of women in leadership roles. Women are 50.3% of current law school graduates yet make up fewer than 35% of lawyers at law firms, according to Law360’s “2017 Glass Ceiling Report.”

Professional women are presented with many mixed messages about what it takes to be a professional, what a professional woman should be doing in her career, and what is valued and isn’t. Many women of my generation (Generation X) were raised with the belief that we could have and do it all. But for women entering male-dominated fields such as law, no one really explained what that would entail or how difficult it might be to “have it all.”

Every decision a woman makes about her professional and personal life can feel like walking a tightrope. More than likely, most of these women have been trying to find the perfect balance in at least one of these questions: • Should I lean in (and ignore the challenges ahead) or lean out (and not fully dedicate myself to my career)?

• Should I act “feminine” (and risk being called weak or emotional) or act “masculine” (and risk being labeled difficult or aggressive)?

• Should I have children while I’m young (and potentially derail the progression of my career) or wait until later or not have kids at all (but potentially sacrifice that time with my family)?

• Should I call out unacceptable or inappropriate behavior in the workplace (and risk the financial, professional, and emotional consequences of reporting) or let it slide (and risk my office turning into a toxic work environment)?

It’s no wonder that the professional advancement of women, particularly in law, is complicated and full of challenging decisions for those in leadership roles. Let’s first look at the challenges facing female attorneys working in law firms and then analyze some ways that law firms can improve the career outlook of the female attorneys they employ.

There is no one problem keeping women from fully reaching their potential in the workplace. As such, there is no magical quick-fix solution to achieving gender parity. It takes effort, it takes work, and it takes time.

At Stark & Stark, we have approached the talent management of female attorneys by addressing the

challenges that negatively affect women and taking steps to put policies, procedures, and programs in place that make our firm a place where women want to work. We face a significant challenge because, as in many law firms today, the majority of our attorneys are male.

According to the McKinsey & Company “Women in Law Firms” report, only 36% of women believe that gender diversity is a top priority, and less than half say their firm is doing what it takes to improve gender diversity. Unfortunately, the numbers seem to back up this perspective. As noted in the National Association of Women Lawyers 2016 survey, the proportion of women in equity partner positions in law firms is about what it was a decade ago, at 25%. At the current rate of progress, the percentage of women in equity partner positions won’t reach 30% until 2181.

However, that doesn’t mean we can’t do more to retain the female attorneys who currently work for us and attract more to join our team.

COMMITTING TO CHANGE As history and data show, change is hard. Therefore, it is important to be deliberate and thoughtful about how you elect to turn the tide. Companies have been focusing on diversity and inclusion efforts for more than 20 years with limited success, so you must be sure you are committed to the changes you want to make and do your research before jumping in and implementing programs.

That being said, there is no better time to begin improving your company than today. Here are some of the programs, initiatives, and plans my own firm has begun or already put in place, which you can use a starting point: Implement a women’s initiative. Stark & Stark has had a women’s initiative for our attorneys in place for over five years. It was developed to provide a formal method for our female attorneys across all practice groups to network together, cross-sell, and discuss potential business development opportunities. The attorneys also began a mentoring program to further the connection and advancement of female attorneys within the firm.

Make the case for better business. There is a plenty of data out there supporting the fact that diverse organizations outperform their more homogenous competitors. In many work environments, it’s possible to make the case to improve a company’s diversity by hitting them where it counts: the bottom line. Many RFPs now include requests to see a business’s diversity statistics, as well as specific gender and AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 33

“ Diverse organizations outperform their more homogenous competitors. The math on this is pretty simple: No diversity = lost business = lost revenue.” diversity statistics for the team or practice that would be working for the client. The math on this is pretty simple: No diversity = lost business = lost revenue.

Form a diversity and inclusion committee. Law firms face diversity and inclusion issues beyond gender. In some cases, your firm may be more willing to accept that they have issues to address with racial and ethnic minorities than they do gender issues. Whether or not that is the case, you should expand on the issue and form a D&I committee.

One large initiative that came out of Stark & Stark implementing a diversity and inclusion committee was that we restarted our summer associate program and focused it on trying to recruit diverse candidates. The program was successful and showed that there are young, competent lawyers in the field with diverse backgrounds who are willing to join our team and grow.

The diversity and inclusion committee also created a brochure on inclusive behaviors that attorneys can engage in. The committee has been working to determine how to incorporate this language into future attorney and employee evaluations.

Engage a diversity and inclusion consultant. Issues of diversity and inclusion are tough, and discussing them can bring out a variety of reactions from employees. It can’t hurt to find a good consultant to guide you through your diversity

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and inclusion implementation, so that you and your leaders are better equipped to train your attorneys and staff to learn more about your own blind spots. The consultant can help you put together a program that suits your culture and needs.

Change your recruiting strategies. Talent management of female attorneys is not just about the numbers and meeting the bare minimum statistics. However, you still need to actually hire female attorneys if you have any expectation of improving your firm’s diversity. This can be a struggle, as many law firms were built by hiring people already known to current attorneys. This approach, of course, leads to a homogenized mindset. When you have a law firm primarily made up of white male attorneys, you inevitably tend to hire more white male attorneys.

Stark & Stark opted to implement the NFL’s “Rooney Rule” by requiring shareholders to interview diverse candidates before making a hiring decision. We also centralized the recruiting process so that all applicants have to go through our centralized applicant tracking system. This has helped improve the diversity of the candidates we interview and also the candidates we hire.

The Rooney Rule isn’t enough on its own. When you only interview one diverse candidate, then that candidate is still seen as an outsider and has no greater chance of being

hired. To really make an impact and increase your diverse hires, your diverse candidate pool needs to be larger than one for each role you are trying to fill.

Challenge the status quo. Some of the most interesting conversations I’ve had about gender diversity in law firms and the many struggles women face have centered on the very personal subject of maternity leave. Even though most of the male shareholders in our firm have children, there is still a mindset in the legal culture at large regarding female attorneys opting to take maternity leave and be away from work. This is a very common problem among law firms.

Traditionally, law firms have been built around reward models that value time- and effort-based remuneration.

As summarized by Jordan Furlong on his Law21 blog, the people who own and control a firm (who on average are 80% male in their 50s and 60s) directly benefit the most from this reward model. This system and mindset are at odds with the “newer” concept of flexible work arrangements, which often stand to benefit women and families more than the original models. Unfortunately, despite the fact that law firms have begun to recognize flexible work schedules as an alternative, the stigma against women who take advantage of flexible scheduling has remained. Nearly 75% of women believe that participating in part-time or flexible schedule work arrangements will negatively impact their career, according to McKinsey’s “Women in Law Firms” report.

At Stark & Stark, I turned this conversation around by presenting it to our shareholders a different way: I asked one male partner what would happen if he was out of work because he had a heart attack. What would the reaction of your fellow partners and co-workers be? Would they jump right in and volunteer to do whatever it took to help you out while you were out of work and recovering? Would they give you the time to recover? Or would they complain about having to “do your work” while you were in recovery away from the office?

Why do we react differently about women who are out on maternity leave?

THE NEED FOR TRAINING Although there are certainly many examples of deliberate and conscious bias and discrimination against women at work, a lot of the behaviors and decisions that impact women result from unconscious bias and the lenses through which others view the world. Training is an essential part of educating those in power to see how inequalities happen and what they and the firm need to do to prevent them from continuing.

A word of warning: This training may bring forth heated conversations, emotions, and uncomfortable moments, so I recommend that you have a consultant deliver your training (or at the very least develop it for you). If possible, this advisor should be there in person to assist you through any difficult or sensitive situations.

“ Despite the fact that law firms have begun to recognize flexible work schedules as an alternative, nearly 75% of women believe that participating in part-time or flexible schedule work arrangements will negatively impact their career, according to McKinsey’s “Women in Law Firms” report.

At Stark & Stark, we are still a work in progress when it comes to fully reaching our gender and diversity potential. As our firm continues to grow, we plan to build upon and foster our women’s initiative and diversity and inclusion programs and to implement further training and seminars to best educate ourselves. We have started looking into new ways to adapt our evaluation and compensation programs so that our female and diverse attorneys are never overlooked in favor of the “meritocracy” mindset.

We also have an ongoing goal to strengthen female-centric networks inside and outside our firm. In addition to our women’s initiative program, we work closely with several local women’s networking groups and sponsor, host, and present events and seminars that we believe will best represent our female attorneys.

Great challenges still exist for female attorneys working in law firms. Progress has been slow and the changes have been small. Stark & Stark has taken steps to make our workforce more diverse and inclusive, but we have many tough decisions ahead. Because we are committed to attracting and retaining female and other diverse attorneys, we are prepared to make hard, but necessary and significant, changes to our culture to reach this goal. AQ Judy Magee is director of human resources and facilities at the law firm of Stark & Stark. After a brief career as an attorney, she has spent the past 20 years working in the field of human resources. Boasting one of the oldest law practices in New Jersey, Stark & Stark offers a full range of legal services for businesses and individuals. For more than 85 years, the firm’s attorneys have delivered practical, efficient solutions to clients in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and throughout the United States.

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CEO INSIGHTS

Setting the Stage to Develop Future Women Executives Mentorships and beginning the process early are key.

BY REBECCA CENNI

T

raditionally, the human resources and recruitment fields have offered unprecedented opportunities for women seeking to advance their careers to the executive level.

Numerous articles have reported that HR is a field currently dominated by women. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016 nearly 40% of all managers across all industries were women. Yet in HR, 74.2% of management roles were held by women, which is higher than in any other field. The HR and recruitment industries naturally provide a strong foundation for nurturing future leaders. However, I am a vocal advocate of providing opportunities for women

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and helping them develop a career path that will allow them to advance into leadership roles within all industries, not just HR. As someone who started her career as a recruiter and then founded Atrium Staffing, a recruitment and workforce solutions firm, more than 20 years ago, I have gained some unique perspectives on what it takes to mentor women in this field to executive leadership positions, should that be one’s personal goal. I’ve also gained clear insights into what it takes for women in other industries to help get more women on the executive track.

In addition to building internal teams for my company, I’ve been intimately

involved with the needs of our clients in industries such as pharmaceuticals, finance, fashion, consumer packaged goods, and real estate. Regardless of the specific industry, I can attest that there are opportunities and challenges to navigate in all professions at every level. Atrium Staffing has placed many women in client companies who were identified early on as having leadership qualities, and we have enjoyed watching their careers progress from staff to leadership positions. A great example is that of a candidate we placed in an entry-level role with a large, global pharmaceutical firm more than two decades ago. Today she holds a director

position and is responsible for major global initiatives.

Defining the pathway to success While great organizations and mentors provide the pathway for success, the responsibility is really up to each person, male or female, to define and keep to the chosen path. Planning is something that can be learned, as is realizing that paths can take intriguing twists and turns.

While the paths for some are linear, for others they may involve more vision and flexibility along the way.

Some people may lack formal training but have personality traits and drive that make them what might be viewed as “natural-born leaders.” I am an advocate of putting a plan in place that is designed to provide opportunities

continues to keep me in love with this business is staying tied to the day-to-day.

As my company grew, I was challenged to grow with it: I learned to take on biggerpicture roles, while assigning certain responsibilities to others. I’ve kept my presence visible by maintaining an opendoor policy that I believe is critical, especially in a fast-paced work environment.

When staff feel comfortable coming to a senior colleague for advice, the latter truly gets a vivid sense of what issues and obstacles the teams are trying to overcome. No issue should be too small for the leader to address. Leaders can also forge connections by attending team meetings and specific, back-to-basics training sessions—not as an observer but as an active participant with junior staff.

My role over the years went from

Employees are motivated and influenced by what they see others doing in the work environment and how those efforts are being acknowledged. for women, whether they are naturalborn leaders or not, to advance into leadership roles. These plans set clearly defined objectives and expectations for each stage of growth. They also indicate opportunities for increasing management roles as experience and maturity reach the level appropriate to the responsibilities.

Along the way, it is up to each person seeking to elevate her career to become a mentor to a junior staff member and help manage that employee. With plans in place and opportunities for growth for each level of employee, both mentors and mentees grow simultaneously into increasing levels of leadership responsibility.

Show why you love being a leader Being a “people person” would rank high on a list of traits for a successful career.

I thrive on being with people. But what

being a producer to growing producers to managing producers, from simple human resources to total talent management. How did I do it? I learned from my mistakes, asked for and embraced lots of help from others, and listened to those I surrounded myself with and learned from their expertise.

Still, certain things cannot be taught in school—such as motivational drive and the hunger to keep moving forward. This comes from within: You need to be ready and willing, and personally or corporately incentivized, to move up the ranks and at the same time become a role model for others. Trial and error played a big part in my growth, as did real-life business experience.

I firmly believe that leading by example is essential to developing executive talent.

Let’s face it: If we can’t show the energy, enthusiasm, excitement, and rewards of being a leader, then why would women

(or anyone) want to become leaders?

Leaders must be personally inspired in order to inspire others to succeed in their careers.

Role models and mentoring Positive role models and mentoring are crucial to inspiring and developing the next generation of executives. Seeing how their co-workers build a mentor hierarchy in the workplace can work brilliantly as a motivator for employees to seek out leadership roles. Being nurtured in your career is similar to being nurtured at home. It doesn’t matter what type of home you come from; what matters is that you are being nurtured and you believe in yourself as a result.

When women see others advancing, they are inspired to push the boundaries further for themselves. Historically, women have had to work harder and push themselves harder to get noticed in an organization.

Instrumental to the success of future women executives are mentors—both female and male—who lead by example and take the time to meet with, advise, and help direct less experienced colleagues. Their leadership and mentoring help inspire their younger colleagues to want to succeed and perform as well as possible. The mentor should be able to share her experiences with her mentees, explain the reasons why she has made decisions, and treat the role of mentor as an ongoing and full-time commitment. Conveying to mentees real-life experiences, such as how specific setbacks were overcome and difficult periods were resolved, is critical in this regard. It’s also helpful to explain what roadmaps mentors put in place to achieve their success—which can be something as simple as writing down everything that needs to be accomplished the next day at work.

Mentoring may include, for instance, having mentees attend introductory meetings with clients so they can learn by witnessing business situations unfold and relationships as they develop. Adding follow-through responsibilities, in the aftermath of such meetings, encourages the mentee by including her as a member of the working team whose role becomes AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 37

CEO INSIGHTS important to the company’s overall success—assuming all necessary actions are implemented. This way, junior staff can learn the subtle arts of building rapport, listening and asking questions, and leading a meeting in a way that seems effortless and conversational.

At Atrium, I find it helpful to take promising employees with me on new client pitches, where they can not only observe our executive team in action but also participate in the important follow-up work that is necessary to win and service an account. Valuable lessons can be taught in real time about customizing the pitch to the client and his or her needs. Additionally, junior staff members can learn to appreciate the considerable amount of research that needs to take place to forge better relations with a new client or new contact at an existing client company. Other things that can be taught by example include everything from effective follow-up strategies to the creation of partnering and implementation plans.

I believe a one-size-fits-all approach to mentoring is a failed approach; the individual’s strengths and weaknesses must be recognized and all mentoring shaped accordingly. These specifics can include a staffer’s style of written communication, the level of urgency with which she works, and the way she gives or receives feedback. Mentors must be prepared to encourage, provide constructive criticism, and offer solutions while also letting their mentees fly on their own. This type of encouragement doesn’t merely keep the workflow within the organization going smoothly, it is crucial in shaping the next generation of leaders in the field.

Each junior staffer must be encouraged to have a voice and feel comfortable with expressing her thoughts and opinions. Knowing that her input matters is an extremely valuable motivator. When an employee is allowed to formulate her own ideas and business plans, and is given leeway to develop them using various resources and tools (such as additional training in certain areas or on technology platforms that make the job more efficient), she

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internalizes the effectiveness of this approach and is likely to implement it when she herself is later promoted into a senior role.

Organizations can also be wellserved by instituting a formal, executive mentorship program that is dedicated to developing female employees into leaders. Some new hires can be assigned a mentor immediately upon starting work—someone who previously held that role and can help guide them as they get their bearings. Some companies effectively use the appointment of a designated staff member who serves as a career coach to employees. The development of a diversity and inclusion initiative can be valuable as well.

Additional management positions created within an organization can also serve as the pathways through which women eventually get onto the executive track.

Creating the right corporate culture is essential Attracting, retaining, and promoting the best women for future leadership roles in any industry require creating the right corporate culture—one that will allow women to thrive. No truly valuable employee is likely to remain for long in an unsupportive work environment; conversely, if such an employee is made to feel valued, she is much more likely to remain and understand that greater potential roles will be considered when the timing and other factors align. The leader of such an organization must inspire these women by exhibiting a sense of professionalism and responsibility, consistency, and accountability, and must be dedicated to treating all with the utmost respect. Exhibiting empathy and concern for these up-and-comers is critical. It is paramount to always respect the “human” aspect of your employees.

It is also worthwhile to ponder the impact that the advent of the Millennial generation has had on fostering the next wave of female executives. Fairly or unfairly, Millennials have garnered the reputation of changing jobs relatively more often than preceding generations.

Organizations that are looking to hire and

bring these young women up through the ranks must be willing to listen to their specific needs and goals and respond accordingly by creating a welcoming work environment. In the experience of this workforce-solutions veteran, Millennial women are some of the hardest-working in the entire workforce.

Their ambitiousness will serve them well as they strive to climb the corporate ladder if they are exposed to the kinds of mentoring discussed earlier. After all, they are the next generation of leaders.

Begin the process early To connect with young people, those responsible for executive talent development should partner with external organizations that encourage girls (including those still in junior high school) and young women to focus on their future careers.

Two such organizations are Girl Talk Inc. and Dress for Success.

Girl Talk’s mission is to inspire girls with the confidence to lead.

The organization focuses on many fabulous areas of young professional development, including defining a personal brand for business and presenting yourself appropriately to the rest of the world. Girl Talk teaches participants at a very early age to think about becoming future leaders. It begins mentoring programs and support groups during the important formative years, helping to develop confidence in young women.

Dress for Success is another organization whose mission is to help women thrive in work and life. Among the skills that are taught are job search and interview preparation skills. Letting these women know, even at a tender age, about the careers available to them in various fields is a great way to motivate them to seek opportunities later.

With encouragement, opportunity, and lifestyle flexibility, the stage can be set to prepare a new generation of innovative female leaders. AQ Rebecca Cenni is the CEO and founder of Atrium Staffing, a New York City-based talent solutions firm focused on providing contingent workforce solutions for mid-size and Fortune 500 companies.

Leading with

CONSCIENCE

BY JOAN MARQUES

As leaders, there are many qualities we need to cultivate as we try to attain the most rewarding relationships with our internal and external stakeholders.

While working with other people is definitely not rocket science, it does have its challenges, and certain qualities must not be overlooked if we aim to interact in a way that will optimize mutual appreciation, minimize friction, and avert retrospective regrets.

In leading with CONSCIENCE, we can continually improve these 10 qualities: Communication, Open-mindedness, Nimbleness, Serenity, Collaboration, Inspiration, Excellence, Nobleness, Conscientiousness, and Empathy. Leading with CONSCIENCE can make the difference between dealing with a constantly changing workforce and relying on a stable and satisfied team.

EVOLUTION IN LEADERSHIP NEEDS Long before leadership evolved into a theory, a science, and a series of strategies, it was practiced. Even the oldest scriptures attest to that. We’ve all read historic accounts of powerful kings, illustrious emperors, heroic conquistadors, great inventors, and venerable gurus, all of whom practiced leadership in their own way. Some were assigned or “chosen” to do it, others inherited the position, and still others engaged in the practice to survive, to quench their thirst for

power or knowledge, or to promulgate their views.

In the end, the details don’t matter. It’s the concept of leadership that still resonates today. What’s most fascinating about leadership is that, despite the immense infrastructure built around the idea in the modern era, its foundation has transcended time, cultures, and even doctrines.

In the past decade especially, there has been an increased call to restore soft skills in leadership and reconsider the traditional overemphasis on hard skills. Soft skills entail such qualities as motivation, empathy, self-awareness, self-regulation, and social engagement. A person who applies soft skills focuses on a combination of interpersonal and social attributes. Hard skills include drive, rigor, vision, intelligence, analysis, and technical acumen. Most hard skills are measurable and quantifiable.

It is important to emphasize that hard skills have not become obsolete or unnecessary. It’s just that soft skills have gained more prominence as our collective awareness has grown, the average employer has become more mindful, and leaders have come to understand that the best way to ensure a satisfied and devoted team is to treat its members well, listen to them, and respect them.

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“ Some leaders may object that it’s hard to silence an overloaded mind. Indeed, it’s difficult but not impossible—and that’s precisely why it’s necessary. It requires a conscious effort to schedule time for serenity.”

Many of the foundational elements of leadership are softskill based. First, it’s worthwhile to contemplate the need to implement these skills.

position knows how important communication is. It operates on many dimensions. Here are the top five must-do’s in communication:

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CONSCIENCE

• Keep it clear and simple. Often we are so familiar with our field that we overlook the fact that our audience either doesn’t know many of the intricacies or doesn’t need to know.

Offering too much detail tends to frustrate the recipient and creates unnecessary confusion.

When leadership happens, regardless of its environment or the people involved, a foundation of integrity should be in place. Regrettably, it seems that this aspect of leadership has been placed on the back burner, especially in the world of business. Money has become the main motivator behind performance, and for too many, doing things the right way doesn’t guarantee a quick enough return on investment.

The sheer tonnage of recent news coverage chronicling unethical or immoral behavior from business leaders suggests that conscientious business performance might be impossible. And as today’s business schools seek to embed more ethics education in their curricula, studies find that exposure to ethics courses can actually reduce students’ zest for entrepreneurship. This reverse correlation between moral behavior and business performance speaks volumes; it should encourage us to think things through deeply and seriously.

Leading with CONSCIENCE means doing the right thing and feeling that in your gut. This works well in relationships with others, since it breeds trust and mutual respect. Even more to the point, it works well in the relationship you have with yourself, as conscious behavior results in mindful decision making and therefore a much greater sense of inner calm.

Leading with a conscience should definitely serve as the foundational driver in all our leadership actions. The word “conscience” can be transformed into the following acronym to provide guidelines on implementing the concept it represents: COMMUNICATION. Everyone who has held a leadership

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• Keep it short. If something can be said in a minute or so, don’t stretch it out to 10, especially if it’s in the form of a reprimand.

• Be honest. Don’t sugarcoat a message, don’t embellish it, and don’t downplay it. Try to tell it as straight as possible without being rude. There are multiple ways to tell someone the same thing. Choose the gentle path where possible, but at all times, tell the truth. Today’s co-workers can’t really be fooled, and once they’ve caught you in a lie, it is practically impossible to restore their trust.

• Be authentic. We all have our own style. It’s great to learn from others and pick up good habits here and there, but never copy the communication or behavioral style of another, no matter how much you look up to him or her. There is nothing more powerful than simply being your natural self.

• Be respectful. Even when someone has done something you don’t approve of, remain respectful. People have countless reasons for the things they do, and we will never completely know what may be under the surface. So while you may not agree with others’ courses of actions, you should afford them basic respect.

OPEN-MINDEDNESS. One of the most disturbing factors to encounter when working with people is a closed or narrow mind. While the chauvinism or prejudices of others may aggravate us, we have a tendency to overlook our own. Here

are the top three ways to work on keeping an open mind: • Question your stances. Why do you approve of one thing and not another? Is your attitude based on upbringing?

Behavioral, cultural, religious, or generational influences?

Come to think of it, do you really support this stance, or did you just never give it a second thought?

• Think twice before disregarding options. There are many options we don’t bother to entertain because we’ve never had to deal with them. Yet some seemingly unattractive options may actually hold promise if you just care to consider them.

• Realize that there are always choices. It’s easy to justify a less than honorable decision by saying, “I had no choice.” The fact is, life offers us many choices—it’s just that some are less obvious than others. Once we realize this, we can start opening our view to hidden opportunities.

NIMBLENESS. We live in extraordinary times. The pace of life has accelerated to such an extent that it’s practically incomparable to how our forebears lived in the beginning of the 20th century, or even life before the Internet. Nimbleness is critical for leaders who want to continue expanding their horizons. How can we remain nimble? Consider these ways: • Interact with people outside our regular team. In his book The Brand You 50 (Knopf, 1999), Tom Peters recommends having lunch with someone outside your regular circle. You might be amazed at the things you learn.

• Travel. There is enormous value in experiencing different cultures, and in learning how people in other places behave.

Just think of Howard Schultz and his observation of small coffee shops in Europe, which became the foundation of Starbucks.

• Reflect. Whether you reflect through meditation, long walks, or just silent contemplation, this practice can be helpful in evaluating your past behaviors and catching the areas of mulishness that could stand some improvement.

SERENITY. Even with the best of intentions, it remains hard in today’s performance-dominated world to unplug from the daily craze for a while. Some leaders may discover that

it requires a conscious effort to schedule time for serenity.

What does that entail exactly? Although serenity may look different for each of us, it usually has some common elements, such as absence of stress, quietude, and peaceful surroundings. Some leaders may object that it is hard to silence an overloaded mind. Indeed, it’s difficult but not impossible—and that’s precisely why it’s necessary.

When dealing with an overactive mind, breathing exercises may help. In concentrating on your breathing, focus on where the air hits when inhaling and when exhaling and which nostril is active at any given moment. Most of all, reflect that everything in life resembles our breath: All things arise and pass, regardless of how stressful, important, irresoluble, or painful they may seem at the moment.

COLLABORATION. Being able to work with others is another consideration that cannot be overlooked in leading with CONSCIENCE. Team spirit is a recurring element of great achievements at every level of performance. Admittedly, not every person is a natural team player. In fact, many leaders gained their positions because they preferred to work alone. Yet there is a time to move on one’s own and a time to work with others, and the latter occurs far more often than the former.

Whether you are enamored of teams or not, make sure you include others in your decision-making processes and actions, so that they feel involved. You may decide to adhere to author and consultant William Bridges’s four Ps, which work in change and transition situations and operate just as well in team performance: • Purpose. Inform others about the reasons for doing something. If there is a problem to be solved or a goal to be accomplished, be clear about it so that others may buy into it.

• Picture. Explain the link between the goals envisioned and the intended action. People are particularly interested in changes that are occurring and how they will be affected by them. Involvement can create supporters where there would otherwise be opponents.

• Plan. Explain the steps—and preferably involve others in developing them. This is a wise way to practice team

“ Many leaders gained their positions because they preferred to work alone. Yet there is a time to move on one’s own and a time to work with others.”

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performance and respect for co-workers. Action plans with clear procedures to follow can reduce unnecessary stress and adversity.

• Part. Make sure there is something for everyone to do, because there is no better way to create and nurture team spirit than to involve every team member.

INSPIRATION. Inspiration is important in the following two dimensions: • Being inspired. Leaders know that a lack of inspiration can lead to lack of action and, consequently, lack of success.

Finding inspiration is therefore essential in working up the desire and determination to perform. The best way to acquire inspiration differs for everyone. Some of us get inspired by talking to a mentor, who can infuse motivation. Others get inspired from benchmarking and observing how other work environments have fared upon implementing the task at hand. Still others get inspired by the sheer challenge of doing something new, while others need to step away from it all for a bit, take a breath of fresh air, and then return to the project.

Whatever works for you is fine, but don’t forget that a major task in getting the job done well is to inspire others who need to carry it to fruition.

• Inspiring others. To inspire other people, we have a similar quandary to solve: Every person is inspired in a different way.

For some, a monetary reward will do the magic; for others, it could be a promotion, praise, or simple participation. This is where Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model is especially useful. Some people need to be coached, some simply need delegation and then perform independently, some need handholding, and others require clear direction.

Identify the specific need and address it as appropriate.

EXCELLENCE. Most leaders are ambitious people who strive for excellence in their work. Excellence is a virtue. When performing with excellence, we don’t just honor our own standards—we express utmost respect to the recipients of our efforts.

Performing with excellence is the greatest gratification a person can grant another: It strokes our pride and sense of accomplishment, and it circumvents potential regret and guilt. Performance excellence is also our own best endorsement, for when the recipients of our work experience our dedication and effort, they are more likely to recommend us favorably in the future.

NOBLENESS. It’s easier to say that we will always do the right thing than it is to actually do it. Leaders will admit that, all too often, the easiest way to accomplish a goal is not the noble way. Doing the right thing can be hard or unpopular, and it may even cost you your position or get you ostracized, especially if influential people don’t approve of the outcome triggered by your conviction. Yet if you aim to lead in a way that lets you live with yourself, you will be on a path to continue doing the right thing.

42 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

One effective way of ensuring that we are doing the noble thing is to envision how others close to us—a child, a spouse, other loved ones—would perceive of that action. How would suchand-such an action appear on the front page of a newspaper or on the nightly news? While these considerations are not part of any formal moral theory, they are effective in keeping our actions not just defensible but noble.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS. Closely linked to excellence and nobleness is conscientiousness—a quality that ensures a serious approach to every task upon which we embark.

Conscientiousness not only results in better outcomes but also breeds trust among stakeholders. When employees consider their leader a conscientious person, they may be inspired to display the same behavior. Additionally, they will feel a sense of trust in their leader for taking responsibility for tasks and ensuring they are completed in the most responsible way possible.

Because the result of conscientiousness is usually excellence, it follows that this behavior often leads to a greater demand for the leader and his or her output.

EMPATHY. Even though we like to experience empathy from others, this quality often ranks low in tabulations of important attributes among business leaders. There seems to be a general belief that empathetic leaders are “too soft” and can be taken advantage of easily. In a world driven by revenues and bottom lines, empathy seems counterproductive.

Nonetheless, empathy can be the critical element in how a leader is perceived. When employees know their leader understands the issues they deal with, they appreciate that kind of empathetic behavior and are more willing to invest effort and perseverance on the job. On the other hand, empathy should not be mistaken for naïveté: Leaders can be empathetic yet remain potent in meeting goals and achieving excellence.

Leading with CONSCIENCE is critical. It’s not only beneficial to our personal and professional well-being as leaders, it’s the leadership style to which the Millennial generation seems best able to relate. This generation of young adults has rigorously distanced itself from the compartmentalizing of ethics and profits, which was the modus operandi of previous generations. Millennials, our current and future stakeholders, have it within their power to focus their decisions, careers, and investments on one major goal: making the world a better place.

If that’s not a powerful incentive to consider leading with CONSCIENCE, nothing else is. AQ Joan Marques is dean and professor of management at Woodbury University in Burbank, Calif. She is author of Ethical Leadership: Progress with a Moral Compass (Routledge, 2017), Leadership and Mindful Behavior: Action, Wakefulness, and Business (Palgrave MacMillan, 2014), and other books on mindful leadership. www.joanmarques.com

AN INTERVIEW WITH

Angie Read

The Incoming Tide of

Generation Z

BY CHRISTIANE TRUELOVE

AMA Quarterly spoke with Angie Read, who along with Jeff Fromm wrote Marketing to Gen Z: The Rules for Reaching This Vast—and Very Different—Generation of Influencers (AMACOM, 2018). Read discussed what makes this generation very different from the Millennials, the impact Gen Z could have on areas such as job training, and what to expect from the girls and women of this generation.

AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 43

Please define Generation Z, as far when they were born and how old they are now?

AR: Nobody can agree on exactly when the Millennial generation stops and Gen Z starts. Demographers generally say the first Gen Z’ers were born in the early to mid-1990s through the mid-2000s. For the sake of our book, based on our research, we use the birth years 1996 to 2010 as our parameters. So the oldest Zs are 22, graduating college and entering the workforce.

What are the defining characteristics of this generation? How do they differ even from Generation Y? AR: Gen Z are what we call “old souls in young bodies.” In many ways, they have more in common with their grandparents and great-grandparents than with Millennials. They are hardworking, financially responsible, independent, and determined. They also hold more conservative views of success regarding money, education, and career advancement.

The characteristics of Gen Z are different from those of Millennials. They are the young pragmatists that Millennials were not, surrounded by mobile technology since leaving the womb. They grew up in a post-9/11 world. They are multitaskers, progressives, and purposeful souls, already aware of their capabilities and the power they can achieve.

There are often a lot of cultural jokes about Millennials getting a trophy for everything. Does this stereotype apply to Generation Z as well?

AR: We completely disagree that will be the stereotype for Gen Z. Millennials are very collaborative. They collaborate, they work as a team, and then we joke about the participation trophies. Gen Z is very competitive. We say that because they’ve been mostly raised by Generation X parents, and we [Generation X] are mostly cynical and we know that this world isn’t always this rosy place. So we raised them to be competitive. They know that there are winners and losers.

And they’ll do what it takes to be the winners. So we see that stereotype of “participation trophies” changing when Generation Z gets into the workforce. I think people are going to be really surprised. They’re such hard workers, they’re super smart, and they’re go-getters.

In a study we conducted here at the FutureCast, we asked them what were some of the main concerns they had.

Grades in school and getting into a top college were some of their main concerns, especially more so for girls than boys.

And winning individual success is also important to them.

When they do enter the workforce, they are going to want that acknowledgment for their own achievements and to be rewarded for that financially.

What were the formative events for this generation?

AR: Some of the formative events for Gen Z include the Great

44 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

Recession, ISIS, Sandy Hook, marriage equality, the first black president, and the rise of populism. They have never known a world without war and the threat of domestic terrorism; they crave safety and financial security.

You mentioned the “old souls in young bodies.” With their formative events, it seems like Generation Z hearkens back in a way to their great-grandparents, the Silent Generation of World War II. AR: Right, and they also have that work ethic that you think of with older generations, and money, education, and career advancement. They know that they need to put in the hard work to get there. But since they grew up in the aftermath of the Great Recession, they’ve seen their families, their parents, or their friends’ parents lose their houses, lose their cars, lose their jobs. And so they know there is uncertainty in the world.

So they value financial stability. They want to be paid fairly for their work. Monetary compensation is something that they will seek as their reward.

How do the women/girls of Generation Z differ from previous generations?

AR: There has probably never been a better time to be a girl. Gen Z girls have no concept of a “glass ceiling.” They witnessed the first female candidate for president and have role models like Malala Yousafzai, so to them, anything is possible. They are confident student leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists. They value their intelligence; being smart is cool. They place a high emphasis on getting good grades with the intention to get into good colleges so they can have well-paying careers.

They’ve been brought up with campaigns around body positivity. Being a girl has been celebrated since they were young. They’ve never seen their gender as something that’s holding them back.

One of the most important issues to Gen Z girls is equality.

Equality across the board, actually: gender equality, sexual orientation equality, and racial equality. High on the list of course is racial equality. They don’t want to be held back by old stereotypes, which don’t really ring true to them because they’ve always had access to the Internet and can participate in discourse around really important conversations such as feminism, campus rape, and sex trafficking. They know about these types of issues, and they’re also not shy to talk about their changing bodies. Talking about one’s period now is no big deal.

There aren’t really a lot of taboo topics for them, and they do participate around some important discourse on big issues.

Yes, they saw a woman run for president. She lost, but she was running and she was a viable candidate, so these girls have a lot of positive role models.

What are the best ways to motivate this generation?

AR: Take a stand on an issue that’s important to them, such

“ Gen Z can sift through massive amounts of information very quickly, and quickly get rid of what’s not relevant to them or what they don’t find interesting. But once they do find something interesting, they’ll spend a lot of time with it. ”

as human equality: gender equality, racial equality, and sexual orientation equality. Show them you know them. Value their opinions and input. Treat them like people (not just kids)—like valued collaborators with your brand. Engage and inspire them, and let them inspire your brand. Be completely transparent and authentic to earn their trust. Operate with integrity.

They watch videos constantly, they are constantly consuming visual media. We tell marketers the best way to connect with them is through highly visual communications, video, but it has to be short and sweet because they have an eight-second attention span. And one thing I always try to clarify when we are talking about Gen Z is that when we’re talking about an eight-second attention span, it’s actually a One of the best ways for marketers to reach Gen Z—and they finely tuned filter. They can sift through massive amounts can smell BS from a mile away—is if the messages are coming of information very quickly, and quickly get rid of what’s not from people they trust, who tend to be influencers. Those are relevant to them or what they don’t find interesting. But once the opinions of the people that they trust; they see them as they do find something interesting, they’ll spend a lot of time themselves and as their friends. A lot of times, these influencers with it. They can spend much longer than eight seconds. on social media rise to the status of fame by interacting with It’s just that you have eight seconds or less to capture their their followers. They’re not celebrities sitting in their golden attention. Marketers have to shift their focus, because what castles, talking down to kids. They’re having conversations with they have can’t be text heavy. Gen Z isn’t going to be doing their fans and followers. a ton of reading. They have to capture their attention with something that’s highly interesting and highly visual What are the worst ways to motivate this generation? and engaging.

AR: Talking down to them, treating them like kids. Trying to sell to them in social media versus having conversations.

Understanding how they prefer to get information, Inauthenticity. Breaching their trust.

What lessons can we apply to Gen Z from previous generations?

1. They will not be a homogenous cohort, so understand the subsegments 2. They will evolve as they go through college and start careers 3. T hey are highly digital, social, and mobile but more competitive and traditional, unlike Millennials 4. Expect major future events—economic, political, or otherwise—to impact their worldview

What forms of social media are most favored by this generation?

AR: Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, musical.ly, Twitter. Also, the “dark social”—messenger apps.

when Gen Z is training for work, how will courses have to be built to get through that filter?

AR: I imagine that in the workforce, they’re going to have to have highly visual training manuals and videos. They are not going to read through lines and lines of text. They’re visual learners. They’ve learned that way through their whole lives. It’s not their fault. That’s the way they’ve been programmed, because they’ve always had a mobile phone in their hand, they have had media at their ready consumption.

If employers really want to reach and resonate with them, creating compelling training videos will be key, and videos that potentially include employees who are similar in age to them. I would imagine that anything staged or corporate will resonate with them because they’re used to being entertained.

If [companies] can infuse some humor into training videos— because for Gen Z, humor and music will get their attention more quickly in videos. AQ AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 45

OFF THE SHELF

Listening to Feelings: The Key to Diffusing Difficult Situations

Getting on the emotional wavelength of your partner helps them feel understood.

BY ROBERT BOLTON, PhD, AND DOROTHY GROVER BOLTON, EdM

C

Feelings Affect Our Relationships— for Better or Worse

ritical conversations with employees, whether to defuse conflict at work or to address ongoing, sensitive issues, require dealing with emotions and feelings.

Getting on the emotional wavelength of your conversational partner helps him or her feel understood, and that builds deeper and richer rapport. The following is adapted from Listen Up or Lose Out: How to Avoid Miscommunication, Improve Relationships, and Get More Done Faster (AMACOM, 2018).

Emotions are at the heart of our most important relationships, both at work and in our personal lives. Feelings of trust, respect, and empathy enhance our ties to others. In contrast, feelings like anxiety, distrust, hurt, fear, and dislike undermine rapport. Psychologist and motivational theory expert Donald Sanzotta concluded: “If I were asked to offer the single most important guide to interpersonal relations, it would be this; don’t underestimate the role of emotions.”

Feelings Affect Our Communication—for Better or Worse Emotions have a major impact on the nature and consequences of our conversations. When people move beyond small talk, they typically talk about things that are personally meaningful to them and thus have an emotional coloration.

Feelings often affect what is said—as well as what is withheld. A person who is trusting of the listener and feels strongly about an issue is likely to speak candidly.

But when anxiety or distrust prevail, people are more likely to hold back their thoughts, go along with the majority, or operate with hidden agendas.

Our feelings also affect the way we deliver a message. An idea expressed by someone whose conviction is evident is more persuasive than the same point made by someone whose delivery is halfhearted. Important messages should usually be delivered with the appropriate emotional tone as well as with words that accurately convey the sentiment. And, of course, when negative emotions surge

46 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

Feelings Affect Our Decisions— for Better or Worse out of control, what’s said is likely to be contaminated by exaggeration, loaded words, sarcasm, or other obstacles to clear and accurate communication.

On the receiving end of communication, effective listeners are emotionally attuned to the speaker. The speaker’s feelings communicate important data; they tell you what’s behind the words that were spoken, and they underscore how intensely or mildly he feels about what he’s saying. On the other hand, when a listener is flooded by strong negative emotions, she tends to be incapable of receiving information accurately, let alone of responding constructively.

Communication expert William Howell concluded: More than any other factor, the feelings that are generated between people determine the consequences of their conversation.

Decision making and mismanaged feelings are a dangerous mix. Everyone, it seems, can think of bad decisions made when they were carried away by anger, anxiety, enthusiasm, or even infatuation.

But to try to banish feelings from decision making would be to “throw out the baby with the bathwater.” Decision making is an inherently emotional activity. When trying to determine which of several options to select, feelings come into play, helping us determine which alternative is better and which ones are less desirable. In the final analysis, the most important decisions we make—what career to follow, what job to take, whom to marry, which house to buy—are based on or at least strongly influenced by our feelings.

When making complex decisions, complete and unambiguous information is seldom available—and the obtainable facts may be open to alternative interpretations. Paul Otellini, former

“ Abundant studies have made it clear that feelings have a major impact on one’s effectiveness at work.”

CEO of Intel, told the Atlantic Monthly, “[W]hile we like to speak with data around here, so many times in my career I’ve ended making decisions with my gut, and I should have been following my gut.”

Similarly, when an interviewer asked Steve Jobs, “What is the role of intuition in your job?” Jobs replied: It’s critical. It’s extremely critical. The most important things in life, whether they’re personal or professional, are decided on intuition.

I think you can have a lot of information and data feeding that intuition. You can also do a lot of analysis. You can do a lot of things that are quantitative in nature.

But in the end of it, the things that are most important are always gut calls.

Feelings Affect Our Work Performance—for Better or Worse Many people have been conditioned to believe that business interactions should be strictly rational, dispassionate, and objective with no room for emotion. In reality, however, when at work we are bombarded by feelings—our own and those of the people we interact with. Abundant studies have made it clear that feelings

have a major impact on one’s effectiveness at work. The research of Daniel Goleman and others documented the fact that emotional intelligence is associated with effectiveness in virtually every type of employment. However, the impact of the emotions on one’s performance has been evident for centuries. The famed monastic, Saint Augustine (354–430 CE), wrote: Experience shows that success is due less to ability than to zeal.

The other side of the coin, as you’ve doubtless witnessed, is the vocational and business cost of emotional ineptitude, which is enormous.

Although emotional competence improves one’s effectiveness in all types of employment, for brevity’s sake we’ll confine ourselves to noting its impact in two very different types of vocational populations.

SALESPEOPLE Research on sales effectiveness revealed the surprising fact that neither intelligence nor product knowledge distinguishes high performers from average ones. In large part, success in selling is determined by how salespersons

manage their emotions and how well they relate with their customers. MetLife, one of the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit plans, had for years used a selection test designed to identify high-potential sales candidates. However, one hiring season, instead of hiring candidates who did well on the selection test, it hired candidates who failed the normal selection screening tests but who scored high on a test for optimism.

The result? The optimists outsold those who scored high on the selection test by 29% in the first year and by a whopping 50% in the second year.

CORPORATE EXECUTIVES Researchers found that incompetent executives are rarely ineffectual for intellectual or technical reasons; their ineptness is almost invariably due to bungling the emotional aspects of the job. Highly effective executives, by contrast, are adept at mastering the emotional elements of their work.

Intel’s former CEO Andy Grove led the corporation through two spectacularly difficult periods. After experiencing those AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018 I 47

OFF THE SHELF corporate near-death experiences, he stated that a company’s ability to survive extreme crises depends essentially on how top management reacts emotionally.

In Secrets of a Corporate Headhunter, John Wareham concluded: “The key to understanding the incompetent executive is to recognize that he is rarely incompetent for technical or intellectual

impressively significant. Health authorities estimate that one-third of all visits to primary care physicians are triggered by emotional stress.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic followed 839 patients who had been classified as optimists or pessimists.

At the 30-year mark of the longitudinal research, significantly more of the

“ Promoting beneficial emotions has an important function in the prevention and treatment of disease across medical disciplines.” reasons, but that his condition is almost invariably emotional.”

The message from contemporary psychological theory and research, as well as from corporate experience, is clear: Feelings have a major impact on one’s interpersonal effectiveness and on one’s competence at work. Reading and responding sensitively to people’s emotions, rather than attempting to ignore them or underestimate their importance, is crucial to success in one’s personal and vocational life.

Feelings Affect Our Health and Longevity—for Better or Worse The Old Testament Book of Proverbs reminds us that: A merry heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

Modern medical science has corroborated the belief that positive feeling states enhance one’s health. Realistic positive thoughts and an upbeat spirit boost the strength of the immune system and the robustness of the cardiovascular system.

Promoting beneficial emotions has an important function in the prevention and treatment of disease across medical disciplines. The impact of emotional intelligence on our health and longevity is

48 I AMA QUARTERLY I SPRING 2018

optimists than pessimists were still alive.

In another study, 225 medical students took a personality test that measured overt hostility. A quarter of a century later, the angriest of them had five times more heart disease than the least angry ones.

Research in Finland found that hostility may be a better predictor of coronary disease risk than the standard risk factors—cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

And a team at Duke University found that getting a high score on a hostility test correlated positively with the severity of coronary artery disease.

The Nuns Study of Aging and Alzheimer’s disease is a longitudinal study begun in 1986 and still continuing 31 years later. When the 678 Roman Catholic nuns entered the convent of the School Sisters of Notre Dame at an average age of 22, each one wrote an autobiographical essay. Analysis of those essays decades later found that positive emotional content in those early autobiographies predicted which sisters would lead the longest lives. The young nuns who expressed more positive emotions in their autobiographies lived an average of 10 years longer than those expressing fewer positive emotions.

Furthermore, those expressing positive emotions in their early autobiographies were much more active and alert in their later years.

Researchers who conducted the follow-up studies of the nuns were amazed that writing samples from people in their early 20s would be a reasonably reliable predictor of who would be alive more than three decades after the autobiographical essays were written.

Recent scientific investigation of positive emotions has created impressive evidence of the powerful impact that emotions like happiness, intimacy, love, contentment, honesty, courage, confidence, and optimism have on people’s health and longevity, as well as on their overall well-being and life satisfaction. Even stronger research findings conclude that negative states like excessive anger, anxiety, or depression not only greatly diminish one’s happiness but also tend to generate illness, worsen symptoms, constrain recovery, and lead to early death.

To sum up, emotions are an inevitable and important part of our lives. They affect virtually everything we do—for better or for worse.

The Grant Study of 268 Harvard College sophomores in the years 1939– 1944 was a unique research project due to the long timespan of the research. Dr. George E. Vaillant, who has directed the research for decades, wrote that one of the most interesting findings was: [T]he more at ease the men were with their feelings, the more successful they were at the rest of their lives. AQ Robert Bolton, PhD, and Dorothy Grover Bolton, EdM, are co-founders of Ridge Associates, a training and consulting firm that serves many Fortune 500 companies. Together, they are the authors of People Styles at Work…and Beyond (AMACOM, 2009).

Adapted, with permission of the publisher, from Listen Up or Lose Out: How to Avoid Miscommunication, Improve Relationships, and Get More Done Faster, by Robert Bolton, PhD, and Dorothy Grover Bolton, EdM. Copyright 2018, Robert Bolton and Dorothy Grover Bolton.

Published by AMACOM.

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