“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” -Margaret Thatcher
“The word “must” is not used to princes!” -Queen Elizabeth I
Equality has come a long way even in the short time that I have been in the professional world. The fact that 11% of U.S. firms with venture-capital backing in 2009 had current or former female CEOs or female founders, according to data from Dow Jones VentureSource to me is a good start. Not great, but a good start.
This weekend, I came across two articles that made me step back for a moment. The first was the Wall Street Journal’s blog post, “Addressing The Lack of Women Leading Tech Start-ups.” In the post, WSJ tries to address the question of “Where are all the women in tech?” I then read a TechCrunch response by Michael Arrington entitled, “ Too Few Women In Tech? Stop Blaming The Men.” In the article, Arrington tries to sympathize with the issue but is fed up with the blame game. Can you blame him? I don’t.
Though I run what is the largest community of entrepreneurial women in the world, I usually find myself in meetings with all men, and I’m not even in technology. So, it’s apparent that some changes need to be made. But instead of pointing the finger, we need to work together and discover some viable solutions. Here are 5 Simple Ways We Can All Help Women Win as Tech Leaders:
1) Segregation Is Not an Option: Though TED meant well with TedWomen, it is just exacerbating the issue. Instead, highlight more women within your normal series and channels. Any time we segregate, we end up being a part of the problem, not the solution.
2) Invite More Women to Speak: I am always amazed at how few women are on panels, speaking at conferences, or on lists of people to follow. Instead of creating separate lists for women or even separate conferences, just include them in your initial invitations.
3) Do Something About It: If you feel that it’s an issue, then ask yourself, “What can I do to help change this?” Talk means nothing and can make it worse instead of better. You want a change? Then BE the change!
4) Mentor a Woman: We are all looking for mentors; looking for people who have done it and can get us excited about an industry we’re interested in. No matter if you are a man or a woman (in the tech arena or not), mentor a young woman who is trying to figure it out.
5) Get Over Yourself! You CAN Do It! I cannot begin to tell you the excuses I hear on a daily basis. If you want something (I don’t care what sex you are), find a way! Reach out, get to know people, and do NOT take NO for an answer. There is always a solution, it just takes some time to begin clear.
What other ways can we help women win as tech leaders? Feel free to share your idea. If this is a problem, then let’s find solutions that work.
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