May 2019 Meeting Keynote Topic: Overcoming Gender Bias Patterns in the Workplace
by Rachel Friederich, ICSEW Communications Chair
Just 5% of Fortune 500 companies are headed by women. Amazon Senior Product Marketing Manager, Karen Greigo shared that fact, along with her own experiences dealing with inaccurate perceptions hiring managers and corporate leaders can have about female employees at the ICSEW’s May 21 meeting and career fair.
In her presentation, Gender Bias Patterns and How They Affect Our Careers Greigo talked about personal challenges she overcame as she climbed the corporate ladder and became one of the top marketing executives for one of the world’s largest companies.
One of the most common gender biases bosses can have in the workplace is the way employees are evaluated. “Men are often evaluated on past performance, while women are often evaluated based on potential,” Greigo said.
Greigo’s presentation included tips to overcome gender bias patterns, like documenting one’s accomplishments in quantifiable results and finding “sponsors,” someone within your company who can help you excel in your career goals.
Greigo also recommended a reading list where she got many of her tips and insights for overcoming gender bias patterns in the workplace:
- Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (Douglas Stone, Bruce Patterson, Sheila Heen)
- Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead (Sheryl Sanberg)
- A Woman’s Guide to Successful Negotiating: How to Convince Collaborate, and Create Your Way to Agreement (Lee Miller and Jessica Miller)
- Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-free Plan for Embracing and Achiving Your Goals (Rachel Hollis)
Minutes for the May 2019 ICSEW meeting viewed here.