It is refreshing when executives and leaders show candour and openness on the strategic issues facing their organisations. It takes a self-assured and confident leader to openly admit the challenges they face.
Last night Curtin University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Deborah Terry, did this at the Maureen Bickley Memorial Lecture, as she discussed the issue of female representation.
Women have comprised the majority of university graduates for decades now, but remain underrepresented in academic leadership. Data suggests that the glass ceiling hits at the senior lecturer level.
Professor Terry took up her position in February and has made a clear commitment to champion gender equality internally. This builds on the culture that was cultivated by her two immediate predecessors, professors Jeanette Hacket and Lance Twomey.
Last night Professor Terry was frank in her exploration of gender inequality within her own institution and more broadly offering advice to fellow chief executives and senior women. While completing her PhD in psychology, she announced to her supervisor that she was pregnant. He retorted by saying “you’ll never make it (to leadership), it’s absolutely impossible”. She took this as a call to action.
Universities, broadly, are focused on building links with industry and the message of gender equality must be driven by them too. Whether this is in championing equity for women studying non-traditional fields or in executive roles, higher education can show how gender equality is good for organisations.
The point was made that women have been the majority of university graduates for such a long time and that while attitudes have changed, action has been glacial. It made me wonder: if we’re educating all of these women who aspire to a breadth of careers but they don’t reach leadership, what’s the point?
A slow rate of change is frustrating. But with heightened conversations and interest the next generation of leaders are likely to be more inclusive.
These are Professor Terry’s ideas for speeding up the pace of change for women, which she noted shouldn’t be sought simply for the sake of it. Rather, “increased women in leadership signals a stronger and better company”, and what leader doesn’t want that?
- Go beyond the norm: Terry noted that a breadth of experiences, across budgeting, student issues, infrastructure development and coming to terms with taking her own risks, is what put her ahead of competition. Not just grappling with academic or student concerns, her career was about building a suite of applicable skills.
- Men must mentor women: We all know about the excessive time demands on senior women, Terry called for senior men to step up to mentoring roles for women but also for aspirational women to discuss their future men. Not only does this help that woman but it bridges the knowledge gap on gender equality for men.
- Look at the career outcome: If you have a clear idea of where you want to end up it is easy to assess all the options presented. Terry made the point that when marketing yourself for promotion, keeping an organisation or team moving isn’t an achievement – we need to focus on the added value we make. Moving beyond an obligation to a step up. Because that conference will be organised whether or not you put your hand up.