How do you fight an enemy you can’t see? That’s exactly the challenge many professional women are faced with in the workplace today. “Discrimination today is not as in your face as it was before; it’s often harder to see,” says Caryl Rivers, coauthor of the book, The New Soft War On Women. Legally, you can’t say, ‘I’m not going to hire you or give you this assignment because you’re a woman and you can’t do it,’ but the old attitudes still run deep and are expressed subtly.”
Most of us like to think of ourselves as enlightened—we are ethical and unbiased. However, we all fall short of our embellished self-perception. A study at Yale University asked science researchers to rate two candidates for a lab manager position—a male and a female—both with the same qualifications. The group of participants (who were made up of both males and females) consistently rated the male candidate as more qualified. This translates into a huge issue in the workplace; indicating biased behavior from both genders toward females. So how do professional women combat these issues? Is there a way to change unconscious biases that influence how we interact with others and who we value most at work? There’s no simple approach, however, here are a few places you can begin:
Acknowledge “microaggressions”
All throughout the day, we send subtle messages to the people around us through our body language and the words we use. Derald Wing Sue, professor of counseling psychology at Columbia University calls these signals “microaggressions,” and they can have an impact on those around us.
In his book, Microaggressions in Everyday Life, Sue writes that these signals communicate, “whether intentionally or unintentionally: hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, sexual-orientation, and religious slights and insults.” As a woman, every day you may have to walk the thin line between being too nice (and risk not being taken seriously) and being too forceful (or even worse, bitchy!). Be aware of your tone and how your behavior impacts those around you. Even the smallest details can make a big difference.
Discuss it
If you notice it, call someone out on his or her bias. This can go a long way toward helping people become more aware of the judgments they are making. An open discussion at work or at home is the first step in making a change. When female employees at Google headquarters pointed out that the tradition of naming the conference rooms after scientists heavily favored male scientists, the company changed it to reflect a more balanced representation of the sexes.
Focus on your skills and talents
A study done with The Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford found that the number of women musicians being hired by orchestras increased (from 5% to 25%) once musicians began auditioning behind screens so that judges could only hear them, not see them. By focusing on the unique set of skills you bring to the table, you can ignore what others may say about you. In the end, the key is to bring attention to what you do well; focus on being the best you can be and ignore the peanut gallery.
So how do you fight an enemy you can’t see but may feel every day? You become aware: aware of the decisions you make that may uncover unconscious bias and discrimination. Aware of how you want to be treated so that you can remain strong and continue to steer those who will follow your lead in the right direction.
“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.” – Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook)
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Kaylaa T. Blackwell is an IT Professional working @ Itron, Inc. and a student @ Southern New Hampshire University with a penchant for writing, researching and helping others resolve real world issues. She has a great interest in technology, business and psychology and how they impact each other. The views and opinions expressed in this article belongs to Kaylaa and do not represent the opinions of her employer. Learn more about her here.
