The Catalyst Canada Honours celebrates champions who have made diversity and advancement of women a hallmark of their careers. In this week’s CanCon, Emily Pomeroy, chair of the 2012 nominating committee, shares some reasons that you should consider nominating a champion you know, or applying yourself to be a 2012 Catalyst Canada Honours champion!

There seems to be a lot of frustration around inequality in the world today.

- Occupy movement protesters are frustrated with social and economic inequality.
- Food banks are frustrated with decreased donations and increased demand.
- Individuals are frustrated by unemployment challenges.
- Here at Catalyst, we’re pretty frustrated with the low representation of women in senior leadership.

I don’t know about you, but I end up feeling overwhelmed by these issues and don’t know how I could possibly do anything to make a dent in such large and systemic problems.

The answer, I think, is to do something. Take one step to improve one person’s life.

What if, tomorrow, you woke up and changed a woman’s career trajectory by championing her at work. What if you:

- Recommended her work to colleagues and clients?
- Invited her to present at your next senior leadership meeting?
- Connected her to your network?
- Advocated for her promotion during succession planning?

Catalyst knows that many people are doing great things to champion women. We speak with them every day. It’s probably you, or maybe one of your colleagues. If that’s the case, Catalyst wants to recognize and celebrate those efforts. Apply for The Catalyst Canada Honours 2012.

Last month, Catalyst honoured three more individuals who are exceptional champions of women’s advancement at a gala dinner with over 600 guests. Next year, we want to honour you.

So there is something you can do. It’s manageable, attainable, and you can start now.

In a new twist on the old statistic that women influence 80% of purchasing decisions, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews recently informed a gathering that 80% of government spending in Ontario is controlled by 11 female cabinet ministers. Who knew?

While our colleagues south of the border have been marking “women in politics” month this August, women in politics have been making their mark in Canada. Women occupy the premier’s office in two provinces and one territory, and women party leaders in five other jurisdictions are eyeing the top job.

Lisa Raitt, the federal Minister of Labour, is holding roundtable discussions across the country, and in Ontario, female cabinet ministers are facilitating conversations about the role of women in government.

It was at one of those events that the Minister of Health shared the 80% statistic with us. And then she asked two critical questions: Do women in decision-making roles make a difference to the policy agenda of a government? Do they actually make different policy?

That women do things differently was obvious from the beginning when the Minister of Health shared a picture from her daughter’s wedding and spoke fondly of a grandson who cried through the first half of the event and slept through the second. Not the usual Ministerial talking point!

But it was the information that she shared about some of the government’s priorities that offered the most compelling insights. She noted that the women in the cabinet have championed the following initiatives:

- Investments in full-day kindergarten for three- and four-year-old children.

- A poverty reduction strategy.

- Expanded access to breast cancer screening for high-risk women.

- Long-term care options that will allow seniors to remain in their homes.

These initiatives will make the province and individuals who live here stronger and better able to manage their lives and achieve their potential. In fact, they are very much like the corporate programs to remove barriers and encourage participation by every employee that Catalyst often shares with members.

Her response to questions about why we need more women in government and the importance of women supporting each other may provide an insight to the effectiveness of the women in the Ontario government.

“We are strongest when decision-making reflects the communities that we serve,” she said, and, “Women who have achieved success have a responsibility to send the elevator back down.”

Words to make government—and business—work better!

The end of June can mean only one thing—graduation. For young women in the west, the future brims with promise of achievement and success.

This year, that season of personal hopefulness coincides with the “Arab Spring” movement to overcome political oppression and achieve individual freedoms. For young women in many nations, 2011 could be the year their dreams of self-determination come true.

Or not. In the past, democratic movements didn’t always include women’s rights, or those of minorities. In Canada, democracy didn’t acknowledge women as “persons” with the right to sit in the Senate until 1921. And it took the social upheaval of the 1960s to integrate education systems in the southern United States.

But I’m hopeful that women’s voices will be heard in today’s emerging democracies. One reason is the young women who participated in the G(irls)20 Summit last year in Toronto, and those who will participate in the second Summit in Paris later this year.

These are smart, confident young women with strong views on social and economic development. Their debates in Paris will allow them to test and broaden their opinions. The international experience will teach them how to  advocate for the changes they know will improve their own society.

I believe that these “Girls,” and the millions of other articulate young women like them, have the ideas, the energy, and the strength to change the world. Although it’s too late to become a delegate, there’s still a day for you to participate in setting the agenda for the 2011 (Girls)20 Summit. Go to the website today, cast your vote, and add your comments—help to change the world!

Pride Month is an excellent reminder that the life experiences people bring to the workplace, as much as their talents and training, contribute to their effectiveness as employees and leaders. Brent Chamberlain, Executive Director of Pride at Work Canada, recently participated in Catalyst’s webinar to mark Pride Month. Here, Brent shares some insights on another, potentially transformative, event that took place this month.

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At 8:30am on June 1, the first day of Pride Month, a group of senior executives entered a room. By the time two hours had passed, a national network of LGBT executive sponsors had formed.

The importance of this development should not be underestimated. After all, sexual orientation and gender identity aren’t exactly at the top of the diversity and inclusion pile for most companies. Therefore, it’s essential that LGBT employee resource groups have this kind of executive support.

But I digress. What of the event itself?

After months of planning, 21 of Pride at Work Canada’s 28 (at the time) Corporate Partners sent representatives to talk about the role of executive sponsors and how they can be game changers in the LGBT workplace arena. Some, like Garth Issett from IBM and Kasey Reese from TELUS, were veterans, while others had stepped up to the plate that very week to champion the issue. The mixture of individuals in the room, all bound together by a common purpose, made the event nothing short of extraordinary.

The event was kicked off by Mandy Shapansky, President and CEO (and LGBT executive sponsor) of Xerox Canada, who spoke passionately about her firm’s commitment to creating an inclusive workplace environment. Then, before the introductions had even ended, a participant looked around the room—shocked at the sheer level of seniority of those gathered around the table—and said, if this was how seriously his clients’ companies took LGBT issues, his firm needed to change, and fast.

And what better way to start the change? Being surrounded by peers gave the participants a better idea of what “good” looks like and how to start setting their goals internally.

The sponsors agreed on something else: they can’t bring about change on their own.  They need help from LGBT employee resource groups, from the members of the C-suite, and finally, from out lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified staff at senior levels of the organization.

Now that the event has finished, Pride at Work Canada is working with the sponsors to grow the network not only in numbers but also in strength. We have every hope that, one day, people will remember this as a giant step in creating a nation where all LGBT individuals can achieve their full potential at work.

The end of a successful event—and the beginning of a strong network for inclusive, effective workplaces!

Christine Silva, Director of Research at Catalyst Canada, recently attended the launch of an important new diversity initiative by General Counsels from a number of organizations. Ken Fredeen of Deloitte, one of the founders of the Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusiveness program, has been a true champion of diversity within his firm and his profession. We’re proud to count him as a friend and supporter of Catalyst Canada.

Here’s Christine’s take on the launch, and the inspiration shared by Ken and Lieutenant Governor David Onley.

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The launch of the Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusiveness program was an inspiring event, with around 40 general counsels of major organizations celebrating the initiative and considering their next steps.

A highlight of the afternoon was when The Honourable David C. Onley, Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, spoke about the importance of accessibility. Having a disability himself, he candidly recounted his experiences facing barriers in his career. Interestingly, he said social media tools are reducing the challenge of being excluded from networks. But, in statements that could have come from a Catalyst report, he emphasized the importance of mentoring and visible role models, and called for a change in mindset to reduce stereotypes that affect hiring practices.

Mr. Onley also gave a series of examples of the wonderful employees you’d miss out on if you assumed disability meant inability. For example, the person in the wheelchair who requires a computer to speak might sound like an employee who requires too much effort. But that line of thinking would reject Stephen Hawking, arguably the brightest person in the world.

Ultimately, he said, success would be measured by a change in numbers: an increase in the workplace representation of people with disabilities to better reflect the population of Canada.

All the GCs in attendance signed a broad pledge to address diversity and inclusion (presumably it also includes gender, visible minority status, Aboriginal status, and sexual orientation, beyond ability). Each also has a list of individual actions he or she has committed to fulfilling, such as being an advocate or speaking frequently about diversity in the workplace.

Kenneth Fredeen, General Counsel at Deloitte, spoke on behalf of the founders of the program and shared two important thoughts.

First, he pointed out that the organizations represented in the room—as some of the largest clients of law firms—have an opportunity to use their considerable influence to sway firms to focus more seriously on diversity and inclusion.

Second, he made clear that this initiative is about helping people, and he encouraged attendees to think about how they want to look back on their careers. What will they be most proud of? Much more likely it will be work related to helping people and changing organizations for the better, rather than resolving any legal matters. This is their chance to have real impact, he said.

Inspiring words, and I agree.

Do we know how to pick them? Champions, that is. Another of our inaugural The Catalyst Canada Honours Champions has been recognized for making a difference!

First, our Champion in the Company/Firm Leader category, TD Financial Group President and CEO Ed Clark was named CEO of the year. Now Colleen Sidford, our Champion in the Business Leader category has been recognized for her solid business ability and dedication to the advancement of women.

Colleen, who is Vice President, Treasurer of Ontario Power Generation, Inc. (OPG), has been appointed president of Women in Nuclear Canada. She will also represent Canada on the WIN International board.

The appointment recognizes Colleen’s great contribution to advancing women in the male-dominated nuclear industry. She initiated emPOWERed Women at OPG to help women develop their networking, career development, and mentoring skills. When she was honoured at last year’s The Catalyst Canada Honours, more than 300 women had participated in the program and were acting as “diversity ambassadors.”

We’re proud to congratulate Colleen on this latest recognition by the women in her industry—and we’re proud to count her as a Champion and a friend of Catalyst Canada. Her example demonstrates what one woman and a powerful idea can achieve.

We’re beginning to sense a trend of even greater achievement by The Canada Catalyst Honours Champions. We suggest you watch for the announcement in June of The Canada Catalyst Honours Champions of 2011—because you’re sure to be hearing more about them!

Last year, a group of very smart people representing the leading economies of the world met in Toronto to address the significant issues affecting the world. They exchanged ideas and experiences, and they struggled to identify initiatives, investments, and programs that would strengthen communities and nations. And they agreed to meet again in France in October of 2011.

You think I’m talking about Presidents and Prime Ministers? Perhaps future ones!

Once again, the G(irls)20 Summit will bring together young women from the G20 nations and the African Union in advance of the G20 Summit to be held this October in France. Applications to participate in the summit as a national representative are due by April 15, and participants will be announced in early July.

Last year, as part of Catalyst’s support for the event, I was privileged to review some of the applications.  I expected bright, thoughtful young women, but the energy, imagination, and innovation that I found in every application makes me believe that women can indeed change the world!

We can’t all be participants in the G(irls)20 Summit, but we can all participate in the discussion of the agenda—and we can be part of the 3.3 billion ways to change the world!

Catalyzing has a very special guest blogger this week! Catalyst Canada’s own Christine Silva, makes some great points about the “Queen Bee Syndrome”.

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This week, media outlets in India, the UK and US ran stories about the so-called “Queen Bee Syndrome,” a  phenomenon where women bosses ostensibly “wreck a woman’s promotion prospects.” In the guest-post below, Catalyst researcher Christine Silva tackles the myth of the Queen Bee. Don’t buy into the buzz, she writes, female bosses don’t sting.

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Do female bosses “wreck” the careers of their female underlings? This sounds like the plot to a cheesy Hollywood movie—not actual conditions in the workplace.

Catalyst research on the impact of mentorship found that women are more likely than men to have female mentors. Surely this points to the number of women willing to help other women develop and advance?

As a Catalyst researcher, I decided to dig deeper. I found evidence showing women’s capability of being stellar people managers— and an even more critical need for getting women in the highest positions.

The recent news stories about the supposed “Queen Bee Syndrome,” in which women supervisors supposedly harm women subordinates, cite the work of Dr. David Maume of the University of Cincinnati. Interestingly, his original research does not back up the sensational headlines.

Looking closely at the data analysis in Maume’s study, I drew the following conclusions:

- Women employees feel they receive the same job-related support from male and female bosses.

- There is no difference in women’s perceived chance at promotion based on their boss’s gender.

In other words, having a woman manager doesn’t harm a woman employee’s career. Yet somehow some media outlets have interpreted “no difference” between male and female bosses on women’s careers as evidence that senior women are somehow actively holding back rising young women.

Perhaps journalists were confused about Maume’s findings around men. According to his study:

- When men have women bosses, they feel more optimistic about their advancement chances and feel they receive more job-related support than when men have male bosses.

- And thus, compared to the women subordinates, the men with female bosses report more support and greater advancement potential.

The rationale Maume puts forth for why this might be has nothing to do with women preferring to help male subordinates over their female subordinates. Rather, he points to systemic gender biases in organizations. He writes:

The results are consistent with much research showing that workplaces are pervasively male-oriented in their customs, policies, and structures, and that female bosses are no different from male bosses in reacting to organizational preferences to invest in men’s careers more so than women’s (p. 297).

Maume concludes that people may be disappointed if they think hiring more women as managers is the silver bullet to advancing women into leadership roles. Still, I think there’s more hope in his research than he realizes.

Maume’s findings on the experience of men speak to the potential of women to be terrific people managers. In a perfect world, if organizational norms allowed for the equal advancement of women and men, we might find that women bosses are actually preferred, providing strong support to their female and male subordinates alike.

Unfortunately, much Catalyst research shows evidence of inherent biases still operating in workplaces around the world. In Maume’s view, women bosses may feel more constrained as, he says, they “lack the power to impede organizational preferences to foster men’s careers” (p. 296).

And indeed, amongst the highest-earning women in his study, those women with a female boss were more optimistic about their advancement chances than those with a male boss. While he concludes that this means very few women are likely to benefit from those “change agent” women, I think he’s stumbled upon where these female change agents are likely to be most effective: at the top of the house.

The best way to address Maume’s findings is to not to criticize female bosses as “Queen Bees,” but to fix the workplace culture he cites as the problem—namely, to counter pervasive barriers so that women and men alike can excel and advance. Organizations shouldn’t just focus on getting more women in the door, but instead focused on getting more women into the critical roles that could meaningfully influence the culture. These women can tackle the informal workplace dynamics that hold women back in the first place.

Now that’s a news angle I’d love to see covered!

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Christine Silva directs and supports Canadian and global research projects focused on gender and diversity issues and is a co-author of Catalyst’s longitudinal study of high-potential employees. Ms. Silva received a Master of Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto, a Master of Science in Organizational Behaviour from Queen’s University, and has completed doctoral coursework in Organizational Behaviour at Queen’s University. She earned her Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Employment Relations at the University of Toronto.

On March 9, in Montreal, Sunniva Sorby, Membership Manager—Quebec and I attended the most recent event in our Catalyst Connects series, sponsored by BMO Financial Group. Monique F. Leroux, Chair of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Desjardins Group, spoke to a room of almost 100 high-potential women, offering wisdom she’s gained over her career. Below, Sunniva shares the insights that resonated most with her.

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 Some issues are just too important to let competition for market share get in the way. That the advancement of women is one of these issues was clear earlier this month when our BMO-sponsored Catalyst Connects event was held in Montreal. Two high-powered women in banking shared the spotlight when Lynn Roger, Senior Vice President, Talent Strategies and Executive Resourcing Managing Partner, BMO Financial Group, interviewed Desjardins Group CEO Monique F. Leroux about her long and winding road to the top.

Career advice from Ms. Leroux isn’t available every day, and audience members took advantage of the opportunity to ask her questions.

 One woman wondered how she manages difficult situations. The response may sound cliché, but Ms. Leroux’s passion made it live: Be true to yourself. Develop and articulate your own set of core values, and don’t lose yourself along the way. Be a woman of conviction, and don’t compromise on values. And her experience proves that standing for principle enables other people to understand and trust you and your values.

 What did Ms. Leroux identify as her own values? She loves working hard, connecting with people, and making a contribution. She is always looking for ways to make a contribution which, she notes, makes what we do more meaningful. The passion that we bring to work is also more likely to lead to advancement than “targeting” a senior position.

 Ms. Leroux urged her audience to take risks. Without them, she said, you will never get out of your comfort zone or grow. “Stand up for what you believe in,” she said. “And please remember to have a sense of humour along the way!” Especially when tensions are high, it’s helpful to laugh at ourselves and find the people who will help us keep a balanced perspective.

 I was deeply impressed by how Ms. Leroux is very “centred around her core,” and how she never targeted a particular position but rather sought opportunities that would allow her to contribute in meaningful ways. Ms. Leroux’s story proves that values and principles don’t have to be sacrificed for advancement. In fact, they’re the very stuff of success!

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 Le 9 mars, à Montréal, Sunniva Sorby, gestionnaire d’adhésion  – Québec et moi avons assisté au plus récent  événement de notre série “Catalyst Connects”, parrainée par BMO Groupe financier.  Monique F. Leroux, présidente du Conseil, présidente et directrice générale du Groupe Desjardins, s’est adressée à un auditoire d’environ 100 femmes, toutes  possédant un immense potentiel. Elle a partagé avec nous la sagesse qu’elle a acquise au cours de sa carrière.  Ci-dessous, Sunniva partage les idées qu’elle a échangées avec elle. 

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Il est impensable de laisser la concurrence prendre les parts de marché. Certaines questions sont tout simplement trop importantes. L’avancement de la femme est l’une de ces questions qui ont été clairement soulevées plus tôt ce mois-ci lors de notre dernier événement à Montréal, parrainé par BMO ” Catalyst Connects”.

 Deux femmes influentes dans le secteur bancaire partagent la vedette.

 Lynn Roger, première vice-présidente – Stratégies de gestion des talents et renouvellement haute direction, BMO Groupe financier, interroge Monique F. Leroux, présidente du Conseil, présidente et directrice générale du Groupe Desjardins, sur sa longue et difficile ascension vers le sommet.

Les conseils de Mme Leroux à propos de la carrière ne sont pas offerts tous les jours.  L’auditoire en a profité pour lui poser des questions.   Une femme a demandé :”comment gérez-vous les situations difficiles ?” La réponse peut sembler banale, mais Mme Leroux a affirmé :

 Vivez votre passion !  Soyez fidèle à vous-même !

Définissez et respectez vos propres valeurs fondamentales, et ne vous perdez pas en chemin!

Soyez une femme de conviction et ne faites pas de compromis sur vos valeurs.

Son expérience démontre que de se laisser guider par ses principes et de se baser sur ses valeurs permet aux autres de mieux nous comprendre, et par le fait même, engendre la confiance.

Ce que Mme Leroux identifie comme ses propres valeurs ?

Elle aime travailler dur et elle favorise les liens avec autrui, ce qui lui permet de contribuer de façon considérable à son milieu de travail.

 Elle est toujours à la recherche de moyens pour se démarquer ce qui, à son avis, rend ce que nous faisons beaucoup plus significatif.

C’est la passion avec laquelle nous travaillons qui est susceptible de nous conduire à l’avancement vers un poste supérieur, plutôt que le fait de cibler une place spécifique au sein de l’organisation.

Mme Leroux a encouragé son auditoire à prendre des risques. Sans eux, vous ne sortirez jamais votre zone de confort!

« Défendez ce qu’en quoi vous croyez!», dit-elle.

«… Et n’oubliez pas d’avoir un sens de l’humour, tout au long de votre parcours »

Spécialement lorsque la pression est forte, il est favorable d’être capable de rire de nous-mêmes et de trouver des gens qui nous aideront à garder une perspective équilibrée. 

J’ai été profondément impressionnée par Mme Leroux.

Sa façon d’être, son point de mire et son système de valeurs. 

Sa philosophie concernant l’avancement d’un poste : saisir les occasions tout en contribuant de façon importante.

L’histoire de Mme Leroux démontre que les valeurs et les principes n’ont pas à être sacrifiés pour l’avancement.  En fait, ils sont très certainement la clé du succès !