Will 2012 be the year that we acknowledge and begin to address the biases that persistently hinder the advancement of women in many workplaces? In this week’s Catalyzing, Ilene Lang points out that the myth that women are less ambitious than men excludes many talented women from consideration for senior positions. And that is costing women, the businesses that employ them, and the economy.

____________________________________________________

Do women lack ambition? Not on your life.

Women want to succeed, yet even when they do “all the right things” Catalyst has found that they earn less and progress more slowly than men. The fact that some women adjust their career advancement strategies after crashing into institutional barriers is a rational response to inhospitable workplaces. It is not an example of a lack of ambition.

Catalyst has been studying women’s ambition for nearly a decade. Our 2004 report, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership, surveyed nearly 1000 senior-level employees who shared similar backgrounds and characteristics. We found that women aspired to be CEO in equal proportions as men. But the women—to a much greater extent than men—ran up against barriers, namely exclusion from informal networks, stereotyping, and a lack of role models. Likewise, our report, Leaders in a Global Economy, found that women and men have similar work values. The problem is this: men find workplaces more aligned with their values, women don’t.

What’s changed since 2004? Not much—women remain ambitious, but barriers still block their paths. And with few exceptions, women’s leadership is stalled in corporate America.

The Myth of the Ideal Worker, the latest report in our series on high potential employees, examined the career advancement strategies of thousands of MBA graduates from top schools around the world and the impact of these strategies on their careers. Women and men were equally represented in the two most proactive groups, indicating that ambition ran high among both genders. But being proactive paid off more in promotions and pay for the men.

In Pipeline’s Broken Promise, we found that among MBA grads who aspired to be CEO or senior executives, women progressed more slowly than men. And parenthood, industry, and previous experience didn’t explain the gender gap. The leadership and pay gaps balloon over time, suggesting that the problem lies with the system, not the women.

So what is the problem? Cascading Gender Biases, Compounding Effects revealed how gender biases are unintentionally embedded in talent management systems—biases that exclude those who don’t fit the male leadership model. Addressing these biases and rooting them out at the source are better ways to tackle inequality than blaming the women. Smart organizations are proactively addressing the barriers women face and are reaping the rewards.

Our research has pointed to one more powerful solution: sponsorship. Sponsors advocate for you from behind closed doors and ensure you’re visible when opportunities arise. The problem is that many women are over-mentored and under-sponsored. Some companies are recognizing this and are instituting formal sponsorship programs for women. At the same time, individuals are taking the lead on this front without waiting for a formal program to kick in by actively seeking sponsorship and being a sponsor to others, especially talented women who deserve it. This is one proven way to help narrow gender gaps.

The misguided assumption that women are less ambitious than men puts companies at risk of inadvertently underutilizing talented women and overlooking, or outright dismissing them, for key roles. This is a real loss for companies. Organizations need to step up and clear a path for women’s success.

Women are ambitious. But systemic barriers in the workplace mean that ambition, even when coupled with talent, isn’t always enough.

As another year winds down, I’m still finding inspiration and encouragement in the words of The Catalyst Canada Honours champions who have filled this space over the past three weeks.

And then I get a cold splash of reality with the release last week of the Catalyst Census of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. In brief, there has been no progress in the representation of women at senior executive and board positions in the past six years. The Census indicates that:

• Women held 16.1% of board seats in 2011, compared to 15.7% in 2010.

• About one in ten companies had no women serving on their boards.

• Women of colour still held only 3% of corporate board seats.

• Women held 14.1% of Executive Officer positions in 2011, compared to 14.4% in 2010.

• Women held only 7.5% of Executive Officer top-earner positions in 2011, while men accounted for 92.5% of top earners.

• Less than one in five companies had 25% or more women Executive Officers and more than one-quarter had zero.

In February, we’ll learn how Canada’s FP500 companies are performing in the representation of women on their boards, but we have no reason to anticipate that corporate Canada is more dynamically diverse than their counterparts south of the border.

We know that the presence of women in the boardroom has a positive effect on the bottom line. We know that diverse boards are more agile in dealing with a rapidly changing business environment. We know that women will be an important part of the response to an aging population and a shrinking workforce—and we know that other nations are taking steps to promote women and achieve the diversity that will give a competitive edge in the coming years and decades.

Taking my cue from Catalyst Canada Human Resources/Diversity Leader Michael Bach, I’m asking myself how I’m going to move out of my comfort zone to promote the advancement of women in business in 2012. Maybe it will be speaking up at social gatherings, or taking the time to encourage a young woman to expect more from herself and her career. Maybe it will be challenging an individual friend or colleague to change his or her views on diversity, or to act on these principles to sponsor a talented woman.

Change won’t happen until we step out and speak up for diversity and inclusion. Let’s make 2012 the year we change corporate culture, and make our businesses as diverse as our country.

Among the highlights of The Catalyst Canada Honours are the remarks by the champions themselves. And, in the ensuing days and weeks, these words of inspiration, and the glimpses they provide of personal struggle and achievement, are what I remember and ponder.

The Human Resources/Diversity Leader Champion, Michael Bach, shared his personal passion and belief that privilege brings the responsibility to make a difference. His challenge to the audience was to take bold, possibly unpopular actions and positions to impact the status quo. Michael asked us to consider why change is taking so long, and then left each of us with a personal challenge.

Watch Michael Bach at The Catalyst Canada Honours:

Among the highlights of The Catalyst Canada Honours are the remarks by the champions themselves. And, in the ensuing days and weeks, these words of inspiration, and the glimpses they provide of personal struggle and achievement, are what I remember and ponder.

The 2011 Business Leader Champion, Jennifer Tory, has devoted much of her career to developing people, both directly and through her advocacy for sponsorship and the advancement of women. She has brought the same commitment to acting as a catalyst for change and diversity to her work with community organizations. Her remarks challenged the audience to find talent in their organizations by looking broadly, deeply, and often.

Watch Jennifer Tory at The Catalyst Canada Honours dinner:

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.

Perhaps it’s because one million Canadians are of Indian descent, or because diversity is a defining characteristic of both India and Canada. But for some reason, the sounds, fragrances, and colours that I experienced during my recent visit to India felt strangely familiar.

Certainly, as I met with business leaders in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi, our conversations about the challenges women face at work could easily have taken place in any Canadian city—struggles with work-life effectiveness and the lack of role models, mentors, and sponsors were at the top of the list.  (And who would have thought that a story about Canadian ice hockey would resonate with a business audience in Mumbai?)

However, the Indian cultural context adds layers of complexity to the issues facing women and organizations. Women in India are fighting battles that Canadian women have largely already won, for personal safety,  reliable childcare options, and more egalitarian societal assumptions about women’s roles. As a result, organizations are adopting programs that go beyond the flexible work arrangements or talent management practices that are familiar to North American ears. They are providing transportation to and from work sites, implementing recruitment programs that target women who have been out of the workplace, and reaching out to the parents and families of current and prospective employees.

The good news is that a hungry economy is creating jobs for young, educated Indians at an amazing pace, and organizations understand that women represent an underutilized talent pool. (Going to India, I expected to hear about the rapid pace of growth, but I wasn’t quite prepared to hear business leaders casually talk about hiring tens of thousands of people!)

Every day, some newspaper—and there are many—carried an article on the important role played by women. One talked about the growing number of women pursuing higher education and urged businesses to be prepared to open their doors to a generation of bright, well-educated, and confident young women. Another talked about the fact that the oldest woman in a family had been declared the “head of the household” for the purposes of a new program that will distribute food to families living in poverty. And in a story that is close to the heart of Catalyst researchers, “the gender gap” was the theme of National Statistics Day!

Each of these stories describes a country that is coping with the social and cultural jolts that accompany rapid growth. I’m thrilled that women are recognized as a critical success factor in navigating the changes, and I look forward to forging closer connections with India as Catalyst grows and learns from this amazing country.

This summer, even the backyard barbequers have been worried about the U.S. debt, and we were interested to read some thoughts on women as money managers. Would the financial world be a different place if the Lehman Sisters were in charge? Some additional thoughts on the challenges of getting more women on boards—and a few ways to stretch for the top!

If Women Are So Savvy, Why Aren’t They in Charge?

Women are outperforming men in financial management, so why do the senior positions continue to elude them?

READ: “How Money-Savvy Women Can Save the Economy” by Justine Rivero, Forbes, July 25, 2011.

Can’t We Just Pass a Law?

Some of the barriers to women’s advancement…and some reasons that quotas are only part of the answer.

READ: “Lonely at the Top” The Economist, July 21, 2011.

Or Hunt Different Heads?

A reminder of how government and corporate efforts to recruit more women to senior positions can be undermined by outdated attitudes.

READ: “Executive Search Firms Pledge to Seek More Women for Boardrooms” by Dan Milano, The Guardian, July 22, 2011.

Or Learn from a Leader?

Annette Verschuren, who recently finished a successful run at the helm of Home Depot Canada, shares some of the wisdom she learned as she grew from Cape Breton farm girl to corporate leader. This summer, she prepares to chair the Governor-General’s Leadership Conference and ponders her next professional challenge.

READ: “Still Hungry, Annette Verschuren Takes Her Time Choosing Her Next Course” by Gordon Pitts, The Globe and Mail, July 8, 2011.

Start With a Personal Board!

Women can manage their own careers by seeking a network of counsellors for advice and support.

READ: “Five People You Need on Your Personal Board of Directors” by Tina Vasquez, The Glass Hammer, July 15, 2011.

Our Own Sunniva Sorby Brings Lessons from the Top!

Sunniva’s climb of Mount Kilimanjaro taught her some lessons about stretch goals and the value of networks. Now she’s sharing those insights with Catalyst members and business leaders in Montreal.

READ: “High Spirits—and a Will to Achieve” by Margaret Webb, The Calgary Herald, July 14, 2011.

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!

Champions make a difference. They challenge their colleagues to stretch for greater achievements. They encourage their communities to become better than they thought they could be. Their example motivates people they have never met to change their lives for the better.  They sponsor advancement for talented women and men.

The Catalyst Canada Honours 2011 Champions have done all of that and more. Company/Firm Leader Champion Monique F. Leroux would have set an example of achievement for young Canadian women if she had done nothing more than become the first woman to lead a Top 10 financial institution in Canada as Chair of the Board, President and CEO of Desjardins Group. But she chose to mark her career with a commitment to the advancement of other women. Perhaps most important, she has “walked the talk” as a mentor and sponsor of other women and as a speaker who generously shares her experience and knowledge with other women.

The Business Leader Champion is Jennifer Tory, Regional President, Greater Toronto Region, RBC. Her career and her community activities reflect her commitment to identifying and advancing talented people. Her business strategy of cultivating talent includes such
initiatives as increased development opportunities to allow high-potential women and visible minorities a greater chance to demonstrate their ability. As a community volunteer, she has promoted opportunities for participation by women, visible minorities and new Canadians.

Human Resources/Diversity Leader Champion Michael Bach, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG LLP, has a long history of advancing diversity through his work with Pride at Work Canada; Women’s Executive Network; the Canadian Board Diversity Council and the Rotman School of Management’s Back to Work Program. In his current position, Mr. Bach has been able to influence change at the organizational level and gain support for diversity initiatives from senior leaders within the firm.

These three champions share many traits: vision, the courage of their convictions, and the power of persuasion. They have personal stories that motivated them to become champions.  Together, they represent the many Canadian business people who recognize that advancing women in business is advancing women and business.  It is sound business practice, ensuring that our economy has the benefit of the broadest spectrum of talent and perspective.

Since the establishment of The Catalyst Canada Honours last year, we’ve seen encouraging signs of a growing recognition that what’s good for women is good for business. Our membership has grown as organizations in all parts of Canada recognize the need for active strategies to include and advance women and visible minorities. The conversation is expanding, and becoming more positive.

With all this positive energy, why are champions so important? One compelling reason is that more than 30% of all Canadian FP500 companies lack even one woman senior officer—with no significant shift in the past two years.

Champions can make the difference, as role models and as sponsors who are at decision-making tables advocating for talented women to advance and contribute value that will benefit their organizations.

This year’s honourees set a high bar! Thank you, Monique, Jennifer, and Michael, for leading change and offering inspiration to the emerging champions in corporate Canada!

Last week, Christine Silva, Director, Research, Catalyst Canada, led the most recent event in our Engaging Men as Diversity Champions series, sponsored by CIBC. Three terrific panellists shared their insights and experience: Bob Elton, former Chief Executive Officer, BC Hydro, and Executive Chair, Powertech Labs Inc.; Glenn Ives, Chairman, Deloitte & Touche LLP Canada; and John Silverthorn, Senior Vice-President, Talent Management, CIBC. And then a woman in the audience shared a story that made everyone stop and think.

After you’ve read Christine’s report, tell us your reaction.

__________________________

It isn’t often that silence descends upon a Catalyst event. But last week in Vancouver, a participant shared a story that made everyone in the room take a mental step back and think about the implications of a couple of our favourite words: diversity and inclusion. 

It was the story of a hockey team one of her colleagues plays on. The league had a rule that 50% of the players must be women. But then they decided their goal shouldn’t only be diversity, but also inclusion. After all, what good is it to have different people on the team if they aren’t full participants? So the league made an additional rule that 50% of the goals must be scored by women.

What, she asked, did the panellists think about that?

The panellists were three strong champions of women. They had already shared their personal journeys to becoming diversity champions, including some of the challenges and successes they’ve had along the way. They talked about the difference between treating people equally and fairly, the importance of recognizing what leaders and individuals value, and the need to set goals as an organization and make sure you have a way to track progress.

And they had already spoken about sports, in terms of coaching soccer and bringing senior managers out to the golf course.

But this?

This fundamentally changes the game, one thought out loud. Is it necessary? Is it desirable? The panellists went back and forth, finding no obvious right answer. Of course inclusion is the end goal, but should we completely change the rules to make it happen?

After the panellists talked, the woman who asked the question shared the outcome of the rule change. The men on the team passed the puck more. They now had a vested interest in making sure everyone had an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their skill.

The question had caused discomfort for many in the room—after all, rethinking the status quo is never easy. But it created a real learning opportunity. As someone reflected after the event, organizations should be striving to figure out how to create a rising tide that will lift all boats. What a perfect way of describing the win-win of diversity and inclusion.