This past month, we’ve been focused on The Catalyst Canada Honours, but we’ve been interested to read about senior women in Canadian business.   We’re encouraged by the inclusion of “Women in Power” as one of The Globe and Mail’s leadership issues in their provocative series on national issues.

Canada: Our Time to Lead

The Globe and Mail series offering in depth consideration and discussion on critical issues facing Canada, including women (or the lack of) in power

READ:  “Time toLead: Women in Power” , The Globe and Mail

Catalyst Canada was asked to respond to some of the misconceptions about programs to advance women in business.  Catalyst research demonstrates that two popular beliefs are misconceptions—that women have it made and that women are promoted at the expense of their male colleagues.  In fact, the continuing under representation of women at senior levels hurts business and the economy by failing to use all  our potential.

READ: “More Women in the Workplace is Good for Business” by Deborah Gillis, The Globe and Mail, 10/13/10

Home Depot Canada Gives Its President Free Rein — ‘But You Have to Produce’

In an interview, Home Depot Canada president Annette Verschuren shares her story, from childhood on a Cape Breton dairy farm to growing the company to 179 stores from 19.

READ:  “Home Depot Gives Its President Free Rein”, by Bill Mah, Edmonton Journal , 10/5/10

Top Team: Executive Class at Harris Bank

And a novel introduction to formal mentoring programs at the US arm of BMO Financial Group:

Harris Bank is using a variation on speed dating—speed mentoring—to introduce promising employees to mentoring, and to a broad range of executives within the organization.

READ: “Top Team: Executive Class at Harris Bank”, by Glen Fest, US Banker, 10/10

C-This, Canada! is a chance for me to highlight recent articles, podcasts, and videos about women and work that have struck me as interesting, informative, or thought provoking.  I hope you’ll use the comments section to let me know about any that I’ve missed—or give your feedback on any that I’ve listed.

First, some media reaction to the report that, despite educational success, Canadian women still earn 63 cents for each of their male counterparts’ dollars:

Canada lags on pay equity

September 8, 2010—Canadian women outperform men at all levels of education, but still make significantly less money in the workplace.  Canada’s gender-wage gap is much wider than that of most developed countries, according to a new report from the Council of Ministers of Education.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/09/08/15282501.html

Women at work: still behind on the bottom line

September 10, 2010—Women in Canada earn less than two-thirds of what men do, a ratio that has scarcely budged in more than a decade and is well below that of other developed countries.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/women-at-work-still-behind-on-the-bottom-line/article1699176/

And some intergenerational thoughts on feminism:

The ladies who lambaste

September 3, 2010—With time on their side, and feminism’s wind at their back, older Canadian women are taking action on issues from AIDS to Palestinian peace.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-ladies-who-lambaste/article1696077/

Outraged  moms, trashy daughters

August 10, 2010—Young women think that feminism is old-fashioned.  Is today’s “Girl Power” taking us backwards, or is it the new expression of women’s empowerment?

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/08/10/outraged-moms-trashy-daughters/

“Third wave” of feminism urged by prominent Canadian women

September 9, 2010—Equality gap dominates Governor-General’s conference, following suffragettes and push to enshrine women’s rights I law, new focus must be….

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/third-wave-of-feminism-urged-by-prominent-canadian-women/article1701942/

And, finally, new Canadian research suggests that women are getting caught in the middle:

Promotion bottleneck blocks women, minorities, study finds

September 21, 2010—Women and visible minorities lag behind white men because of a promotion bottleneck in middle management, a Canadian study tracking advancement says.

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/864206–promotion-bottleneck-blocks-women-and-minorities-study-finds

Glass ceilings, sticky floors, and the bottleneck in the middle

According to Ivey Professor Alison Konrad, women are crashing through the glass ceilings—but only if they can get through the bottleneck in the middle.

http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/publications/impact/default.htm

Earlier this week, parents across Canada watched their kids go off to school, college and university.  Yesterday, the Canadian Education Statistics Council told us that the bright little girl we’re sending off to school is likely to attain a higher level of education than the boy in the next desk—but she’ll earn 63 cents for every dollar he makes. 

After years of struggle for equal opportunity in the workplace, this is disappointing.  But it’s not a surprise.

It supports—yet again—Catalyst research that female graduates of top M.B.A. schools enter the workforce at lower levels than their male colleagues, and earn $4,600 less.  Their promotions are slower, and less lucrative.  So the initial gap continues and grows, year after weary year. 

Women continue to be underrepresented at senior levels of business, despite their educational achievements and despite the influence of women in the economy.  For the individual woman, that is reflected in less personal income and reduced career satisfaction.

Businesses and the national economy are the biggest losers.  They’re losing the opportunity represented by 50 percent of the talent pool, brain power, and capacity for innovation and productivity.  And they can’t afford to continue losing that contribution.

As young women gained strength in business and professional schools, it seemed that equal access to the workplace would lead to equity in the workplace.  Now, we understand that workplace culture has to change—or those little girls who started school last week will be fighting their grandmothers’ battles, all over again.

Isn’t it time to fix it?

Friends and I were talking about the “bad old days” recently.  The days when one of my early managers – after asking a senior woman lawyer to get him coffee—could grumble, “It’s so confusing. The secretaries look like lawyers, and the lawyers look like secretaries.”  The days before employment equity standards and a broad understanding of the value of a diverse workplace. 

Changes in policy and celebration of diversity in the workplace came about because leaders —in business, in politics, and in the community—stepped up and changed things. 

That kind of leadership continues to be crucial to the advancement of women in business.

Recently I met a young mother of three who had withdrawn from a competition where she was clearly the most qualified candidate because the more senior position would not accommodate her flexible schedule.  At that point, the CEO intervened.  Based on her proven record of success, she got the promotion, and kept the flexible schedule she needed to fulfill her family obligations.

That CEO was willing to change some of the rigid rules and expectations in order to get the best person for the job.  In doing so, she made it clear to other women that this firm was one that valued talent and performance,  one where their aspirations could be achieved. 

Yes, we’ve made strides toward a more equal workplace.  Women and minorities have legal recourse against overt discrimination.

But women are also finding leaders with the vision to  recognize that company policies create barriers for the advancement of talented and capable women—and the courage to change those policies.

Recently, sorting through a box of high school mementos, I found notes for my 12th grade debate: be it resolved that women earn the same as men.  

My 17-year-old self would never have guessed that almost 30 years later, my work and career would focus on creating a world where women have equal opportunities in the workplace. 

Finding that report reminded me of the advice I received from one of my first mentors: look for work that you’re passionate about, work for an organization that you are proud to be part of and with people you respect and can learn from. 

As a mentor, what would I say to that young woman? 

I would tell her that she was embarking on a journey that would be driven by her passion to make change in the world.

I would tell her to never be afraid to ask for help or for a new challenge.  That having the confidence to take risks would lead to career opportunities in government, consulting and nonprofit sectors. That she would grow stronger from facing her challenges head on.

I would tell her that the greatest satisfaction she’d experience in life and work would come from the times when she was true to herself and the things that mattered most to her at that very moment.    

And finally, I’d tell her that she would have the great fortune of building a support system of friends, family and mentors who would offer the encouragement and wise counsel that she needed to achieve her dreams.