Summary:

Advice for both our male and female listeners on how women can inadvertently hold themselves back:

Doing my job well will get me noticed (without the necessary relationship-building) - very common in some cultures - don’t rock the boat.
Don’t want to appear pushy or aggressive OR conflict avoidant - can be too ‘nice’
Less professional development opportunities or mentors - especially in male-dominated fields

How to engage better:

Ask - what does this person want to accomplish? What does that look like? What barriers exist from their perspective? It might be different than what you perceive.
For networking, think of ways this might feel intimidating or exclusive. It’s not easy walking into a room of mostly men. Or people who may not look like you. If you see someone not as represented, make it a point to introduce yourself and then introduce that person to others.
Not everything needs to be scheduled at the end of the day! It is still more socially acceptable for male executives to miss dinner than female executives. Consider a business lunch instead of a dinner.
Company internal audits – where are they with expanding female leadership roles. Some women professionals might want to add their name to the "hat" but leaders might not have awareness. Therefore, leaders don’t know what they don’t know.

TOOLS/RESOURCES

The Women’s Leadership Gap

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