Author Archives: Dorothy Dalton

Learning difficulties in the workplace

+/- 15% of employees have moderate learning difficulties in the workplace.

Although many received support during their education, when they transition into the workplace, for most that support disappears, although the issues regrettably don’t. I actually prefer the U.S. phrase “learning differences”, which covers a wide variety of challenges. This should not to be confused with any intellectual cognitive impairment which is more severe. It might range from mild dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorders and short-term memory issues, through to milder conditions on the autism spectrum.

Anything to declare?

Learning difficulties don’t stop in the workplace

For many candidates it’s hard to know where and when to declare these issues, or whether to declare them at all. Some companies list the conditions as “disabilities” on their application forms. Many applicants are reluctant to admit this because they actually don’t believe their condition is disabling. Or they fear that it will be held against them in the recruitment process.

In many cases it will depend on the type of job being applied for and the severity of the problem. If there are health and safety risks involved (ciphering chemical symbols for example, might be challenging for someone with dyslexia.) Or if the condition can impact on the job performance with more serious consequences.

According to the British Dyslexia Association being up front can be most useful in the long-term. If job descriptions change and lead to more report writing for example and greater organisational demands, these may need to be supported by assistive software and strategy training. There may also be (dyslexia unfriendly) tests for promotion.

Poor performance may be dyslexia related and can lead to stress which impacts performance even further. So another reason for being open, but possibly after an offer has been received to ensure that all channels of support can be available and there are no later accusations of lack of transparency.

As cruel as school

Workplaces can be as cruel as school. One client told me how a report he had written containing some spelling mistakes and word confusion (caught/court, assistance/ assistants, bear/bare) was circulated on an “all company” email circulation list. Rather than supporting this employee, he was made an object of ridicule for almost a year, bringing back a childhood stammer, which he had overcome 20 years before.

“Spell check is no use at all for anyone with dyslexia ” Tom told me “all the words look the same to us”

Kara Tointon a British actress, herself suffering from dyslexia made an excellent documentary “Don’t call me Stupid” charting her own struggles. It really is worth watching. Here is an extract.

Many adults with learning difficulties develop sophisticated coping and cover up strategies for dealing with these challenges (quite often avoidance.) The best way is to accept and confront the conditions and to make use of some of the many tools and support services that exist.

Tips to cope with learning difficulties in the workplace

Assistive technology: voice-activated software, text-reading software
Text-to-speech and scanning tools
Organization of work areas on to improve the reading of VDU with appropriate fonts and colours
Support on a one-to-one basis setting realistic deadlines, organising workloads, clearly marking deadlines etc.
Structured admin patterns including written lists, to cope with a host of multiple verbal instructions.
Provision of a dicta-phone.
Find a proof reading (non dyslexic) peer.

Many famous people have dyslexia. Tom Cruise, Steve Jobs, Einstein, Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Leonardo da Vinci, Richard Branson and Thomas Edison to name but a few! And we all know what kind of careers they enjoyed!

If you are coping with a moderate learning difference in the workplace, don’t remain isolated. Most geographies offer support, please check out your local areas.

Get in touch NOW for support in your job search

Ladies, what would make you take industrial action?

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I recently watched “Made in Dagenham” , a movie made about the women machinists at Ford’s Dagenham factory who downed tools in 1968, in protest that they were classed as unskilled workers, while male colleagues doing the same job were thought to be skilled and therefore paid much more for their efforts.

The three-week strike brought production at the factory, which was the centre of the UK car industry at the time, to a halt. The dispute was finally resolved only when Barbara Castle, the Minister for Employment was brought in to negotiate a settlement.

The Ford machinist ladies returned to work after agreeing to be paid not parity with their male colleagues, but 92 per cent of male machinists’ wages. This strike accelerated the introduction of the Equal Pay Act of 1970, which made it illegal to have different pay scales for men and women.

Who is complacent? Women or organisations?

Are women dissatisfied enough?

This prompted me think of Vineet Nayar’s slightly contentious HBR article, “Are women dissatisfied enough?” He suggests that perhaps we women are a tad too complacent and not dissatisfied enough to “force” the changes we want to see in our lives today. Referencing the US Civil Rights Movement, the Egyptian Revolution and Indian Independence, he suggests that “The difference between a change and a revolution is a function of the extent of dissatisfaction.”

Historical Perspective

In a historical perspective post World War II economic models were created specifically to accommodate men returning from the traumas of a global war and to increase the birth rate. This model was therefore based on a nuclear family containing an economic provider and a child raiser, with women therefore discouraged from entering the workforce. After heroic war efforts on the home front, the seeds of dissatisfaction with this way of life were sown by women in the 60s and 70s, resulting in certain amount of bra burning, shortening of skirts, free love and general cultural unrest. Economies were relatively buoyant at the time and these demands were met, as we saw in Dagenham. The long-term result of these movements was that more women entered education and thereafter embarked on career routes.

Generally, those male centric business models in many cases prevail today. In some areas, limited meaningful changes have actually been made to organizational structures to marry the inevitable outcome of the increased number of educated women in our societies and the resulting demands made by a two career family.

What sort of protests?

However, I’m not sure what Vineet had in mind, but the point is that women shouldn’t have to occupy the cafeteria to get a promotion, or pitch tents in the car park to lead high visibility projects. As Gene Marks astutely points out in Why Most Women Won’t be CEOs they would certainly need a babysitter or a more actively involved partner before they could even think about chaining themselves to the revolving doors of their corporate headquarters to make a point.

For many women the strongest form of protest is via a silent revolution, of voting with their feet. They simply leave. Why? Because unlike both the men and women in India, Egypt and Louisiana what’s on offer doesn’t interest them enough and isn’t attractive enough to channel their energies. They choose to do other things. And this is where organisational complacency kicks in, as generally male leaders sit back and simply watch a brain drain. Truthfully many men would also leave, but they are equally tied by the same limiting model in their stereotyped allocated role as the “ provider”.

Silent revolution

So I asked 3 women what would need to happen to make them take some form of decisive and extreme industrial action, petitioning the board or walking out on strike.

Suzanna, London solicitor “Nothing probably – a crime against humanity“
Fabienne, advertising executive, Belgium “Perhaps some sort of physical abuse which had been tolerated by senior management – but if I’m honest only if there was a group”
Martha, Pharmaceutical Researcher, Italy “Closure of the offices perhaps and as part of a general protest“

We know that organisations tend only to adapt to demands made by men to the men for change in the workplace, when their bottom lines are impacted. Whether these changes will follow the retirement of baby boomers raised by post war “stay at home” Mums, or the discrediting of “crony capitalism” with yet another financial crisis, ( I never thought I would hear myself quote Sarah Palin ..heaven help me).

But it will happen eventually. Men have counted for too long on women being placid. Fear of reprisals is a great barrier, but the mood of the women’s room has changed. When sleeping women wake – mountains move as the Chinese proverb says.

Watch this space.

So what would prompt you to take industrial action?

Don’t leave it until you vote with your feet. Get in touch now!

I “link” therefore I exist! Modern connectivity

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: Drowning in the Google pool and sinking into oblivion

Modern connectivity There was a time probably no more than 5 years ago, when I could do my job very effectively by going into my contact data base and simply picking up the phone. Those days are gone. In 2008, as world markets crashed taking many global businesses with them, millions lost their jobs and disappeared into the ether of unemployment. If, and when they resurfaced they were difficult to reach. The foundations of the way most of us did business crumbled beneath us, as we tried to find new ways to stay connected.

At the same time we saw a dramatic upturn in the use of social media, which heralded a new era for business generally and became especially valuable in the executive search and hiring process. Early adopters got a head start. Now it is less ” I think therefore I exist” but more ” I link therefore I exist”. We are in an age of super connectivity.

Google ranking
Many column inches have been written about online connections. The quality vs quantity discussion rages unabated and I’m not even going to get into that one. My simple point is that unless you are a high-ranking executive in publically registered company, or some sort of super star, with acres of media coverage to your name, and land a first page Google ranking (for positive reasons!), an online professional profile or other virtual presence, which benefits you professionally, is a must. For the average, mere job seeking mortal, the failure to have an online professional identity, while possibly not total career hari kari, will be tantamount to jumping into the Google pool with lead weights on your ankles. You will simply sink into oblivion.

What to do?

Get going! Create an online professional presence: this enables you to be found not just by search specialists and hiring managers but anyone who wishes to locate you or your professional expertise. This will vary from one country to another. The strongest global English-speaking platform is LinkedIn. Other platforms such as Viadeo or Xing also carry traction in different geographic areas. The 3 demographics most reluctant to do this in my experience are entry-level, women and Boomers. This one simple process shows you care and are switched on!
Complete the profile fully and strategically: using strong key search words. Generally I find the people who get most frustrated (and whinge the loudest) with a tendency to blame other external factors, are the ones who have the weakest profiles and fewest connections.
Connect and engage strategically: build up your professional network, establish relationships, generate credibility in your industry or sector. Set up an online trail of links to you! You can’t tap into your network unless you have one. Reluctant categories in my experience are: entry-level and women
Manage your reputation: leverage social media to cement the professional you. Use key words in your other online profiles and even a link to your online CV or LinkedIn profile. Entry level, women and Boomers are the equally reluctant to do this. Social media is no longer just social, but has a professional component too. That’s why it’s called Personal Branding. Change your privacy settings if this really bothers you.
Don’t neglect other personal networks: there is tendency with social media pundits to drink their own Kool Aid and believe their own hype, that these platforms are the “one- stop- shop” solution. No matter what, you have to get out from behind the computer and network personally! An online professional presence is only one tool in a much bigger job search tool kit. Category most reluctant to do this – women and entry-level.

As we teeter yet again on the brink of a possible financial services meltdown, with Greece clinging to the edge of the Acropolis by its fingernails, those without professional online “links” will almost certainly be caught at a disadvantage. There is even in my anecdotal experience, an emerging pattern of which demographics are constantly at risk.

Regrettably we have to do more than “think” to exist today. We have to “link“.

Killer heels: Elevator pitch or elevated heels?

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A new spin on best foot forward. Where do you stand on high heels?

Women are the recipients of dozens of conflicting mixed messages every day, but none is more most confusing and troublesome than the question of those power high heels in the workplace. Are they the hallmark of a successful empowered business woman, or the badge of a person with more vanity than sense? Do they make us as physically vulnerable as the foot binding traditions in China, only outlawed in the early 20th century, or create a career spring-board, literally raising our visibility?

Men wore high heels throughout history until the 16th century and then (not unsurprisingly) they moved away from that fashion statement, as the trend became associated with sentimentality and a lack of education. Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of The Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Shoe, suggests that high heels are ” an irrational form of footwear,” while Kate Spicer of The Times claims that women buy shoes for their “potency” not their comfort.

There is a reason they are called killer heels or stilettos!

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In researching this article I have come across as much conflict as one might find at a Tea Party debate. Here are but a few arguments:

A must have accessory

Part of a career propelling, confidence boosting, power dressing wardrobe. Without these you are officially the office frump. Some women are even having surgery in order to wear these shoes, such is their belief in their value. Or is that possibly vanity or even stupidity? So do we replace our elevator pitch with elevated killer heels? Will slipping on our Jimmy Choos, Louboutins or Manolo Blahnik’s make a difference? Lea Goldman of Marie Claire tells us what we already know: offices are competitive places, quite often run by men. Any boost women can get, she maintains, is an advantage to bring women closer to men’s eye level. This view is supported by Tamara Mellon, Co-Founder of Jimmy Choo, but then she would wouldn’t she?

Bad for health. Should carry a government warning!

High heels result in bunions, corns, callouses, shortening of the Achilles tendon, ankle fractures, nerve damage, and arthritis. Many say that killer heels should carry a health warning.

Good for health

Yet other say they are good for health. They strengthen core abdominal and pelvic muscles simultaneously. Reduces health risks says Professor Margaret Thorogood, from the Medical School at Warwick University, said. “It is very unlikely that the prolonged wearing of high heels presents a risk factor”

Sexualising and demeaning

They trade on sex appeal rather than innate abilities and skill set. Dr. Helen Fisher, an anthropology professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, believes that sky-high heels are just too sexy for most workplaces. “High heels thrust out the buttocks and arch the back into a natural mammalian courting — actually, copulatory — pose called ‘lordosis, Rats do it, sheep do it … lions do it, dogs do it. … It is a naturally sexy posture that men immediately see as sexual readiness

Shows women as fashion slaves

Kristen Schaal tweeted that high heels are the “modern-day corset.”

I was early for a meeting in Central London recently. I sat in the reception of a smart office building and watched hundreds of women arriving for work. Many were wearing trainers and sensible flat shoes with their city suits. Thirty minutes later I saw the same women in the hallways, most striding purposefully down the ten metre corridors, in their power business heels.

Fine today – but at what cost tomorrow?

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“So where do you stand on the power heel? Can you really put your feet first and look after your career as well? “

Why career blips are good

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Career pundits encourage us, exhort us even, to aim for professional activities in which we excel or feel passionate about. But for some of us that simply isn’t possible. Oftentimes career blips can work to our advantage.

Sometimes, it’s just a case of not having the skills to identify what we are good at, or feel passionate about. In other cases our passions, skills and interests change and develop over time and are not fixed. Sometimes, we just need to do something, anything, to put a roof over our heads and 3 squares on the table.

Multi- faceted

In High School I was “good” at English, History and Geography, but for different reasons went on to study Economics, which in terms of academic results, was my weaker subject. This was not considered to be my smartest move by my teachers. I was passionate about tennis, but this enthusiasm was best employed as a spectator, rather than on the court. I grew up believing I was bad at maths, yet found myself recently in an MBA workshop, as the only person there who could explain the root of Pythagoras’ Theorem.

There are times when we don’t want to focus on the areas in which we excel and want to explore new territory. We come to terms with the fact that our passions are best kept as non-revenue generating past times. We have misconceptions about our own abilities. Or lack confidence.

Skills, both hard and soft, which we put on the back burner in the early stages in our careers, we resurrect, or even discover for the first time in later years. Other latent talents develop over time and others become redundant. I once considered myself to be pretty hot-headed, I am now frequently an oasis of calm, when others are getting bent out of shape.

Nothing is set in stone

The reality is that we all have many choices and nothing is set in stone. The real skill is being able to navigate these changes with flexibility and resilience and adapt in true Darwinian style to different circumstances. Unfortunately, we have all been culturally conditioned to expect a vertical career progression (maybe even vertical lives), in constant upward motion and mobility.

But those days are perhaps over.

Individuals who desperately want to pursue one career or life track, but for whatever reason, simply have no activity in which they excel, or feel passionate about, end up apologising for what is today culturally perceived to be an unfortunate blip. But today, in a tougher job market these blips are going to be the new norm. We can’t all get what we want as the song goes.

But that shouldn’t imply failure.

It’s not the end of the world if we don’t get into the college of our choice or even into college at all.
We have all been in jobs that have not been ideal, but out of economic necessity have been forced to stick at them. We can look around for others or seek another focus for our energy.
Life doesn’t end with a missed promotion or lost job. There are other places to work. Other things to do.

Hiring by numbers

It is perhaps part of today’s culture to view this sort of flexibility and adaptability as wishy-washy, uncommitted or uninspiring. I see it simply as a new pragmatism, an ability to adapt to uncertain economic times. This approach deserves the same respect from hiring practitioners, as committment to a lifelong career in a given profession, sector or even company.

This new need to ” do what we can” makes life challenging for recruiting and hiring managers, who will have tougher jobs identifying these intangible skills, as their hiring goal posts constantly change. There will be fewer candidates exhibiting the hallmarks of the traditional, predictable, career trajectory. They will need to move out of recruiting by numbers and probe more deeply. Many, sadly, are not equipped to do this effectively and may need new training themselves.

We are all the sum of many parts and instead of having to explain that with an apology, we should not just be acknowledging that fact, but celebrating it.

If you need help with a career blip take a look at the Career Transition Programmes

Unfair dismissal: 8 ways to create a workplace safety net

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We are all walking the corporate tight rope. There have never been many guarantees in life as a corporate employee. But now, despite employment protection legislation, there seem to be even fewer. We live in turbulent and changing times and no one is immune. Unfair dismissal is commonplace. So are lay offs. So it’s not just necessary to be strategic about career advancement, but to always have a safety net in place in case of an unexpected fall.

COVID

Even minor changes which at one time might have produced a little stumble, might send you crashing to your knees. These could be anything from a promotion disappointment, a take over, a new boss coming in, or even an economic blip that might unexpectedly impact results and performance. No one is indispensable. And sometimes our faces, from one day to another, simply don’t fit.

During COVID and what has become called the Great Resignation, many changed jobs. This involved an online hiring process, sometimes via automated interview, remote onboarding and remote working. It’s particularly difficult to get a handle on an organisation without direct contact with the people involved.

It’s not only high-profile CEOs who get fired over the phone. We have also heard about mass online dismissals. Better.com CEO Vishal Gard fired 900 people over Zoom in December 2021 and has now stepped back after a back lash.

Others only find out when they can’t access their email accounts because they are blocked from the server as we have seen with the many tech layoffs in recent weeks. I spoke to a victim last week with nearly 20 years service under his belt. He didn’t think it could happen to him.

Fired

In the last few weeks I have had two clients, who have been basically, summarily dismissed and they believed had cases of unfair dismissal. For some reason, out of the blue, their contributions were deemed to be below par. Within an hour they have been placed on notice, told to clear their desks and instructed not to return to their place of employment. Access to their company email accounts and records had been immediately blocked.

Had they committed some grave offence or were guilty of gross misconduct: hit the boss, lost a few billion, or sworn in front of a client? No they hadn’t. There seemed to be no obvious reason to either of them, nor was there any traceable record of any “sackable” offence, or even communicated under-performance. They both had contracts of employment. For some reason they were both surplus to requirements at one given moment in time and were “let go”, to use that hateful euphemism. Neither were senior enough to negotiate a golden parachute.

Regretfully, they have both found themselves in a void: hurt, angry, confused and wondering what their next steps could be.

Commonalities

The take away lessons to both these clients were significant and there were some commonalities. They realised with that great gift of 20/20 hindsight that when the going was good, they had taken it for granted and had not taken even basic precautions. Under- performance had been cited in both cases as reason for termination and in reviewing their next steps, the only way both individuals could support their own version of events was verbally and anecdotally. If considering legal action, this can be problematic. With future employers it might also be useful to have support documentation to hand.

Do you have your safety net in place? Check out the career transition programmes if you are in difficulty.

8 precautions to take around unfair dismissal

Whether this is a personal dismissal or part of a larger scale down-sizing, you still need to create the same safety precautions . I call this working defensively – which really means always plan for the worst.

1. Store personal information outside the office.

Always store personal professional information outside the office. Both used their office computers for personal use and had not stored key information privately, or as hard copy.

They had no access to vital correspondence on other hard drives, once access had been denied. In many cases this is even before a dismissal officially takes place. as we have seen in some of the recent layoffs in the tech sector.

Remember when you turn your computer and phone in the company willl ahve access to all your apps (Uber, Deliveroo, Fitness, Calm etc.) and other data. Remember to scrub your devices before you turn them in.

2. Always ask for KPIs

Always ask for annual goals and targets against which your performance will be assessed in writing. Keep a record of that document or correspondence. Neither had done this. If new in a post ask for soft targets or support in any probationary period, especially in sales. At least you can show any future employer than you are on track

3. Record your achievements

Maintain a success station. Save copies (in either a personal email account or as hard copy) of the good stuff! Any positive feedback or success stories. Once outside the swinging doors, neither had any record of their achievements or access to them, even previous performance assessment documentation where they had received strong ratings. Make sure these are visible in the public domain too.

4. Keep a record of any requests for feedback

Keep copies of requests for support or feedback and document any tricky problems as well, especially the methods you used to overcome them. Neither had hard or soft copies of ignored requests for support and advice, or any conflicting instructions they had received.

5. Ask peers for rcommendations

Ask for recommendations from peers and superiors within your company to support your success stories. These can be posted on your LinkedIn profile for the whole world to see.

6. Look for a mentor or a sponsor

Look for a mentor or sponsor both within the organisation and externally you can turn to for advice. Both felt isolated.

7. Network and network some more

Carry on building an external network and maintain it. You never know when you will be unexpectedly on the job market and have an updated copy of your CV at the ready. You never now when you will need it .

8. Keep an emergency fund

Try and have an emergency fund to tide you over. Not always easy in inflationary times.

Be prepared

This may all seem very cynical, but change doesn’t have to be cataclysmic to produce a massive personal downside in today’s cyclical job market. Organisations will be equally vigilant in maintaining their records. Unless you have negotiated a golden parachute as part of your contract of employment, having a net under the corporate tight rope is simply a basic and very necessary safety measure.

You’ve heard of driving defensively – well regrettably, although far from ideal, we now we have to work defensively too.

What other precautions would you suggest?

Note: written in 2011 and updated in 2022 and then 2023. Yep.. some things don’t change.

If you need support with career transition or a set back – get in touch NOW!

Criteria for a strategic network

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It's not important what your strategy is -just that you have one

So what criteria do you use to create your network? Who is missing? Who do you need to add? What strategic alliances can you create?

Although not an open networker, I am a strategic one and I have over time become an advocate of the theory that there is strength in a weak network. I don’t connect with just anyone and everyone, but I don’t mind if I don’t know the individual personally. That particular connection may not be directly helpful, but perhaps will be connected to someone who might be. Being pathologically curious I am always open to meeting new people.

Everyone will have different needs when creating a strong network. It will depend on age, level of experience and the type of professional activity you have and of course your personality and career goals. It’s not important what your strategy is – just that you have one and it works for you. And it should be effective and support your main goals, rather than a time consuming end itself. It’s not about building up numbers for their own sakes . So what do I look for when I try to extend my network whether on-line or IRL (In Real Life)?

Professional connections: I try to link to people who are well-connected in my areas of special interest: executive search, coaching, career transition, and women’s issues in the workplace. I aim for balance. For me this is very much related to the sharing of experiences and ideas and intellectual stimulation, as much as their influence .
Established and /or senior connections and allies: I look to connect with some people who are deeply established in their field or holding senior positions in their organisations. A quiet word from them in the appropriate ear can carry a lot of weight. If you are in any organisation, these are key contacts, especially if you are junior and they will act as a mentor or better still a sponsor and advocate for you.
Junior connections: I love being connected to #GenY in particular. As we get older and more set in our ways we need the energy of this generation to keep us in touch. Even if you are entry-level, there will still be people behind you!
Peer connections : these are people doing what you do and can understand any major issues you might have. They might be good contacts to confide in, but be cautious also, you may end up competing against them for work, a contract or even a job.
Sector connections: I like and need to stay in touch with different sectors – specific industries and functions, coaching , sourcing, executive search and so on. This is about staying up to date
Geographic connections: I work internationally, so I ask myself the question : have I got all the key contacts in specific locations that I could tap into if needed? Which area needs strengthening?
Connectors: If needed, who will be my go-to “connector”, the super networker, the person to whom I could pose the question” who do you know?”
Local connections: contacts based in the places where I spend most time. There is no substitute for dealing with people face to face – especially if they are just down the road.
Specialists: unless we are all-singing and all-dancing, all of the time, we cannot do without the specialists whose passion and skill makes what they do invaluable. Whether this is the web designer, presentation expert, DIY fiends or even a walking restaurant directory.
Information generators: some people like to be totally up to the minute and they save us all a lot of time researching current events and developments. Do you want to know something obscure? Then these are your go-to people. We all need a few of those fabulous time- savers in our midst!
Devils advocates : I’m very opinionated, so other great additions to my, or any network, (even if you are not) are the ones who will challenge the flaws in your argument! Definitely track down a few of those. It’s not good to surround yourself with clones of yourself.
Social connections: we all need to have fun and very often people we know socially have the most surprising connections. Some are just plain likeable!

Who would you add? Let’s connect:

@DorothyDalton

Dorothy Dalton

A great divide: planned parenthood and corporate planning

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Corporate plans in place for a terrorist attack or natural disaster, but not maternity leave

Stereotypical thinking
I have just taken a flight across Europe. For 2 hours and 20 minutes straight, a new-born baby screamed without taking a breath the entire trip. The parent (male) and steward (male) did their level best to soothe the poor mite – but to no avail. It was a totally natural scene and possibly apart from being thankful it wasn’t their child, no one on that aeroplane gave the matter a second thought and especially not the gender of the 2 care givers

Perpetuating stereotypes
Which made me think of the Forbes Power Women List which came out last week. I’m not a fan and generally believe it leans towards bull rather than buzz, although I will admit this year’s list is an improvement on 2010, despite Christine Lagarde only coming in at #9. I also think perhaps somewhat contentiously that it promotes stereotypical thinking, just as much and perhaps more so, as it tries to debunk it.

A vital statistic that stood out for me in this year’s promotional roll call, in that slightly breathless, condescending, incredulous, ” didn’t they do well” tone, is that 88% of the women on the list have children. They are mothers. What’s particularly interesting about this information, is that it is even mentioned. I assume most of the Forbes powerful men list are fathers. Does anyone ever comment about that? Exactly!

Planned parenthood
One of the greatest historical changes to impact the lives of couples and women in particular in recent times (perhaps ever) in the developed world, is the wide availability of sophisticated birth control and contraception.The Economist (December 31, 1999) called oral contraceptives ” the greatest science and technology advance in the twentieth century”

This has given both women and men (let’s not forget these are not immaculate conceptions) in developed economies, the opportunity to plan with the military precision of a space mission, not just the number of children they have, but also the timing of each pregnancy. Diets are adjusted, alcohol intake modified, exercise increased, temperatures taken, ovulation cycles monitored, sperm counts checked, baby rooms prepared, ante natal classes attended, showers held, mother and baby classes subscribed to. Books are bought, family are alerted, dad-to-be helps with all the heavy breathing, romper suits arrive by the dozen. Buggies, bouncers and baby chairs are ordered. Names are chosen, christenings or similar naming ceremonies are planned. Plan Bs hover in the background , with frozen eggs and sperm on hand just in case mother nature doesn’t oblige.

Strategic planning
So it would seem, notwithstanding the odd surprise, that having a baby has to be one of the most orderly and thought out processes that many men and women undertake in their lives. So I ask myself (and you too!) why does the planning seem to stop there? If employees are planning their families, why can organisations not plan to the same degree? Instead the careers of women in their 30s becomes a major elephant in the sitting room, that people hope will amble away on its own. And women do – in their droves.

Female workforce
Janine is a Client Services Director for a well-known financial services company based near Brighton, UK. She manages a team of 120, of which 90 are women. 80% of that number are between the ages 18 and 40. “ If all my team became pregnant at the same time, I’d have a problem!” she told me smiling. “As their manager I’m not allowed to ask my employees what their plans or intentions are with regard to having a family. Their supervisors are close to their staff in an informal way and have ideas about who we would move where and to cover which gaps and skill sets. But there is no official succession planning policy to cover maternity leave, although we do have an emergency plan in the event of a terrorist attack or other natural disaster! ”

Terrorist threat
Now I’m sure there could well be any number of subversive, underground, terrorist cells plotting to target financial organisations near Brighton, but I wonder how these threats, including a meteorological catastrophe, would stack up against the likelihood of any of those female staff becoming pregnant. There is a plan to cope with both of the former, but not the latter. Does that strike anyone as a little incongruous? I also find it frustrating than women are not expected to plan beyond the start of their maternity leave and although having a baby is discombobulating on many levels, it doesn’t close down brain functionality completely. They are having a baby, not a lobotomy.

The father factor
A Fatherhood Study carried out by Boston College tells us “ According to a study by the National Study of the Changing Workforce, for the first time since 1992, young women and young men do not differ in terms of their desire for jobs with greater responsibility (Galinsky, Aumann, & Bond, 2008). As a result, young women may be less prone to be the “accommodating spouse” in two-career couples, placing their career aspirations second to that of their male spouses”.

In fact the study also suggests that men also have different expectations. “Their wives are likely to be at least as well if not better educated, just as ambitious as they are, and make more money than they do. More importantly, these men feel that being a father is not about being a hands-off economic provider”

Cultural changes
It would seem that although the expectations of both men and women are changing, organisations are not adapting fast enough to the cultural shifts in the societies around them. Economies need to counteract a declining birth rate and stimulate economic growth. The economy of the euro zone for example has been predicted to grow 16 per cent if women were in formal employment as much as men. Both men and women are looking for better work/life balance, not just women, and the business model for corporate culture, which creates a gender divide needs to be re-examined rather than emulated.

Lists such as the Forbes list with messages which portray women with successful careers as mothers are actually perpetuating stereotypical thinking rather than knocking it on the head.

Men get married and are fathers too.

Job Search Visibility: Are you missing in action?

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Fixing your job search visibility

I have spent the past week with two different women, of two different ages. Their backgrounds could not be further apart. One is a young graduate, seeking entry-level employment, the other a woman in her 40s, with extensive supply chain and procurement experience, as well as an MBA. She has taken an eight year parenting break, relocated internationally with her husband and is now dealing with the inevitable challenge of explaining motherhood and her CV gap.

Both lack job search visibility and for all intents and purposes are missing in action.

Struggles

Both want to enter the workplace. Both are struggling. Both are drifting off the job search track and are M.I.A. Despite feeling they had nothing in common, even just idle chat reveals the numerous common elements. Not only were they simply failing to get the jobs they wanted ( when they could even find a job they were interested in) they were receiving no response to their CVs, sometimes not even a rejection letter.

Get back on track

All job search candidates regardless of age, gender or time in life need to have some basics in place, to enhance their job search visibility, so here are some easy tips to get back on track:

1. Identify and articulate transferable skills.

It doesn’t matter how you do this but this is a critical exercise, taking time and thought. I repeat my mantra – if you don’t know what you’re good at, how do you expect anyone else to know? Recruiters and hiring managers are not telepathic and don’t have the time to drag it out of you.

2. This basic but critical exercise leads to the creation of an effective mission statement and elevator sound bites. CVs should stop disappearing into cyber space and interview performance will be strengthened. If there is any hesitation in delivering your USPs – practise and practise again!

3. Establish and develop a professional online presence.

This is vital for anyone, male or female, young or old, entry-level or transitioning who wants any level of job search visibility. Failure to do this is tantamount to professional suicide. The entry-level woman had received no advice from her university careers advisor to create this type of profile, which in my view is a scandal in itself!

Careers advisors – read my open letter! The older candidate needs to resurrect and tap into her existing network from her days as a professional woman and connect with them virtually on platforms which simply did not exist when she was in the workplace ( LinkedIn, Twitter, Google +) This small step shows you care about your professional image and that you are current in your approach. Your LinkedIn profile url can also be used in an email signature or on other online profiles as a way of extending the reach of your CV.

4. Create a modern CV with targeted keyword usage. Their current versions are probably not getting past ATS ( Applicant Tracking Systems) or coming to the attention of recruitment sourcers. 97% of CVs, it is maintained, are not read by a human eye! Once again this could account for a failure to obtain an even a first interview.

5. Many jobs are not widely advertised. Creating a strong online presence and strengthening a personal brand will drive traffic to your professional profile. It’s no longer about looking for a job – it’s also about raising visibility to ensure you are found. Many jobs are also only advertised on LinkedIn or in specific narrow networks.

6. There is no substitute for strategic networking at any age and stage. No matter how young you are, or how long it’s been since you were in the workplace, we are all connected to someone! Have some simple, but good quality business cards printed – you never know when you need them! Connect and re-connect. Join networking groups and professional bodies especially if any membership has lapsed during a career break.

7. Be active.

Inactivity is not just a barrier to getting top jobs, it’s a barrier to getting any job! It’s also a great way to beat negative thinking, and maintaining your confidence, vital in job search. It also gives you data to monitor, from which you can make any changes to your job seeking strategy.

8. Tweak those strategies .

Don’t panic and especially don’t be afraid to change. Nothing is set in stone and what works in one set of circumstances may sink like a lead balloon in another! Be flexible

9. But most importantly never give up. The estimated time to get a job is reported to be on average a minimum of 7 months currently. If you carry on struggling – seek professional help. It will be worth it in the long-term!

Good luck!

If you need help making sure that your job search visibility is as good as it can be

Get in touch NOW!

The Guru Factor: Where are the women?

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The Guru Factor

Something’s got to give
Earlier this year, somewhat bewildered by our leaders and their actions (or lack thereof) over the previous few years, I wrote a post “Playing without the Queens“. In it I expressed surprise at the notable lack of public reaction as bankers and financial service leaders decimatad our global economies, while the populace merely “whimpered ” from the sidelines. Our medieval forebears would certainly have revolted and literally broken the “banca” in protest. However, only a few months later in the Middle East and North Africa populations took to their streets and now in the U.K. certain sections of the community are doing the same. Unfortunately, I am still just as bewildered.

Change required
In London there is currently a period of crisis management, but I feel sure that before the door has closed on the broom cupboards, the blame game will undoubtedly start. For me there is one overriding message. Tony Robbins words echo loudly

” If you do what you always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten”. Something has to change.

We have seen in recent years “Masters of the Universe ” bankers such as Fabulous Fabrice Tourre in their designer suits, caught, through negligence/ dishonesty/ incompetence or a combination of all three, vandalising global economies to the tune of …billions, getting off pretty much free and easy, with barely a dent to their 7 figure bonuses. According to Sky News the bank bail out will cost the average British tax payer £3500. This week, yobs in hoodies from Hackney, will almost certainly receive custodial sentences for vandalising shops, nicking trainers and mobile phones to the tune of… hundreds. Political figures will take the moral high ground and preach to us, while many, only last year, were even tacitly, part of massive expense scams. Organisations are struggling to keep up with, and adapt, to changes outside the workplace. Unemployment amongst young people is reaching all time highs in many developed economies. Whole countries are bankrupt.

Lost in thought?
Courtesy of Lee Carey I came across this organisation The Thinkers 50. The 2011 Thinkers 50 will be unveiled on November 14 in London at the first ever Thinkers 50 Summit. Now as you know I’m not crazy about the composition of think tanks in general, but in 2009 there were only 3 women on the list and one of those was part of an INSEAD duo.

There is a reason we say “lost in thought”

This ” definitive global ranking of management thinkers is published every two years. The 2009 winner was CK Prahalad. The ranking is based on voting at the Thinkers 50 website and input from a team of advisers led by Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove. The Thinkers 50 has ten established criteria by which thinkers are evaluated – originality of ideas; practicality of ideas; presentation style; written communication; loyalty of followers; business sense; international outlook; rigor of research; impact of ideas and the elusive guru factor ”

No women
The words elusive guru factor caught my eye and surreal images of Simon Cowell type “guru factor judges” and ” guru factor auditions” came into my mind. However, I also wonder if this is the time to stop thinking and start doing. There is a reason for the phrase ” lost in thought”. But mainly we need to do both differently. People clearly want change. Women are not only visibly absent from the financial services leadership group that caused many of the underlying problems, but also from the “thinking” list that was issued when it was all going on. Draw your own conclusions, but it’s not rocket science!

If as one definition of guru is a ” recognised leader in a field”, perhaps we need look no further than a modern-day leader such as the courageous, elderly woman in Hackney who confronted London looters, maybe not in the language of the board room ( be warned, very strong if you do watch) but at least there is a badly needed underlying morality.