20% and No More: Barriers to Women s Advancement in Higher Education Administration

Transcription

1 20% and No More: Barriers to Women s Advancement in Higher Education Administration Dr. Terrie Smith Director of Faculty Affairs, University of South Carolina President Elect, South Carolina Women in Higher Education 1

2 South Carolina Women in Higher Education (SCWHE) State network affiliated with the American Council on Education (ACE) Inclusive Excellence Group Mission: Improve higher education in South Carolina by promoting women s leadership and participation Goals: Identify women leaders in higher education Develop the leadership skills of women in higher education Encourage women leaders to make full use of their abilities Advance women into senior level positions Link women leaders at all levels to one another Support the retention of women in higher education Annual conference, leadership seminars, workshops Join us! 2

3 Individual Differences Women s participation in the labor force closely matches men s Women earn almost 60% of all undergraduate degrees and 60% of all master s degrees Women now hold nearly 52% of all professional-level jobs but only between 9-16% of top management positions In the financial services industry, women comprise 57% of the labor force but only 12% of executive officers and 1 % of the CEOs Women control 80% of consumer spending, but only comprise 3% of advertising creative directors The percentage of women moving into upper-level positions has stalled in recent years At this rate, women will not reach leadership parity with men until 2085 Center for American Progress, March 7, 2014

4 70 Percent Female by Degree Type, Associate's Bachelor's Master's Doctorate Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics.

5 But there s a leadership gap in business Source: Catalyst Research

6 70 And in Education: Percent Female among Professional and Non-Professional Staff, Executive, administrative, managerial Faculty Other professional Nonprofessional staff Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics.

7 Women College Presidents 1986: 10 percent 2011: 26 percent More likely to lead Associate s degree-granting institutions

8 Why the Leadership Gap? Some Causes: Stereotypes, Unconscious Bias and Cultural Barriers Socialization, gender roles Selection biases research shows men have an advantage How women manage Communication differences report talk vs. rapport talk Handling Conflict Leadership Styles Seeking Power and High-Profile Positions Negotiating Work Life balance Stay in the game: do women opt out or are they pushed out Policy changes needed Lack of access to networks, sponsors and role models 8

9 Occupational Differences Male/female ratio should match labor force >50% of women would have to change jobs 60% of women employed in clerical, sales and service jobs (such as health care and social assistance) 93% of elementary school teachers are women Occupations that were predominately female forty years ago have remained so Women represent nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers Center for American Progress, March 7, 2014

10 Work-Family Decisions Recent Survey of College Students: Where do you imagine yourself in 5 years? 77 percent of women mentioned parenthood or childcare in description of imagined career plans 10 percent of men did the same Relationships become less egalitarian over time Bass, Brooke Conroy. Preparing for Parenthood? Gender, Aspirations, and the Reproduction of Labor Market Inequality. Forthcoming in Gender & Society.

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12 Stereotypes about Men He s going places. He s management material. He has a family to support. He s a hard-charging, team player!

13 Stereotypes for Women She s pregnant and won t be coming back or will only work part time. She ll miss a lot of work with sick kids. She s steady, but not management material.

14 Stereotypes About Women in the Workplace Supervising Women Workers (1944) (how to handle women workers who know nothing) The Trouble with Women (1959) (perceived problems of dealing with women) Women Attract Bears! (Anchorman) 14

15 Perception and Selection Biases 15

16 Gender Communication Differences Men focus on power, status, functionality Report talk task oriented Impersonal, efficient information exchange Give advice quickly, show expertise, solve a problem Dominate conversation Less sensitive to verbal cues Conversations are negotiations of status

17 Gender Communication Differences Women consider interpersonal relations Powerless speech - give advice or make requests indirectly and reluctantly Apologize more often Rapport talk - communicate for relationship building Conversations are bonding events - less likely to assert status Sensitive to nonverbal cues

18 Managing Conflict Negative Outcomes Less information sharing Higher stress/dissatisfaction/turnover More organizational politics Wasted resources Lower team cohesion when conflict is internal Positive Outcomes Better decision making More responsive Stronger team cohesion when conflict is external

19 Assertiveness Five Conflict Handling Styles High Forcing Problem-solving Compromising Avoiding Yielding Low Cooperativeness High

20 Conflict Management: What Works? Problem solving Best when: Interests are not perfectly opposing Parties have trust/openness Issues are complex Problem: other party can take advantage of information Forcing Best when: you have a deep conviction about your position quick resolution required other party would take advantage of cooperation Problems: relationship conflict, long-term relations

21 Conflict Management: What Works? Avoiding Best when: relationship conflict is high conflict resolution cost is higher than benefits Problems: doesn t resolve conflict, frustration Yielding Best when: other party has much more power issue is much less important to you than other party value/logic of your position is imperfect Problem: Increases other party s expectations Compromising Best when Parties have equal power Quick solution is required Parties lack trust/openness Problem: Sub-optimal solution if mutual gains had been possible

22 Gender Issues in Leadership Male and female leaders have similar task and peopleoriented leadership capabilities Participative leadership style is used more often by female leaders Women are more collaborative, men are more authoritative Women are passionate, resilient, optimistic Evaluating female leaders Still receive negative evaluations as leader due to gender stereotypes But evidence shows that women are good at emerging leadership styles (coaching, teamwork)

23 Women and Negotiating The Screaming Monkey Gets the Banana Reframe the Situation Understand Your Own Value Put Yourself Out There 23

24 Negotiating Techniques Develop your bases of power Power is the ability to influence others, decisions, control of resources Exercise your given authority Develop people skills to increase referent power Gain the confidence of others Develop and let others know of your own areas of expertise Project a positive self-image Have information flow through you Network Develop Your Personal SWOT Analysis What are your Strengths: Know what you do well in and out of the job What Weaknesses can you overcome: Set realistic goals to do so Where are the Opportunities for you: With your current organization or others What (and who) are potential Threats: Why are you concerned, and what can you do to improve the situation

25 Techniques Know What you Want and Plan Research the Other Side Know their position Know their bargaining style Know the bargaining situation - distributive or integrative Anticipate Questions, Objections and Prepare Answers Create Options - Alternatives of Value to You Be Positive, Be Persuasive, Be Flexible Practice 25

26 Moving Women Forward Ideal worker norm reflects a reality that is at least 30 years out of date. Re-invision work-life balance issues Flex-time, telecommuting Workplace childcare Parental (not just maternity) leave Workload adjustments w/fmla Women executives become minorities when they advance beyond middle management they need new tools and techniques to navigate a different terrain. Sheila Penrose, Chairman, Jones Lang LaSalle; Co-Chairman, CLC 26

27 Moving Women Forward Take control of your own career: avoid being pulled along Become centered by focusing on your values and strengths Acquire tools to manage your career Develop your distinctive competencies and knowledge Take credit where credit is due Project self-confidence Volunteer for high-profile assignments Look for ways to gain leadership experience Negotiate effectively 27

28 Moving Women Forward: Reach Back Source:

29 ACE Moving the Needle Goal: Increase the number of women in senior leadership positions in higher education Stress the need for advancing women Build capacities in women so they will be ready for positions Promote practices and models that recognize success in advancing women Lobby for policy changes that support women s advancement Madeleine Albright: (first woman to become United States Secretary of State) There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women. 29

30 CONTACT INFORMATION Dr. Terrie Smith Osborne Administration Building 915 Bull Street Columbia, SC The following are paid advertisements 30