Women Scientists and Engineers Employed in Industry Why So Few? (1994) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
4 Attributes and Strategies for Successful Employment in Industry
4 Attributes and Strategies for Successful Employment in Industry
Pages 87-104
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 87... ...
Analyze, understand, and exploit institutional dynamics.' General Characteristics Five attributes appear to be common to women who have earned S&E degrees and successfully pursued industrial employment-whether as practicing scientists and engineers, managers of scientists and engineers, or entrepreneurs in science- and engineering-based companies. Those qualities are (1)
|
From page 88... ...
rather an attitudinal hurdle consisting of unconscious stereotypes and perceptions.""3 In addition, conference participants were concerned about the existence of "glass walls" inhibiting lateral movement. A number of studies, notably the one by Catalyst, have made the point that lateral moves are important in career development."4 Lateral moves are often developmental assignments that challenge employees to take risks by moving into new areas of the business and learning new skills.
|
From page 89... ...
Managers make many decisions based on whatever data are available, on personal knowledge, and on their own instincts. At the CWSE conference, a vice-president of engineering described instincts in management as parallel to technical intuition: Technical skills can be learned.
|
From page 90... ...
Conference participants advised women scientists and engineers to use their current situations to their full advantage. The founder of a high-tech company called this "getting involved in company politics," a term that she does not consider derogatory: Every company has it, and you have to know who the best technical people are, who the most influential people are, who can give you the best advice, and who can help you get ahead.
|
From page 91... ...
This includes articulating desires for example, for a better performance review or a promotion in an acceptable way. Developing strong communication skills is essential for obtaining recognition and respect for one's work; one must not hesitate to "speak out to promote oneself, make oneself visible to upper management by letting them know what you have to offer the company and what you have accomplished."' Some assertiveness and courage are required, but assertiveness may be difficult for some women.
|
From page 92... ...
A communication skill that is important to master from the begs ng and even more so as a woman advances up the management ladder is dealing with what one woman at the conference called "jerks" in the organization. Some may be sexist, some are territorially protective, some believe that promotions are based on how many people they supervise.
|
From page 93... ...
Self-confidence is important not only in making technical decisions, but also in developing professional relationships.'24 Deborah Grubbe, engineering manager, Specialty Chemicals, DuPont, summarized the views of several women managers: Women who enter management must be comfortable with themselves and have a strong desire to move forward, on their own if necessary. Because the technical management career involves taking risks, both personal and professional, and being responsible for the direction and advancement of other people, women who do this work must be able to face themselves in an honest way and learn where they can improve while maintaining high selfregard.
|
From page 94... ...
~26 Phyllis Mindell, president of Well-Read, cited at the CWSE conference by Leslie Jill Miller of Xerox Corporation. i27 Jacqueline M
|
From page 95... ...
For women the problem is often more difficult, largely because custom does not expect husbands to follow wives. It is reported, Many American men feel torn between traditional social values and some demands of modern life, but few are more brutally torn than those who are following their wives as the women ascend the managerial ladder.'29 However, it is not unusual for women scientists and engineers to relocate as they ascend the corporate ladder: Women accounted for about 18% of corporate moves in 1992, up from 5% in 1980, the Employee Relocation Council says.
|
From page 96... ...
Louis spouse-counseling firm with special services for trailing husbands, says its list of corporate clients has soared to 71 from 12 in 1989.'3' General Motors Corporation is another company that has instituted mechanisms to assist spouses of relocated employees, primarily in gaining employment at the new location. Additional Qualities of an Effective Manager or Entrepreneur In addition to the five traits attributed to successful women scientists and engineers in general, three other qualities of effective managers emerged during discussions at the CWSE conference having a positive attitude, a sense of humor, and a desire to help others.
|
From page 97... ...
Women must be aware that they cannot win every battle. They must look realistically at adverse situations and sometimes diffuse sexist remarks with humor.
|
From page 98... ...
cit. t3S Jane Butler Mule and Marsha Lakes Mamas, of cit.
|
From page 99... ...
Success Factors for the Woman Entrepreneur Women scientists and engineers who have become successful entrepreneurs also exhibit the key traits that effective women managers do. These are particularly a willingness to take risks, strong leadership skills, an ability to seize opportunities, and a strong managerial style.
|
From page 100... ...
often create a corporate culture and a working environment that allow all workers to express their career ambitions to their supervisors.'37 This is especially helpful to women employees, who often wait to be tapped for upward mobility, thinking that their competence is recognized automatically.~38 Men and women should be considered equally for all promotions within a company. In other words, an effective superior is gender and ethnicity blind.
|
From page 101... ...
However, a number of commonalities in their responses apply to successful careers in both industry and academe and led to a list of strategies that women can use in the workplace, as reported by Ms. Atkinson during the CWSE conference: Information is worth gold; acquire it and share it.
|
From page 102... ...
, General Motors Corporation. Conference participants suggested strategies for dealing with a hostile manager or a jealous colleague: Keep communication alive.
|
From page 103... ...
The insights and experiences that women scientists and engineers were able to share about their careers in industry led participants to formulate a number of strategies to enhance their own successes. The points that were stressed repeatedly were the need for work of the highest possible quality and for developing a balanced personal perspective that recognizes one's own value while giving full support to superiors, peers, and subordinates.
|
From page 104... ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~,.. ~ "'a' Manuel Fuentes-Cotto, Sheree Lan, and Susan Blackwood discuss the microbending detection feature that alerted monitoring personnel to a potential network outage.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.