“I’m paying it forward. A woman did it for me before, helping me and coaching me throughout my career. Now I’m doing it for other women and opening doors of opportunity for them.”
I was listening in awe, amazed at what I was hearing. I had reconnected with a dear friend of mine after years of being apart. There she was, sitting across from me, describing what she had committed to doing for other women at work.
As a manager, my friend’s commitment is to hire, coach and develop women in and outside of her team. As a result of doing this for years, she has drawn many women to her, who frequently seek her career, business and life advice. Her message is one of active empowerment, as she proactively engages with female talent to provide practical career and business help. One of her previous managers had done the same for her, and she was, as she put it so well, “paying it forward”.
When we think of paying it forward, the most common image that comes to mind is that of anonymously paying for coffee or groceries for the next person in line. What we don’t often think about is how much this concept could actually serve underserved women in organizations and businesses. Considering that many, if not most, career and business resources, tools and networks have been catering almost exclusively to men, it’s crucial for women to pass the baton and pay it forward.
Isolation and lack of connection to each other is one the most damaging obstacles to women’s success in and outside of work. There are many ways to pay it forward and help female talent succeed in the workplace and in business.
Here are 7 of my favorite ways that you can pay it forward in your career or business:
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Hire more women
Women managers and leaders have the opportunity to change the hiring and recruiting game by fostering increased gender diversity. As women, we know how we work, interact and connect best. This makes it easier for us to tap into the wealth of hidden potential that women represent for the workforce and in business.
If you are a female manager, leader or business owner, hiring more women also means opening the pipeline of female talent wider. While this is not intended to discriminate against our male counterparts, it’s a great opportunity to open doors that may have been closed before.
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Coach more women
One of the things my dear friend shared with me was her willingness to coach women in all aspects of their careers. This means being willing and able to serve as a resource for these women, as they progress at work or in business.
It can be done formally through a mentor-mentee relationship or through sponsorship. Yet, it may also be done on a larger and more informal basis as well.
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Speak to HR about inclusion and diversity in your team or department
You’d be surprised at Human Resources’ willingness to work with managers and leaders to improve recruiting, employee on-boarding and retention across most organizations. Reaching out to Human Resources to get support, or even simply share your desire to increase gender diversity can work wonders.
Consider the many ways in which it can benefit the organization, team or department, and share those with them.
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Mentor another woman
Mentorship is a powerful way to pay it forward and help other women at work succeed. While it may seem like a formal process, it really isn’t. It’s simply a matter of connecting with a woman who can tap into your experience, expertise and connections to progress professionally and in business. In turn, this woman can do the same for others as well.
Mentoring someone also creates a closer relationship, so it’s important to ensure that there is a certain level of compatibility. However, it’s one of the most effective ways to open the door to other women coming behind you.
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Sponsor another woman
While mentoring is all about serving as a resource to someone else, sponsorship goes a level beyond. As a sponsor, you would basically endorse someone else, in this case another woman. This also means that you would vouch for them, and actually place or recommend them for certain positions or opportunities.
It’s a more involved relationship that requires a higher level of trust and accountability than mentorship. Many women do need mentors, but are sorely lacking sponsors who can push them to the next level.
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Have an open door policy
Being available to help is a crucial factor in paying it forward for women at work. As working women, it may be challenging to find the time to give back. However, practicing an open-door policy is instrumental in allowing more women to get the help they need.
Many women are intimidated by women in power, whether at the organizational or institutional level. This fear is even more reinforced by the myth that there isn’t enough room for women to thrive at work. That’s where welcoming opportunities to help and pay it forward can make a world of difference.
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Teach other women to pay it forward
Last but not least, passing the baton when it comes to paying it forward for women at work, is vital. We’re not taught enough the importance of giving back to other women. Instead, popular culture and false corporate indoctrination has us believing that there are only a few seats for women at the table. For women of color at work, the situation is dramatically worse.
As such, it’s essential that we, as women, teach other women to pay it forward. From acting as mentors, to sponsoring other women, and sharing critical work skills, we owe it to ourselves to pass the torch.
How will you pay it forward as a woman at work?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
