This past weekend I attended the Interactive portion of the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival [sxsw.com] in Austin, Texas. A panel discussion, “Bumpin’ Up: Has the glass ceiling ever smacked you in the butt?” geared toward women in high tech, was of special interest. With an ardent clientele of high tech women, I wanted to get another angle on their concerns versus hearing directly from clients.
Clearly, men created the high tech industry, and seemingly, the glass ceiling barrier that women battle to break through. If sympathetic sentiment by well-placed men, as found on the blogosphere and Twittersphere, is supported by more men, and encouraged by women, high tech culture is sure to change.
Still, women in high technology are making valuable contributions right now and want to be recognized as legitimate players in their male-dominated work groups.
One woman attending the panel discussion shared her experience, and it really struck home. She explained how she likes to look feminine and dress in a certain way that makes her feel girly. At one time there was another woman in her group; but she left, leaving her the lone woman among two=dozen men in her work group.
It seems, from her comments, she has a need to defend her self-expression through personal style from a group of men who don’t see her as an equal contributor to the team effort.
Dressing herself as she does is her right. It’s the same right the engineer guys have to wear boring jeans and T-shirts and have ‘bed head’ hair. The high tech workplace culture allows for this ‘casual’ [read: anything goes] attitude. But is being on the defensive playing good offense?
The anything goes, all-boys feel to a workplace doesn’t celebrate the diversity in its midst [read: a competent female employee who chose her career]. And that’s the rub – in the wrong way. Being a woman, and dressing girly singles her out in more than one way. Defense time.
Hearing her story, I offered this suggestion. Since communicating effectively with men in her area is key to helping her achieve her professional goals, she should balance her personal style with her professional goals. The point isn’t to stop dressing in a feminine way, but to balance it so that the men pay attention to more than just her femininity at work.
This is hard advice to give, and no doubt, to receive. But it was important to put it on the line. You may think it’s your right to dress to your own personal style all the time. But when you know you’re not being shown respect from others – you are ultimately responsible to shift.
More than just a workplace culture issue, this is a high tech culture issue. It won’t change overnight. She can’t change it alone. She must be responsible for her visual brand message. No matter your gender or industry of work, to be successful you need to do the same thing.
I’d summarize the point by quoting my all-time favorite artist Stevie Nicks. If following your career passion is your Shangri-La, don’t cause any “Trouble in Shangri-La” because “you can consume all the beauty in the room…” Fitting into your workplace culture and being authentic at the same time is a balancing act requiring dedication to your goals and to your environment.
Designing and managing your image is the secret science to your success.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps professional men, women, and corporate workgroups create effective visual brands. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.