6 questions
TO NEVER ASK A
WOMAN IN LEADERSHIP
Despite the incredible strides made towards gender equality in the last decade , women in senior level positions continue to be significantly underrepresented . Unlike men in leadership roles , women add public and media scrutiny of their gender to a long list of obstacles that lay in their path .
The appointment of Gladys Berejiklian as Premier has raised a lot of familiar ( sexist ) questions . With female Premiers still relatively uncommon ( only 16 % of all Premiers have been female ) it makes sense that the media and general public don ’ t know what to make of her .
As a helpful guide , there are six questions to not ask a woman in leadership .
1 . What do the men in your life think about your choices ? Women aren ’ t defined by the men in their life . Whether it ’ s a father , brother , husband , partner or boyfriend – their opinions have no bearing on the choices and actions of a woman in power . If you want to understand a woman in leadership ’ s choices , ask her directly .
2 . Who ’ s going to look after your children ? Looking after children isn ’ t inherently women ’ s work . No male politician would ever have to answer this question , because the underlying assumption is that they have a partner , probably female , who takes care of the children .
For many women , motherhood is a deeply fulfilling and meaningful pursuit , but that doesn ’ t mean that a woman in leadership is solely responsible for her children , or that she has to do it alone . Regardless of how she makes it work , we need to be comfortable not knowing how a woman in leadership manages her personal responsibilities .
3 . When will you have children ? Somehow , even not having children doesn ’ t save female leaders from having to answer questions about hypothetical children . For women in leadership without children , Berejiklian included , the speculation is still persistent . Women are more than their biological function to produce children and their decision has no relationship to their professional decisions .
4 . What are you wearing ? Or “ why did you get that haircut ” or “ where are your heels ” or any other unsolicited question about a woman ’ s appearance . A good rule of thumb is to think about whether this question would make sense if you asked a male leader . Is there any world in which Malcolm Turnbull would be asked to discuss his preference for slim jackets instead of his position on our foreign policy ?
5 . Are your successes and failures reflective of other female leaders ? Any individual woman is not a spokesperson for her gender . The legacy of any woman in power has no bearing on the actions and choices of any other woman in power solely by virtue of their gender . Women often carry the weight of being the first and the perception of their success or failure can both create and close opportunities for women in the future . Anna Bligh commented poignantly after her term as Queensland Premier , “ I felt the expectations of my gender on my shoulders , if I failed at this or I got something spectacularly wrong , it would not only be seen as ‘ Anna Bligh ’ s hopeless ’ but ‘ ah , we knew women couldn ’ t do it ’, my ups and downs would be used as a judgment on an entire gender ”.
6 . Can women really have it all ? This is a question most women , regardless of where they are in their career are likely familiar with . It asks , can you really achieve a balance between your professional career and the obligations of family , friends and personal happiness ? And it reasserts the notion that women are fundamentally caretakers in the home and choosing a career doesn ’ t excuse them from that responsibility . Men aren ’ t held to this same standard and aren ’ t forced to answer for their family because it is understood that it takes a complex support network to balance work and family . It needs to be the same for women .
Kristina Keneally put it best . “ Really , it all boils down to this : judge all politicians – male or female – on performance . Are they ethical ? Do they keep their commitments ? Are they delivering consistent and well-considered policy ? Are they responsive to the community ? Do they have a vision for the future ? Are they courageous and willing to fight for the people they represent ?”.
Join other aspiring leaders and champions of change at the upcoming Public Sector Women in Leadership conferences .
AQUA4203
Brisbane | 16 – 17 May www . criterionconferences . com / event / wilqld
Canberra | 27 – 28 June www . criterionconferences . com / event / wilact17