Women Leaders Must Support Each Other - Transforming Your STEM Career Through Leadership and Innovation - page 148

professors to his office for coffee to see “how we were doing.” He also encour-
aged us to spend time together and collaborate, and as a result we became the
best of friends and all felt we had someone there who understood us. While we
all didn't go out with the guys for a drink, when one of us did, we shared it with
the others and this kept us all in the loop. We quickly learned, as Evans points
out, “this type of socializing is a completely legitimate form of work.” [5]
Fear #6: If you build relationships with other women, hoping that you will
profit from them some day, you are being manipulative.
Reality #6: As women we don't mind talking with other women about day-
care, the best gynecologist or hair stylist, or the best place for a designer pair
of shoes. So why do we stop using our outstanding relationship and networking
skills when it comes to something so important as our careers? We get informa-
tion about all types of things all the time from our networks, except at work,
where we back down because we think we're supposed to make it on our own
in this environment. That is just not the way we need to think - that's not the
way it is ladies.
Fear #7: For women of color - if I join the women's team (translation - white
women's team) they (my people) will feel like I'm “selling out” to the race.
Reality: You are already on both teams. Whether you accept it or not, you are
viewed as a woman and a woman of color . Notice, I did not say a “person of
color” but a “woman of color.” There is no escaping this reality and it is in our
best interest to support both teams. I recall having this very dilemma when I
was a graduate student, and an African American businessman, whom I trusted
greatly, advised me against “signing up to be with the white girls.” He said the
issues they have are not your issues. I trusted his opinion greatly but even as a
young graduate student I thought - how does he know? He's an African Amer-
ican man - not a woman. I think the fear that some men of color have about
this is that they believe our efforts to support the women's team will minimize
the importance of our ethnic causes - despite the fact that in many of these
organizations we are not given equal access to leadership opportunities. To
this I say - relax guys. We are on both teams and we can support both of them.
Being on the Team
Now that you're on the team, it's time to understand the rules and how we play
the game to win. Although we will each tailor our teams and specific rules
to meet the overall success of individuals in our organization, Evans suggests
seven “tips” for each team member ( Figure 7.1 ) in order to advance the team.
Evans adds additional insight into each tip as follows.
Be a Mentor
Mentoring isn't a discussion, it's an obligation.
Gail Evans