Episode Transcript
As a woman and an engineer, you know that edgy feeling.
That feeling of resistance in the engineering workplace.
When you feel invisible. Unseen and unheard.
When your expertise doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves. Your work gets downplayed.
Or when you have to say things multiple times before anyone listens.
And you’re the one whose name gets left off of meeting invitations.
Or when people make assumptions about women engineers that are stereotypical or untrue.
Or say things that are inappropriate or biased.
It can be very subtle. And it doesn’t happen that frequently.
But it creates a struggly feeling.
There’s still a lot of resistance out there for women in the engineering workplace.
You can feel that opposing force keeping you from making progress.
And making each work day harder than it should be.
The Choice that Determines Your Engineering Career Success
When I was faced with such resistance in my job, it always seemed to me that I had 2 choices:
- Talk to my boss. Register a complaint. Call people out. In other words, make waves.
Which I really didn’t want to do.
Because it’s not usually that effective. And I didn’t want to put my career in jeopardy.
- Do nothing. Ignore what’s happening. And just push through.
Which I did. A lot.
But now I have a different perspective.
As I’ve mentioned a few times, I recently conducted a series of interviews with women engineers for my upcoming book.
Women who are now in high level leadership roles.
The book – I’m excited to tell you – provides insights for women (like you) who are making their way in engineering and related fields.
It’ll give you specific ideas for commanding greater influence and impact in your career.
(I digress. But stay tuned for more on that.)
These women I interviewed have given me a new perspective.
The choice you actually have now is reframed. You can either:
- Believe that this resistance is keeping you from being successful in your career, or
- Believe you are successful in your career despite the resistance.
Hear the difference?
Needless to say, almost all the women I interviewed prefer the second choice.
They take the attitude that they are successful.
And that bias and resistance is not going to get in their way.
Know This About Bias Toward Women in the Engineering Workplace
There’s something else really important that you should know.
Most of these occurrences of resistance, of bias, in the workplace are not personal.
And they’re not intentional.
Even though they really feel personal and intentional – I know, I’ve been there.
It’s not personal. And it’s not intentional.
When you realize this, it takes the emotion and the stress out of it.
And allows you to see the situation objectively.
It’s not about you.
It’s about others who need to learn how to be more professional in the workplace.
How to be more effective communicators. How to interact inclusively.
Everyone has to learn at some point. You don’t have to let this get to you.
You don’t have to let workplace resistance get in your way.
It’s your choice.
8 Lessons to Keep Bias from Holding You Back in Your Engineering Career
Here are 8 lessons I’ve learned from the wise women I interviewed.
As a leader, you can have greater impact – and reduce workplace resistance – by following them:
- Bias exists. From early career jobs into higher levels of leadership, bias exists.
- Successful women engineers don’t use it as an excuse.
- Realize that it’s not personal and take that to heart.
- Almost all such biased behavior stems from misunderstanding, misinformation or miscommunication.
- Know when it’s important enough to say something and when it’s not.
- It’s more productive to be part of the solution than to be adversarial.
- Face the source (the person or group whose actions are exclusionary, biased or inappropriate). Address the issue and teach a better way.
- After you address it, let it go and move on.
Here’s a simple example: when a colleague says something inappropriate to one of your employees, have a private talk with them.
Explain what you heard and why it was inappropriate. Be objective, clear and direct.
Then offer a better way for them to get their point across.
Will this person refrain from saying something inappropriate ever again?
Who knows?
But you can be sure they’ve learned something from you.
You’ve clarified their misunderstanding. And they can grow from that experience if they so choose.
When we all take advantage of such teaching moments, bias and resistance are reduced.
Reframing Workplace Bias Brings Career Success for Women Engineers
The perspective you have on workplace resistance influences your career success.
You can’t let it hold you back or prevent you from reaching your goals.
You can take a moment to deal with it professionally.
And then let it go and move on to meaningful work and a more fulfilling career.
Sign up for a strategy session with me at HerEngineeringCareer.com if you’d like more guidance on how to be seen and heard in the engineering workplace.
Next time on Her Engineering Career Podcast we’ll explore what it means to “put yourself out there.”
I hope you’ll join me for Episode 173.