Lynda A. Bennett* set up a women’s initiative to help women embrace their confidence and secure the tools needed to achieve their career goals.
About five years ago, several associates within my firm approached me separately to ask why our firm did not have an active women’s initiative.
They expressed concern that junior women did not really know — or have access to — the female partners.
They had noticed that there were built-in informal forums for our male colleagues to gather and get to know one.
While the firm did have programs geared toward women, they were externally focused on networking and business development.
The need identified by my junior colleagues was a more basic one: Women who work together share common interests, professional goals, challenges, and sometimes anxieties.
They were looking for a place where they could talk and find out if their experiences were unique, or if more senior women within the firm had any tips or best practices.
At the most basic level, the women were looking for a constructive way to get out of their practice area silos from time to time to learn more about what was going on elsewhere and have an opportunity for professional camaraderie.
We started with a simple vision, which was to empower and support our women to achieve professional and personal success, but this vision is not the only thing that would get this newfound women’s initiative off the ground.
We came up with the five main elements that make up the “secret sauce” of a successful women’s initiative.
First, a leader who is passionate about paving the way for women to embrace their confidence and secure the tools needed to achieve career goals.
She must know how to empower women by sharing her own personal experiences but also understanding that war story monologues can be counterproductive.
She must create forums for conversation and facilitate active participation from all members.
Second, a collection of associates who are eager for early leadership opportunities and understand the importance of community.
These women are likely to be among your organisation’s highest achievers and they are going to make the time to participate in a labour of love that will enrich their career development.
Third, a clear vision and consistent implementation of that vision through programming and events.
Many women’s initiatives struggle and fizzle out because they strive to do too much and the perfect becomes the enemy of the good.
Be intentional in the selection of your topics and your panellists.
Be realistic in terms of how much time people will be willing and able to commit to your programming.
Be inclusive for all personality types and be cognisant of the varying personal lives/commitments of your members.
We purposefully started with social gatherings.
Our first formal programs were panel discussions that comprised only our women talking only to our women.
We shared five things we wished we had known earlier in our careers and how to develop, maintain, and cultivate a network.
We were intentional about populating the panels with women from different practice areas across our different office locations.
The panellists had varying levels of seniority.
The moderators of the panels were among our most junior women, to allow them an early leadership opportunity and to communicate the broader message that junior women can, and should, feel free to speak to more senior women in the firm.
Fourth, direct and regular input into your programming from members.
Short surveys are an important tool and so is being responsive to membership suggested discussion topics, because that creates buy-in and a sense of ownership among all members.
Once a positive buzz started to build around our women’s initiative, we added regular programs that had a decidedly more provocative bent.
Finally, the cornerstones for sustained success are making sure that your initiative is based on trust and delivers value to members.
While it took some time for us to develop those characteristics, the reason our initiative is robust and our events are routinely well attended is because we are able to engage in real talk about the issues that are most important to our members and their career development.
We cannot, and do not, promise to solve problems or eliminate challenges.
Instead, we strive to provide actionable advice and supportive listening that allows members to know they are not alone and they can achieve their career goals.
All the while, we have remembered our roots — that is, women who know, and like each other, at work will have greater connection to their workplace and will perform at higher levels as a result.
Finally, to create a culture of inclusion among our women, we have devised an “Ambassador Program” where mid to senior level associates are assigned to welcome new women who have joined the firm.
Our ambassadors are tasked with writing a welcome note and delivering a specially branded women’s initiative gift.
The ambassadors then make sure that the new hire is aware of upcoming women’s initiatives events and offer to bring her to those programs and facilitate introductions to other group members.
As demonstrated above, leadership, collaboration, inclusivity, and mutual respect are the key ingredients to the secret sauce.
Women’s initiatives that combine these ingredients can be successful regardless of their size.
And, it is equally important to remember that success is not in numbers.
Success is teaching women about themselves and others and equipping them with tools to enhance who they are.
Success is when women learn and grow from one another, genuinely and organically, and with each other, and the organisation’s greatest role in that success is offering them the space and support to do so.
* Lynda Bennett is the chair of Lowenstein Sandler’s insurance recovery group and the founder and leader of its Women’s Initiative Network.
This article first appeared at www.businessinsider.com.au.
