Providing Real Solutions for Breaking Through Gender Bias in the Workplace

Organizations’ DEI efforts are primarily focused on “debiasing” individuals. But biases are largely unconscious, and it is difficult—if not impossible—to “teach” people not to allow their unconscious predispositions to affect their decisions and behavior. The reality is that much of workplace gender inequality is caused by the (often unintended) discriminatory policies, procedures, and accepted practices of the organization.

Based on extensive research, Andie and Al present a four-prong program to directly attack this structural discrimination. This session enables attendees to:

• Recognize the types of bias that affect career advancement in the workplace.
• Understand how discretion can unintentionally bias advancement opportunities for women.
• Walk away with a comprehensive set of practical and effective actions they and their organization can take to ensure women no longer encounter gendered obstacles on their path to career success.

All too often today, a woman’s career success is at risk because of discriminatory gender stereotypes. This is particularly the case in career paths that have been traditionally male and remains true even in many of the most well-intentioned organizations. This keynote makes clear that women don’t need to act more like men to succeed. They do, however, need to be attuned to gender stereotypes, anticipate the biases these stereotypes foster, and manage the impressions they make to avoid or overcome them. Andie and Al provide a frank assessment of the reality of gender bias in the workplace and offer a series of sensible, practical, and effective techniques to help women break through bias and achieve the career success they desire and deserve.

Their practical and often entertaining advice helps women:

• Avoid or overcome discriminatory gender biases
• Present themselves as competent and confident leaders
• Strengthen and display the key attitudes necessary for career success
• Promote themselves, their talents, and achievements without triggering stereotype backlash

As they speak throughout the country, Andie and Al are frequently asked about the complicated dynamics of women’s working relationships with other women. Women, men, and organizations believe that there is something problematic, even dysfunctional, about these relationships. While men’s working relationships with other men are seen as the baseline for healthy same-sex business relationships, women’s relationships with other women are often seen as disruptive to their organizations and hurtful to their career advancement.

From this keynote, women, men, and organizations walk away able to:

• Recognize the underlying reasons for real or perceived women-to-women conflict at work
• Use the pragmatic advice laid out by Andie and Al to overcome or avoid unproductive workplace conflict
• Build on the positive aspects of women to women relationships, developing stronger networks that foster women’s career success and creating a more supportive and satisfying work environment

The need to assure our workplaces are diverse and inclusive has never been greater. A key to accomplishing this is for there to be strong allies for all those people who are not part of the dominant in-group. But what does it mean to be an ally to such people, and how can you be an effective one?

In this keynote, Andie and Al describe who should be an ally, why the role is so important, and three specific ways an ally can make a significant difference in the work lives of colleagues who for one reason or another are in some way marginalized.

Through this keynote, audiences learn:

• The differences between a mentor, sponsor, and ally and how to effectively engage in each activity to truly benefit others
• What you can do as an individual today to help build safe, inclusive workspaces where everyone can authentically contribute to their full potential
• Specific steps organizations can take to foster a culture in which diversity, inclusion, and belonging are key components

Companies can obtain the true value of diversity—increased innovation, creativity, and effective problem solving—only when their employees can bring their authentic selves to the workplace — are able to express their distinctive personal perspectives, ideas, and insights without fear of disapproval or social ostracization.

In this keynote, Andie and Al lay out how such an environment can be achieved by addressing two key challenges:

• Leaders must recognize the value of diversity and differences. Once they do, they can encourage people to be their authentic best and assure their workplaces are psychologically safe for everyone.
• Individuals must recognize that effective self-presentation—impression management—and authenticity are not antithetical.

Participants will:

• Gain a deeper appreciation of what authenticity is and isn’t
• Learn how to overcome the biases that stand in the way of building inclusive workplaces
• Learn specific techniques for promoting the active sharing of diverse ideas and accelerating innovation, creativity, and effective problem solving