Gender IQ™

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Gender IQ for Competitive Advantage, 10th November 2009, 12.30pm GMT

In view of the clear commercial benefits in focusing on the female economy why is it that women occupy only  11% of board positions at listed companies in Europe? Of Fortune 500 companies, board seats are only 15% occupied by women and the majority of the rest of the world languishes in single figures? A recent report from management consultancy McKinsey, Women Matter, found that companies with diverse management teams in Europe recorded an average earnings growth of 11.1% between 2003-2005 compared with the average 5.8%.  If you want to keep your female talent watch this video for the biological evidence that we now know contributes to female attrition.  Do you know whether you have a female brain or a male brain? We’ll show you how to find out and what it means in terms of being a skilled leader and influencing both women and men for competitive edge. Gender Intelligence equals significantly increased bottom line results. Smart companies and smart people realize the benefits this information will bring. Contributors include Nikki Walker, Diversity Director European Markets at Cisco  and Alison Pothier who was a female MD at UBS Warburg, age 35.

• Naomi : Explains the pay gap!
• Naomi : I just watched the video on negotiatimg. WoW I had no idea that men are asking 10 times more than women!
• guest_1464 : Great videos ...thank you !
• Fiona Hemp : It is great to see that Cisco is taking this issue seriously
• guest_1306 : If this is a strategic issue..why dont we measure it?
• Ann Simpson : Until the changes are made in the mindsets and are not delegated to a function, there will be no leadership on diversity – just a bunch of programs run by a bunch of people trying to implement change with false sponsorship. It’s all about the awards – look at the metrics used – they are not integrated into the business … they are an add on …
• Tracey Carr : Talent shortages are a critical issue...women who dont fit the stereotype of hard nosed and bullish will carry on voting with their feet
• Tracey Carr : I agree with you Milly ...bullish, hard nosed risk takers ARE rewarded but it is my view that the world is changing to accomodate a wider range of leadership styles. Saldy, this happneing more quickly overseas ...in the UK we are also bound by the class system and tradition
• Milly Tant : Regardless of whether you're wearing a skirt or a tie. Learning each others differences may be a great skillset for team harmony and middle management level. But nobody's going to reward you for that by putting you in charge.
• Milly Tant : Again 'many supreme examples' does not make the rule. There are more women who have made it at exec level by being bullish, hard nosed risk takers and decision makers yet remained very much feminine and respected eg Karen Brady, Debra Meaden etc. Business rewards individuals with these qualities. I fear you are missing your own point. Survival of the fittest and ability to adapt to change quicker and harder.
• Tracey Carr : Sorry about the typos ...glasses next time
• Tracey Carr : I agree with yoou Millie and imy purpose here is to have this conversation. Whilst we implicit agree to deny difference we cannot - in view - move beyond. There are many supreme examples of women leading in a feminine way who no longer feel the need to ape the male stereotype
• Milly Tant : Harmful? Well I guess they are to those attempting to support an opposing view using psuedo scientific research. What is harmful is offering an idea that women and mens brain work differently. There are still enormous barriers for women to break down before we are considered equal. Once we start talking about being 'wired' differently we invite a school of thought that believes women can't make decisions under pressure, can't control their emotions and can't understand the offside rule. If
• Tracey Carr : In my experience there is no resistance from men re the message that we are different but often is from women. Why?
• Tracey Carr : HI Milly, sorry for the delay. I certainly don't critiscise Dr Rippons research but I do find her message harmful ...essentially that there is no difference. We draw on the work of many neuroscientists and one of our videos is an interview with Professor Joe Herbert from Cambridge. The only message I want to assert is that women are not the same as men and a wider range of leadership styles is required
• Tracey Carr : Hi Kirsten, I wish we were beyond it all ...the figures speak for themsleves and not too many people know about this stuff ...do you know why coffee is better for women in meetings than men?
• Kirsten Reiss : Nicely built and professional-looking website, shame about the outdated message. Surely we are beyond all this now?
• Niels Bohr : Einstein tweeted 4 weeks ago? I thought the old bastard was dead!!
• Milly Tant : Echo, e c h o, e c h o ............
• Milly Tant : Tracey whilst I agree with most of what you stand for in principle I can't help but feel you are being remiss in directing critisism on Rippons findings, a professor of neuroscience. Yet in your own seminars you site a large amount of your research from the highly discredited work of Louann Brizendine. Surely this is selective research to support you viewpoint and is hardly true Empirical research.
• guest_4153 : VIVA la difference!
• Tracey : Scroll down the shout box for comments from GIna Rippon
• Mark : I don't see these aspects as purely socialised or purely genetic, but what is more important to me is to recognise that wherever they come from, we do in fact have gender specific tendencies, and that we don't assume that it is right ...to try to ignore or eradicate them in the pursuit of equality.
• Mark : Every cell of my body is fundamentally different to every cell in (virtually) every woman's body, and shares that feature with every cell in (virtually) every man's body. And some people still want to deny what is self evident. Like it makes no difference being born with a womb or a penis!
• Andrew : I agree with you Tracey. Whilst I feel that Dr Rippon is right to point out that some of the stereotyping is not accurate, to say that there are not gender significant gender related differences is going too far.
• Tracey : Hey Gina, Hi ...let's chat ...maybe I can interview you ?
• guest_6886 : Hi Tracey, Thank you for the message. Lots to think about and try to answer!! There are various aspects of the talk I gave at the British Science festival which haven’t got fully communicated ( I have asked our web people to post a pdf of the associated press release onto my web page to give a fuller version than that which has come via the Telegraph and the Mail. Watch this space!). It is worth noting that I am generally reported as saying that there are no differences between men and women
• Andrea : YES! Let women be REAL women
• guest_9047 : I totally agree re Rippon ...we need to move beyond the 'same' sterotype
• Tracey : I am getting a bit fed up with the sceintist (Rippon) who has just published a book saying that brain differences between men and women are a myth ...and even more fed up with all the narrow minded people who are jumping on her band wagon saying that to acknowledge differences will reinforce stereotypes. Come on people... ....lets not go back to bad old 80's and Eqaul Ops b**sh*t. Men are more intelligent than that !
• Tracey : I just had a rant on the blog ..stupid Observer article
• guest_4702 : Yes, alive and kicking 6351 ...going great
• guest_6351 : does this company still even exist
• guest_7808 : love the article on male and female brains
• Tracey : The workl is ready for women's leadership...never seen so much energy for change
• guest_9220 : Terry from interCall - please phone 07810058859
• Tracey : Whoo hoo ...one of Britains top discrimnation lawyers doing interview for us
• guest_7254 : hello
• Tracey : thanks Rick
• Rick : Things are looking really great... Top work TC!
• Tracey : mauricio...how do we contact you?
• Mauricio : I'm interested on the Gender IQ events
• guest_8363 : JUst saw a preview of the Effective Meetings film ....fab !!
• guest_9730 : Looking forward to the next film
• Sharon @ GIQ : GQ for Competitive Advantage now available to view on demand. Visit events to sign up!
• Tracey : event about to go live
• Carol : great content and great idea for the video rund-up Tracey - excellent
• Yannick : The video round up is very useful, thanks
• Tracey : what an amazing first event - overwhelming response - thanks everyone
• guest_3579 : works great for me
• guest_3895 : great video
• Sharon @ GIQ : Please vote in our online poll above.
• Sharon : There are many free ways to stay in touch with this subject - join our social network communities on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
• Sharon : Hopefully as the programme 'warms up' people will feel moved to raise questions and post comments.
• guest_4373 : at least people are using this shoutbox ... must confess i wondered what it was for and had never used it ... thanks for trying anyway
• Sharon : Good to know!
• guest_5700 : Live chat is working folks
• guest_9050 : There are some very powerful messages in these discussion on gender IQ and difference and this is a great concept Tracey that will spark even more understanding and debate too Im sure - thank you for spear-heading this
• Yannick : great video. well done.