In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, Brandon Laws sits down with guest Christine Wzorek, Founder and CEO of White Label Advisors to discuss the data and evidence surrounding gender equality at work. Women bring a distinct skill set to leadership positions, and studies have shown that businesses that diversify their executive teams set themselves up for even greater success.
GUEST AT A GLANCE
Christine Wzorek is the Founder and CEO of White Label Advisors, a strategic direction firm that provides hospitality-oriented consulting and mentoring services. Passionate about taking bold steps in shaping the future of business and HR, Christine has been named a 2019 Human Capital Industry “Disruptor” by Utah Magazine.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR
🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
LET’S KEEP MOVING FORWARD
Gender equality has always been a relevant workplace issue, but in recent years, a growing number of businesses have begun to put themselves under the microscope to progress toward positive change in this area. The fight has really just begun.
When we look at it from a historical context, women have come a long way, and our workplaces have come a long way in recognizing the need for change and acting upon it. But it doesn’t feel fast enough. There’s so much more progress that needs to be made. According to guest Christine Wzorek, businesses must make a stronger effort to recognize the indispensable qualities that women bring to the table. From executive roles to HR, women bring a unique set of skills that businesses would do well to not only notice but also put to use.
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
The History
“There’s a data group called Revelio Labs, and their CEO, Ben Zwieg, posted some really interesting content on LinkedIn that points directly to the data. […] One of them was the pay disparity between genders and how we treat equality there. And I think we need to take a historical look at where women generally have come from. Not even a hundred years ago, women couldn’t own their own homes. They couldn’t qualify for loans. The phrase ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’ didn’t come from the fact that jewelry is beautiful or pretty. It came from the fact that jewelry was the only item that women could continue to own that had value or that they could sell if they were widowed or divorced. It was the only thing they could take with them.”
The Right Perspective
“We definitely have so much progress to make, and it takes both men and women at the table to make that happen. And I believe we have complimentary characteristics and attributes that can really help accelerate this if we have the right mindset and really come to the table together. I’m excited about the future. I’m excited to help drive this and help create better equality — and eventually get to that equitable space where we can just be equals at the table by way of representation and leadership.”
The Barriers to Workplace Equality
“As humans with behavioral patterns and habits, we tend to gravitate towards people that we’re most comfortable with. And we’re still seeing that happening within our talent acquisition or recruiting processes. We’re still networking in our friend circles and not looking outwardly, and people gravitate to who they, again, relate to most. We have to move beyond that.”
Women in Leadership
“I can think back to [a study] from fifteen years ago that talked about how boards that have greater female representation […] have better sustainability and longevity as a company. They have higher profits and a higher tenure among their employees.
You know, in some ways, I’m just baffled by the fact that we haven’t figured that out yet. And why are we not running toward creating better diversity on our boards and within our executive leadership teams, so that we can have better profits and ensure longevity within an organization?”
Breaking the Stigma
“There’s so much said around women and Imposter Syndrome, and I absolutely hate that term and mindset. I hate it because women show up every day — if they’re coming out of the home and repatriating into the workforce — they’ve been running a small business with their home. They’ve been managing inventory control. They’re budgeting. They’re dealing with contracts. They’re dealing with vendors and third parties.
So what is Imposter Syndrome? I think it’s a really awful inhibiting mindset, and we have to get past it.”
Taking an Alternate Path
“The Bloomberg discussion said that, statistically, women do not mirror the traditional pathways to executive leadership. So they’re trying to find other ways to get there.
And one way is to become an owner/founder and run their own company. We’re seeing a lot of that even within the local Utah market — most women in executive positions have had to start their own companies. And so, yes, we still have the barriers. We need to create better pathways and access to get women into those executive leadership positions and boards.”
Ready to Lead
“Women are actually fantastic fighter pilots, and it’s because they’ve demonstrated an aptitude for multitasking — focusing in the cockpit, but then also looking outward and seeing what’s coming at them or where they need to be going. And so what better skill to translate to a CEO where you have to have a high degree of emotional intelligence, a high aptitude for managing multiple divisions or functions at one time, and not only have the strategic foresight, but also an understanding of what’s happening in the short term.”
The Need for Trust
“We are intrinsically motivated by a greater purpose. That’s why we’re coming to these companies. That’s why we’re showing up every day. And we’re hopefully working within our area of expertise and genius. And so we don’t need to monitor that. We don’t need to track it. We don’t need to treat people as if they’re qualified for a role but they still have to prove themselves.”
LEARN MORE
Interested in this pressing topic? Connect with Christine Wzorek on LinkedIn or your favorite social media platform.