Capitalising on Female Strengths in IT and Business Analysis
Maria Horrigan Principal Consultant BA World Sept 2009
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Capitalising on Female Strengths
• Identifying areas where women excel and capitalise on these
• Gaining an edge through understanding users and interaction with customers
• Using corporate relationships to network• Dominate through communication and
people skills• Understanding the importance of knowing
everything about the business
“IT Conference” Shanghai 2008
Sex and the city?
Celluloid Stereotypes:• US Upper-middle class white culture• Shopping, clothes and shoes• Is this who we are?
Sex in the city is a television show produced by NBC. This presentation was for educational purposes only and is NOT in any way, shape, or form affiliated with NBC, or any other persons or organizations responsible for the production of Sex in the City , all trademarks and copyright belong to their respective owners .
FEMALE ARCHETYPESStrengths and weakness of these archetypes
Archetypes vs Sterotypes
• So what are the female archetypes?• Why are archetypes good?• Pan-cultural• Any period of pan-historical
• How can we capitalise on archetypes?
8 Female ArchetypesThe Waif Little girl lost, Damsel in distress,
endures hardshipThe Librarian Prim and proper, repressedThe Nurturer Takes care of everyoneThe Crusader A fighter with a causeThe Spunky Kid Girl next door, team playerThe Boss Goal orientated, takes chargeThe Free Spirit Optimistic, follows her heartThe Seductress Manipulative, A survivor
http://sparklethis.blogspot.com/2007/10/8-female-archetype-examples-and.html
The Waif
Strengths• Tenacity and endurance• Asks for help• Seeks to understand• Good Listener
Weaknesses• Not taken seriously• Perceived as always needing to be
“bailed out”• Not seen as competent
Jennifer Aniston
www.laineygossip.com/pics/jen
The Librarian
Strengths• Knowledgeable• Intelligent• Able to problem solve• Know where to find the info
Weaknesses• Repressed • Perceived as Arrogant and not friendly• Old fashioned
Jane Austin
a.abcnews.com/.../nm_jane_austen_071017_ms.jpg
The Nurtuer
Strengths• Listens and counsels• Encourages and Mentors • Empathy and Supportive• Collaborative, Communicator
Weaknesses• Seen as “fussing” or “nagging”• Indecisive, don’t want to favour one over another• Others let them pick up the slack
Florence Nightingale
www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=88464
Crusader
Strengths• Strong, make tough decisions• Has a mission and vision• Champions a position• Strategic focus, Leader• Good Communicator
Weaknesses• Not Collaborative• Seen as Aggressive
12
Ripley
The Spunky Kid
Strengths• Persistent• Maturity beyond years• Dependable• Easy to talk to - Girl next door• Team player
Weaknesses• Pushy• Annoying
Lisa Simpson
media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/40/157606-13463..
The Free Spirit
Strengths• Challenges status quo• Marches to a “different drum”• Likes to dream about possibilities• Innovative, Creative, Optimistic
Weaknesses• Plans may not be practical• Impatient for change• May not be a team player
Amelia Earhart
www.legendsofairpower.com/images/Earhart.gif
The Boss
Strengths• Powerful• Decisive• Leader , Strategist• Communicator• Driven and focused on outcome
Weaknesses• Aloof, distant, not friendly• Task orientated vs people orientated
Queen Elizabeth I
englishhistory.net/tudor/eliz1-ermine.jpg
The Seductress
Strengths Communication, Persuasion Goes after what they want Empathy Networking – knows the right people
Weaknesses Self interest – may not be a team player Superficial – not genuinely interested Aggressive – “Barracuda” “Cougar
Jessica Rabbit
www.moviecritic.com.au/images/realistic-jessicarabbit
image: http://www.lakefronthartwell.com/bm~pix/milkshake~s600x600.jpg
Jennifer Aniston
Jessica Rabbit
I drink your milkshake
Women aren’t milkshakes
…. more like a McFlurry
Archetypes = Me as a McFlurry
challenged the current way
Be Confident, assertive
Asked for help when needed
Set the direction, lead
Persistent
Share knowledge, mentor
Supportive, counsel
Get the job done
Capitalise on these Archetypes
• So how do we ‘capitalise’ on these strengths of these archetypes?
• Need to read the situation – people & context
• We all have these archetypes inside us• Need to know how much and in what
volume to apply them in our working lives• Contextual, Situational, Contingent
Play to your Archetype strengths
• Each individual brings unique strengths to a role
• Become more comfortable with who you are, know your talents and strengths
• Be confident in abilities• Need to understand your natural
tendencies and make them work in your favour
FEMALE STRENGTHS IN BUSINESS ANALYSIS
What does A BA role look like today? Understanding the business and technical environment to achieve success
“Women are a part of this culture of success only to the extent that they explicitly embrace and
deal with the five R's”.
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"Membership in the Club: The Coming of Age of Executive Women," Dawn-Marie Driscoll and Carol R. Greenberg
Five R‘s- qualities expected of successful people in business
• Respect (both earned and given)• Responsibility - the willingness to be
responsible for your own actions• Resourcefulness – know how, life long
learning, networking• Revenue development - proposal writing
or bringing in new business.• Risk taking - essential to innovation.
Value in understanding the business
• Business success depends on anticipating future trends and developments
• …. and aligning strategy with implementation • IT is part of the everyday business, every
program & initiative, will have some touch point with technology
• Business analysis is often key to solving the complex problems and issues
• When we understand the business there is an opportunity to add value, be a trusted advisor
Business Context
Not just about the technology
Collaboration
Understanding Users Interaction
NetworkingPersuasion
Communication
Ability to organise
Build rapport
Get the job done
Decision making
Problem Solving
Creativity
Optimistic
Intuitive
Persistent
Influencer
Listening
Interpersonal skills
Supporter
Female Strengths
ResourcefulIntegrityResponsibility
Empathy
Collaboration
Understanding Users Interaction
NetworkingPersuasion
Communication
Ability to organise
Build rapport
Empathy
Get the job done
Decision making
Problem Solving
Creativity
Optimistic
Intuitive
Persistent
Influencer
Listening
Interpersonal skills
Supporter
BA Skills
ResourcefulIntegrityResponsibility
Learning to speak-geek
• As a Business Manager, I needed to understand techno speak so that I knew what I was signing off on
• As a BA, I needed to understand the possibilities of what the technology could and couldn’t do
• I don't have a formal IT qualification• I’ve come from the business side so have lots
of business degrees and qualifications• … but I had to ‘learn’ geek-speak
How I survived moving into a career in Business Analysis• Learned to speak-geek – understand the
technology and how it would help the business and my work processes
• People mentored me – Key colleagues mentored me and supported my knowledge development
• New collaboration tools - Web 2.0 • New roles for me – gravitated toward places I
didn’t expect to go, pushed my capabilities
Role of technology has changed• IT no longer about reducing operational cost
and more about IT as an enabler to achieve organisational goals
• Its about managing information, communication and knowledge
This is a good industry to work in:• It’s constantly changing and challenging• Lots of opportunities to capitalise on your
strengths
It”s not all about pizza and programming
Business vs Technical BA roles
• Exciting range of IT jobs available that aren’t just about technical skills
• Provides opportunities to work in dynamic and creative environments (medicine, movies, fashion)
• Increasing need for skills such as• Communication, Collaboration, Ability to
organise, Driving change, delivering outcomes, Problem solving
• Many women working in IT also come from non IT backgrounds
Backgrounds of IT Consultants
• I looked at the background of a lot of the female (and male) consultants
• There are former teachers, scientists, nurses, administrators, psychologists, army officers
• What is common is that they are great communicators, organised, they can take on just about any problem that comes their way, and they get things done.
• Not all have IT degrees, but they do have experience in IT (business and system) and certification in areas of IT management
So what does an IT job look like today?
Business analysis and process re-engineering• Collaboration, communication, diplomacy,
design & analysis
IT strategic analysis and planning – architecture
• Analysis, decision making, vision, business savvy, influence, persuade
User-centred apps & web design• Team-player, collaboration between
tech/graphic designers, business and users centred, design
People Mentored Me
• Lack of senior females in my area didn’t deter me, it just made me look to other sources for mentoring
• I learnt from one of my staff • I learnt from one of my colleagues • I learnt from thought leaders• I joined female IT networking groups• (WIC, WIT, ACS)
Mentoring vs Female Competition
We should be about collaboration and support
I’m NOT Wonder Woman
• “I am NOT Wonder Woman, I am in wonder of Women”
• Its hard to juggle all the demands of work • Like other women I have obligations outside of
work• We need more women in IT to bring more
diversity into this workforce• Change the group norm to reflect the wider
work vs life balance needs of everyone. Break stereotypes
How to meet the challenges
• Don't try to do it alone. Seek collaborations both professionally and personally
• Learn to recognise and capitalise on opportunity
• Never allow yourself to stereotype other women, or rush to judgment on their seriousness
…Or what I have learnt the hard way
How to meet the challenges cont
• Never blame discrimination or bias for the difficulties you encounter. Instead keep trying to improve and learn
• Try to get promising young women into the network early. Keep in touch with them and make sure they get whatever mentoring and assistance they need
• Be open to change• Be yourself
The Gender Question In ICT
• 75% of IT roles filled by males• Females higher in middle management• Gap is closing on executive roles• Average salaries are close to average
male salaries and gap is closing in the last 5 years – females about 5% lower on average
• Little salary difference in permanent roles, more difference in contractor market
Chris Scullin Peoplebank presentation WIC 2009
Why?
• Confidence• Soft selling and negotiation• Personal perceived value• Career aspiration not clearly defined• Baby Boomers vs Gen X vs Gen Y
Chris Scullin Peoplebank presentation WIC 2009
Is it about still about Gender?
Baby Boomers - born during the post-WWII baby boom • experimental, individualism, free spirited,
social cause oriented • healthiest, and wealthiest generation to that
time, grew up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time• Started the ball rolling - saw inequity in
society/workplace, questioned status quo
Gen X - mid 1960s to late 1970s
• Product of their depression era parents (went through 90s recession and first time a generation was worse off than parents)
• Stay in role 3 years• Look for stability• Respect hierarchy and believe in reward
for loyalty and effort
Gen Y - early 80s to late 90s
• More demanding, higher expectations• More empowered• Expect to be rewarded for just turning up• Competitive• Merit based (not time in role)• Want it all now (not been through the hard
times and are the product of baby boomers)
So what does the future hold ?
Each generation has different work needs:• Baby Boomer’s fought the inequity• Female Gen Xs are now reaping the
benefits of the fight – now moving into senior roles
• Gen Y’s fight isn’t one of gender – it’s about merit
So what does the future hold ?
• Why have female numbers in ICT courses dropped off dramatically in the last 5 yrs?
• Why do female Gen Ys not want be in IT? • Is it the Uni courses on offer?• Is it the geek stereotype?• Does everyone just want to be an
environmental activist?
48
What do we need to do?
Still need to:• Change the perception of ICT as a career• Showcase our champions• Collaborate and communicate into and
outside of the ICT community• Encourage and mentor
49
COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION
Mentoring the Web 2.0-way
Living in a Web 2.0 World
Use of Web 2.0 tools
Nielsen report, 2009:• 0.5 billion to 0.67 billion participants between
2007 and 2008 world wide• More than four in five Australians use Web 2.0
communication technologies at least monthly• Growth three times as fast as the pace of
general online growth• Biggest increase comes from the 35-49 yr• Web 2.0 tools used more frequently than email
The Web 2.0-way
Tools represent new ways to:• Communicate and reach out to others• Create trusted relationships• Collaborate• Mentor• Share knowledge & experiences
... why do I do this?
Why I use Web 2.0 tools
Instant access to:• My Community of Practice• Knowledge (in people’s heads, not in
documents) • Experts, gurus and thought leaders• Access to friends, their friends and their friends• The power of many• Trusted information from trusted sources• Time saving tools – its instant and responsive
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com
Facebook – building online communities
www.facebook.com
www.delicious.com
Social Bookmarking
www.barocks.com
Blogs
Blogs
Matt’s blog
Craig’s blog
CONCLUSIONSTake home messages
Conclusions
• We might be perceived as Stereotypes like the SITC girls, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha
• History tells us that there’s more to us than shallow stereotypical characters
• My experience is about drawing on archetypal strengths and adapting to context and situation
• These strengths are vital and important and will mean I am judged on merit and my work will speak for itself
• Promote and mentor
Fin - Any Questions?
Maria Horrigan Principal Consultant
Email: [email protected]: www.barocks.com, zenagile.wordpress.comSlideshare: www.slideshare.com/murphTwitter: @miahorri
