Sanjana: Jia, I been in this company for 12 years! Yet, why am I not a Director? (Quizzical look)
Me: Well, Sanju.... you been here for 12 years and I know you are an SME... Good question! (I am searching for a response... distant look in eyes)
Sanjana, me and you are amongst the many, many who wonder why is that a few make it to the top and others don't. Maybe Sanjana's story might add a different perspective or is it the same for the millions if working women.
She is an SME in a niche area. Not many are certified of specialized. She joined her current employer just as the organization was breaking through into becoming an IT name to reckon with. Of course, she missed the start-up days.
And Sanju had her share of fieriness and straight talk that might have also added to her slow growth. She is not a "Yes, Sir", "Of course, Sir", "Very much, Sir", "You are right, Sir", "Right away, Sir" type of worker. Sanju would diplomatically, yet firmly say if things will work or not.
Of course, there were a few women who learnt the rope of "Yes, Sir" and reached to the top. To be precise, 4 of her age have.
Sanju sobered down, took a "horse with blinds" attitude, focused in designing a framework, mobile application got herself certified. Meanwhile, she got a mentor who believed what she did is needed for the company to offer new services to clients.
Yet, Sanju would never be invited to client presentations, she is not given a client facing challenge, Sanju must do what is part of a large project. She has made many attempts, (I am aware of) to inform the front-ending teams to sell her expertise. They turn a deaf ear.
She got perspectives as to why she cannot be in the sales front nor is being given a promotion to get opportunities to generate revenue. The responses given by her senior management showed clear signs of presence of: The Glass Ceiling.
- If only you joined my team 10 years back
- Had I spotted you much early, it would have helped me mentor you
- Perhaps had you been a man, it would have made networking easy within
- Maybe you should let a Senior Dir sell it for you and you can work under him
All the client meetings she was accidently joined were success and she closed those deals. She got excellent NPS from the clients onsite and offshore for her framework, plans and execution.
Hence the reasons given for her slow growth, is very interesting to know, Sanju's capability, skill and knowledge were not the impediments but her gender to a large extent and insecurity of the male-dominated front-end teams.
She is not the only one am aware of. In the same organization, another female SME is sidelined when it comes to client facing discussions. She takes the calls, prepares the decks, speaks to the client on phone but when it comes to meeting clients face to face, a male sales head from some other location was brought into the team and he took the meeting!
Sanju has two options, she tells me.
Either she stays on with the hand-downs or one of projects and celebrate success once a year.
Or she leaves the city and joins the bigger ones. What stops her is her family needs to be in the city for next two years. Sanju has travelled for all her client commitments, though. To US, EU and APAC.
I don't think Sanjana's case is unique. It is a common one in corporate.
But why that we have a tight pyramid towards the top for women? Why hasn't digitalization or technology break-through made any impact in seeing there is no bias moving up the corporate landscape!
Deep within, the male ego is yet to be transparent: digitally and emotionally.
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