Parity Podcast: Recent Episodes
Cathy Nestrick and Deborah Pollack-Milgate
Women have had the right to vote for 100 years, but most experts believe that we will not achieve workplace parity for another 135 years! 135 years is a long time, friends, to wait for gender equality and a level playing field at work. The goal of this podcast is to accelerate this change by being a coach, mentor, and trusted friend for all of you who are ready now.
In this episode, Deborah and Cathy ask a very specific question about a perplexing phenomenon they've experienced. Why do we hear so many complaints (very often from other women) that the wrost boss they ever had was, in fact, a woman? Deborah and Cathy break down the Hollywood caricatures of women bosses - think Miranda Priestly or Selina Meyer - and contrast those with reality. What's at play here and how do we stop the negative stereotyping from women and men? Deborah and Cathy discuss the role of bias, including confirmation bias and an expectation for women to "play nice," and consider whether these expectations and biases creat unfair standards for wmen bosses. As alwys, they discuss solutions to make the workplace fairer for everyone, including by giving our bosses a fair shot.
From "sugar and spice" to "snips and snails," we're handed gender roles before we can walk -- and those early scripts follow us straight into the workplace. While the stereotypes concerning women in the work place are generally well-known (think "less ambitious" or "emotional"), there are plenty of misplaced stereotypes to go around. Until we stop telling women to be nice and men to be tough, these old notions of "appropriate" gender behavior will continue to box us all in. This episode discusses the challenge for women in abandoning stereotypes for men. This episode also breaks down the stereotypes we should question for women and men and what it takes to finally move past them to a workplace with more partnerships and collaboration.
Women aren't less ambitious as some have recently suggested - they're navigating a rocky path and workplaces that make ambition harder to express and success harder to find. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah break down the 2025 Women in the Workplace report with their signature mix of humor, data, and straight talk. From the broken rung to sponsorship gaps, AI inequities, flexibility stigma, and the invisible weight of caregiving, they unpack what's continuing to obstruct the path for women - and why the "ambition gap" narrative misses the point. They also share practical steps leaders and organizations can take to build workplaces where ambition is possible, visible, and supported.
The Oxford word of the year in 2025 was "rage bait." Is that why 2025 brought us opinion pieces asking whether women were ruining the workplace? In this Episode 3, Cathy and Deborah discuss how to avoid taking the bait, by relying on the clear evidence of women's contributions to an improved workplace for all. They also reveal what they wish for in 2026.
In this interview with psychologist and prolific author Dr. Ron Levant, Cathy and Deborah discuss his new book, The Problem with Men. From delinquency to the President of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Levant shares his own experience, including the role abuse and forced male stereotypes played in his life, and how he reached beyond. According to Dr. Levant, when boys receive the message early on that "girls are less than boys," misogyny can take root. Listen in for his thoughts on how we can take the pressure off men to conform and free up space for men and women to engage with each other and be themselves.
In the Season 5 Opener of the Parity Podcast, Cathy and Deborah share their candid assessment of parity today from the bottom of the hole it has seemingly fallen into - along with them (HELP!). Forever focused on solutions, they propose we all work harder to have conversations where everyone is invited to contribute to the project of creating a better workplace. In that spirit, Cathy and Deborah revisit the Parity Prescription and discuss how to improve upon the approach toward achieving real progress. Spoiler alert - let's please be done with stereotypes.
In this episode, Cathy and Deborah dive into the concept of experience capital, explaining how it plays a pivotal role in career advancement. They explore why it's not just about doing good work, but also about strategically positioning yourself through stretch assignments, developing strong sponsorship relationships, and building the right networks. Together, they share actionable tips on how to steer your career growth and set yourself up for greater success by seizing upon opportunities, raising your hand for the tough assignments, and actively building relationships that go beyond surface-level mentorship. They also outline actionable tips for organizations looking to do better at providing everyone a fair shot at developing experience capital.
In this episode, Cathy and Deborah discuss the lesser known fact that women are, on balance, every bit as motivated to maximize their careers as men. With this in mind, how do women in the workplace navigate negative pushback when we are deemed too "aggressive"? How do employers ensure that they are capitalizing on women's talents? As always, Cathy and Deborah offer their own insights and practical advice for women and leaders encountering a sometimes "greedy" workplace.
Marking four years of the Parity Podcast, Cathy and Deborah discuss their ongoing efforts to nudge the workplace culture to be a more equitable place for women and to take advantage of the skills sets women have to offer. They recount their SCRIPT for change, review some of their favorite episodes, and share what they have learned. In answer to the question of whether something different is needed in this moment of the fight for a better workplace for all, Cathy and Deborah offer the understated response that is the title of this Episode: Keep On Keeping On.
Elaine Lin Hering joins the Parity Podcast to discuss the role that silence plays in each of our lives. Her 2024 book, Unlearning Silence, explores the ways in which we are silenced in the workplace, and the roles we play in silencing others. Driven by her own experience in being encouraged to speak up, yet not having her words welcomed, Elaine began pondering the larger dynamics in play and the consequences of remaining silent. According to Elaine, finding one's voice is more than what you say or don't say, it is about how you move through the world and show up. She encourages each of us to work on unlearning silence in our own lives to find greater happiness, as well as urges leaders to consider how they are silencing their team members and thereby squelching an open exchange of ideas. Both illuminating and insightful, this episode delivers another round of practical tips for leaders and team members alike.
The Parity Podcast has been curious about Taylor Swift's stunning success as a pop star and her potential as a role model to the next generation of women. In this episode, Deborah is joined by four Taylor Swift fans from across the country, ranging from the teens to late 20s, to discuss what she means to them. They describe her music as poetic, playful, self-deprecating, and deeply relatable and accessible, lending insight to the source of her magic. Offering a sound track for the experience of growing up, and loving and living, Swift makes a profound impact, reaching across cultural and racial differences to draw on the common human experience. In this conversation with the Parity Podcast, this diverse group of young women also reveal their very favorite songs (they were only allowed to pick one!) and provide their take on Swift's feminism.
Dr. Nithila Peter returns to the Parity Podcast and joins Deborah to discuss the magic and mess of the Barbie movie. Drawing on her background in media studies, Nithila offers insight into the cinematic experience and the bookends of the movie, from the birth of Barbie to the gynecologist's office. Simulatenously inspired and horrified by the perfectly sculpted Barbie as a role model, Nithila and Deborah discuss the film's depiction of the hyper-femininine and hyper-masculine worlds, and what they reveal about parity. They discuss the complexity of the Barbie doll as a toy, along with the film's depiction of the gender divide. While Barbie inspires both women and men to create their authentic selves, one wonders whether that powerful pink message can inspire in the shadow of stereotypical Barbie beauty.
In this episode, Cathy and Deborah speak to Kara Wojnowski, a Marketing Manager at Biorigin Specialty Products, who has studied the communication differences between women and men. One large difference is many women's tendency to apologize, even when there is no reason to do so. How does over-apologizing undermine a person's credibility? And when should someone apologize and when not? Kara discusses these issues and more with the Parity Podcast, and helps us think critically about communication styles--without violating Parity Podcast's golden rule against trying to change women.
Over the last several years, we've developed a brand-new vocabulary to talk about very old problems. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah explore the importance of that vocabulary, as well as its imperfections and limitations. They also discuss how seemingly uncontroversial terms have become oh-so controversial, while identifying solutions to overcome the divide.
In this episode, we welcome Karith Foster whose new approach to achieving workplace inclusion rejects the use of blame and shame in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She offers a new path forward, recognizing that all of us are different and unique, and true change requires everyone to participate.
You can learn more about how INVERSITY takes the division out of diversity.
Kicking off the fourth season, Cathy and Deborah welcome Vivia Chen to discuss the challenges of getting the care you need for your mental health. Vivia, an award winning columnist and prolific opinion writer, was denied short term disability because she was not deemed "sad enough." Vivia discusses mental health stereotypes and solutions for change.
You can find Cathy and Deborah on LinkedIn.
In this episode, Cathy and Deborah discuss the revolt against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts - and women - in the workplace. How did the seemingly noncontentious goal of inclusivity become controversial? More importantly, what can we learn from this back lash to transform our own approach? As always, we offer solutions.
In this episode, we talk to Angela B. Freeman, mom, wife, law firm partner, and podcaster about where she's been and what she hopes for in teaming up with others. We discuss the moments White women have failed to be allies and partners to Women of Color, and what we all need to do to step up, including recognizing the advantages some people have based on skin color. Along with firmly believing in herself but knowing she had to be twice as good, Angela carried - and continues to carry - a deep curiousity for others.
The year 2023 brought incremental gains at the top for women overall but not for women of color. Women in middle management also lost ground, leaving open the question of whether gains at the top were a passing fancy. Join us to discuss 2023 challenges as well as solutions.
Join us for a discussion with Blessing Adesiyan who entered corporate American with a baby in her arms, literally. She shares her nuggets about creating a care infrastructure for workers at all levels and how businesses can best adapt in this new post-COVID landscape. As Blessing says, we're not going back to how it was before. In this new reality, caring about workers is as imperative for their well-being as it is for the bottom line.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts surged in 2020, but are now experiencing headwinds. Carrie Fletcher, leadership and strategy consultant, joins us to discuss how and why DEI initiatives falter, the critical role of men, and the need to address the elephant in the room which asks "what's in it for me"?
Good Guys authors David Smith and Brad Johnson say that men are the key to gender parity. We agree but we need many more men as allies. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah ask the tough questions. What is standing in the way of full engagement by men? And for those men who are engaged, what can they do right now?
You can learn more about the important work that Dave and Brad are doing on their webpage.
You can also read their books Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies For Women in the Workplace and Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women at Work.
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
We are joined by Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) to discuss bringing women and men together to listen to each other and bridge the gender divide. Its view? Parity isn't possible unless we engage with each other more deeply. GERI colleagues Cynthia Brix and Jon Levitt share a glimpse into what this process entails.
People hear a lot of different things when they hear the word "privilege," both good and bad. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah discuss their own privileges and how to have a more constructive, nuanced discussion, including by ditching the word. They also discuss "aha" moments and best practices for using whatever privileges -- or advantages -- you have to create a more inclusive workplace.
We focus a lot in this day and age on unconscious bias, but women continue to experience head-scratching moments of in-your-face, outright explicit bias. From public shaming to cornering and bullying, listen in on these modern-day examples of good old-fashioned blatant sexism - and know you are not alone. Then, learn what you can do as the target of bias, and even more importantly as an ally, including by "calling out" and "calling in." For more information, we recommend these resources: Better Allies by Karen Catlin The Harvard Guide on Calling Out and Calling In Seed the Way Guide
In our kick-off to Season 3, we return to the theme of allies, who are critical for parity in the workplace. But what do we mean by "ally" and what do we want and need allies to do? Julie Kratz, author of several works on allyship, answers these questions and discusses the importance of listening to others whose shoes you don't walk in. You can learn more about Julie Kratz and her work with allies here.
Women and caregivers continue to feel the effects of the pandemic as unprecedented numbers of women leaders exit the workforce or switch jobs in search of better cultures. The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, and Quick Quitting are new phrases to describe how women and caregivers are coping with work and home demands. As we look back on 2022, we remain positive for the year ahead.
Subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes!
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
2022 Workplace in the Women by McKinsey and LeanIn.org
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
The price of men being led to believe that they must act in ways that conform to their gender can be enormous, for men and women alike. Guest Co-Host Andy Cooper joins Deborah Pollack-Milgate for a discussion with author, psychologist, and masculinity studies pioneer Dr. Ronald Levant. Dr. Levant talks about the socialization of boys and masculinity and its reverberations, while the trio explores the imprint on workplace culture.
You can Subscribe! so you don’t miss any episodes! You can find a transcript of today’s episode on our webpage.
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
The Tough Standard by Dr. Ron Levant and Shana Pryor
Masculinity Reconstructed by Dr. Ron Levant
You can find Andy Cooper on LinkedIn
We talk with Dr. Anne Beall, author of Cinderella Did Not Live Happily Ever After: The Hidden Messages in Fairy Tales. Using data science, we discuss fairy tale themes: women are passive and largely devoid of power and agency, except for witches and evil stepmothers, while men are smart, brave, and heroic. Join us as we discuss how these themes continue to hamper women in the modern workplace. You can read a transcript here.
Caregiving is a second economy that requires a skilled workforce all its own. Yet, in the absence of acknowledging the scale and critical relevance of this economy, the main drivers and load-bearers of this economy remain women. We simply cannot achieve gender parity without more support and without others taking on their share of the load. Dr. Nithila Peter joins us in a 2-part series to discuss solutions.
You can subscribe! so you don’t miss any episodes! Time-stamped show notes are below. You can find a transcript of today’s episode here
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Unfinished Business by Anne Marie Slaughter
The Price of Motherhood; Why the Most Important Job in the World is Still the Least Valued, by Ann Crittendon, (2001)
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid
Blessing Adesiyan, the Founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, is a good resource
1:00 Women are disproportionately responsible for the caring of others
1:30 Dr. Nithila Peter is joining us today
2:36 Today is about solutions
2:45 Part 1 discussed lack of support system
3:32 Part 1 discussed society places a low value on caregiving, no support systems were put in place when mothers entered the workforce, and modern feminism forgot about mothers
4:18 Mothers face bias
4:50 Inaccurate that mothers are less committed
5:35 Mothers earn $.69 for every $1 earned by men
6:30 Motherhood penalty
6:50 Men’s standing increases when becoming fathers
8:20 Women gain skills when becoming mothers
10:40 Emotion, mental, and physical toll of trying to do it all
11:00 Lessons from Indian, Latin, and Indigenous cultures
11:50 Mothers have high cultural value in India
12:25 Story of Nithila’s Indian (South-Asian) family helping to raise her children
13:30 Nithila’s family and extended network enabled her to complete her PhD
14:00 Workplaces should value unique skills of parents
15:20 Obama’s made caregiving more visible through Marian Robinson
18:00 Asian culture offers solution but is a hard model for families stretched thin
19:15 Motherhood is more visible in India for actors, politicians, and others
21:00 Mothers have also been wartime leaders
21:10 Overturning of Roe v. Wade puts additional pressure on the care economy
22:22 18 year old had twins - what support does she have?
23:00 Appalled by mother’s lives now at risk
23:30 Dobbs further reduces mothers’ power in society
24:30 Will gender parity be extended due to Dobbs?
25:30 Difficult to make this prediction
27:50 One solution is more legislative support like paid leave
28:30 Family planning needs more attention
29:09 Flex and hybrid arrangements should stay in place
32:15 Celebrity male leaders do not have reputations for being good caregivers
33:00 We need more caregivers and those with empathy in leadership roles
34:30 We all have equal opportunities to grow caregiving skills
34:45 Many economic successes during pandemic while workers were at home
35:25 Focus on organizational culture
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
Caregiving is a second economy that requires a skilled workforce all its own. Yet, in the absence of acknowledging the scale and critical relevance of this economy, the main drivers and load-bearers of this economy remain women. We simply cannot achieve gender parity without more support and without others taking on their share of the load. Dr. Nithila Peter joins us in a 2-part series to discuss solutions.
You can subscribe! so you don’t miss any episodes! Time-stamped show notes are below. You can find a transcript of today’s episode here
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Unfinished Business by Anne Marie Slaughter
The Price of Motherhood; Why the Most Important Job in the World is Still the Least Valued, by Ann Crittendon, (2001)
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid
Blessing Adesiyan, the Founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, is a good resource
1:00 Women are disproportionately responsible for the caring of others
1:30 Dr. Nithila Peter is joining us today
2:36 Today is about solutions
2:45 Part 1 discussed lack of support system
3:32 Part 1 discussed society places a low value on caregiving, no support systems were put in place when mothers entered the workforce, and modern feminism forgot about mothers
4:18 Mothers face bias
4:50 Inaccurate that mothers are less committed
5:35 Mothers earn $.69 for every $1 earned by men
6:30 Motherhood penalty
6:50 Men’s standing increases when becoming fathers
8:20 Women gain skills when becoming mothers
10:40 Emotion, mental, and physical toll of trying to do it all
11:00 Lessons from Indian, Latin, and Indigenous cultures
11:50 Mothers have high cultural value in India
12:25 Story of Nithila’s Indian (South-Asian) family helping to raise her children
13:30 Nithila’s family and extended network enabled her to complete her PhD
14:00 Workplaces should value unique skills of parents
15:20 Obama’s made caregiving more visible through Marian Robinson
18:00 Asian culture offers solution but is a hard model for families stretched thin
19:15 Motherhood is more visible in India for actors, politicians, and others
21:00 Mothers have also been wartime leaders
21:10 Overturning of Roe v. Wade puts additional pressure on the care economy
22:22 18 year old had twins - what support does she have?
23:00 Appalled by mother’s lives now at risk
23:30 Dobbs further reduces mothers’ power in society
24:30 Will gender parity be extended due to Dobbs?
25:30 Difficult to make this prediction
27:50 One solution is more legislative support like paid leave
28:30 Family planning needs more attention
29:09 Flex and hybrid arrangements should stay in place
32:15 Celebrity male leaders do not have reputations for being good caregivers
33:00 We need more caregivers and those with empathy in leadership roles
34:30 We all have equal opportunities to grow caregiving skills
34:45 Many economic successes during pandemic while workers were at home
35:25 Focus on organizational culture
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
Caregiving is a second economy that requires a skilled workforce all its own. Yet, women are its main drivers, leaving us tired and worn out, and making it nigh impossible to compete in the workplace. We cannot achieve gender parity without more support. The pandemic showed us that caregivers and those we tend to deserve better. Dr. Nithila Peter joins us in a 2 part series to discuss solutions.
You can Subscribe! so you don’t miss any episodes! Time-stamped show notes are below. You can find a transcript of today’s episode at our webpage.
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Unfinished Business by Anne Marie Slaughter
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid
Blessing Adesiyan, the Founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, is a good resource
1:00 Women are disproportionately responsible for the caring of others
1:41 Definition of the care economy https://research.american.edu
2:20 Women have less time and energy for our careers
3:06 Pandemic made matters worse
4:07 Society doesn’t value caregiving
5:08 Dr. Nithila Peter is joining us today
6:04 Connection between emotional intelligence and the giving of care
9:15 Caregivers make the best employees
10:03 Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft
11:20 Mentors, coaches, and managers are or should be caregivers
12:06 The pandemic caused many caregivers to collapse
13:35 View of caregiving as “women’s work”
14:29 Students equated caregiving skills to the skills of a janitor
17:30 Caregiving should be more equitably handled by all genders
19:13 We all need to be open to learning these important caregiving skills
21:30 Parents grow skills by being caregivers
23:30, 25:10 Providing care is akin to rocket science
27:22 Stop gender stereotyping
28:12 Lack of support systems for people who want to be caregivers and breadwinners
31:00 How the Indian culture offers support for caregivers
35:00 High cost of caregiving keeps some women home
37:25 Some women don’t have power in their own homes to allocate resources to caregiving
38:40 Women must have equality at home to have equality in the workplace
40:33 Iceland supports caregivers
41:15 Iceland is the most gender equal country in the world
41:51 Organizations can provide support if governments do not
42:00 Former CEO of Pepsi, Indra Nooyi supports more visibility of caregiving at work
47:15 Role of feminism in the care economy
48:34 Most women are breadwinners and caregivers
50:10 Working stands in the way of caregiving vs. caregiving stands in the way of working
51:00 Woman leader published article saying women should reconsider having children
53:45 Sheryl Sandberg did not tell us to lean into motherhood
54:50 Caregiving needs to be more visible
55:25 Pipeline of women talent is completely broken due to caregiving pressures
58:05 We need to talk more about caregiving responsibilities at work
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
Workplace communications are powerful - they can make and break careers, incent us to give our all, or cause us to run for the hills and join the Great Resignation. In this episode, we discuss inclusive communication tips for everyone including leaders and allies, as well as strategies when you find yourself in cultures where it is difficult to be seen and heard.
You can Subscribe! so you don’t miss any episodes! Time-stamped show notes are below. You can find a transcript of today’s episode at our webpage.
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Influential Internal Communications by Jenni Field
2:10 Importance of workplace communications
3:16 What is a successful communication
3:49 As a reminder, SCRIPT stands for:
S: Stop Trying to Change Women
C: Create Diverse Teams
R: Recognize Unconscious Bias
I: Intentionally Include
P: Partner With Men to Be Allies
T: Talk About The Issues
We believe that a combination of each of these factors will help women advance and compete with men on a more level playing field.
5:02, 6:10 Communication skills are learned
7:39 Example of a miscommunication resulting in mayhem
9:50 Emails vs. face to face communications
10:12, 11:10 Delivering constructive criticism
13:29 Communications can foster positive workplace cultures (or not)
13:57 Gender differences impact communications
14:25 In today’s episode, we will discuss:
-What is a communication
-General rules for communicating
-Special considerations for emails
-Meta-communications (aspects of a communication that are never expressed but we all get the message anyway)
16:00 What is a communication
17:25 Importance of praising peers and direct reports for a job well done
20:00 Respect is key
20:40 Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field stresses:
-Focus on the audience
-Set a clear goal & tone
-Keep it simple
-Make your point
-Consider the medium
21:55 Avoid I and Me and instead use the words Us and We
22:45 Unthoughtful or rushed communications
23:07 Microaggressions and biased communications
23:35 Email tips
24:00 Don’t deal with sensitive information via email
24:30 Don’t complain or criticize a person via email
26:11, 27:05, 27:45 Be fair
29:18 Avoid shaming
30:25 Meetings and call etiquette
30:50 Avoid the dog and pony show
31:05 Enforce equal air time
31:30 Form alliances so that you are heard
33:35 What is a meta communication
35:14 Disrespectfulness of wordsmithing or a total re-write
37:35 Respect communications differences - this is one goal of DEI
38:30 Strategies to deal with the guy who thinks he’s the most important person in the room
39:55, 41:13, 41:35 Communications should intentionally include
42:33 Parity in Play
44:25 Tips for allies in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
After 25 years as a senior leader in tech, Karen Catlin saw a decline in the numbers of women in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, Karen became an author and coach focusing on helping women navigate the male-dominated tech industry and coaching men to be better allies. In this episode, we discuss hiring for a “culture add” and other tips to create a more inclusive workplace.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below. You can find a transcript of this episode on our webpage (link below).
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create More Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces by Karen Catlin
Better Allies Approach to Hiring by Karen Catlin
Waking Up White by Debby Irving
20 Books to Help Break the Bias for a More Gender Equal World
Today’s guest is Karen Catlin - this is part 2 of a 2-part conversation
1:09 Do women need to explain bias in different ways so male allies better understand
2:17 What should male allies do if a woman discusses her experience with gender bias
3:40 How to move from being a bystander to an upstander
4:13, 7:37 Does the U.S. being so litigious hamper conversations about gender bias
5:50 Story of a male boss who says “my wife will be jealous if I interact with female colleagues," how this view helps men get ahead of women, and strategies to counter
9:25 Job description best practices
10:10 Rethink whether a college degree is necessary for all jobs
10:45 Check job descriptions for masculine word choices like rockstar, driven, aggressive, and “right-hand man” because some women won’t apply
12:40 Use diverse hiring panels so applicants see themselves on the hiring team
13:51 It’s not challenging to find women applicants if you look in the right places and have the right hiring practices
14:50 The difference between a “culture fit” and a “culture add” - we need more “culture adds” and less “culture fits” in organizations today
19:18 Per Dr. Talitha Washington at Spelman College, HBCUs are excellent places to find Black women for STEM and other roles
17:40 Women receive less actionable feedback than men
18:45 The danger of “benevolent sexism” and “gatekeeping”
19:45 Story about male employee saying that a woman wouldn’t want a role because of her young children
21:48 Strategies when people are resistant to change - focus on what you can do and don’t worry about everyone else
22:35 How to be a “ripple” within your organization
23:25 How to incent people to be better allies through compensation and bonuses
24:21 “Stop trying to change women” is an element of the Parity Prescription
25:20 Strategies to adapt the workplace to be more inclusive of all instead of pressuring women and other people who are underrepresented to change
30:15 Confirmation hearing of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
30:45 Harmful effect of extra credential questioning to try to cast doubt on qualifications
32:38 Women and other people who are underrepresented face “prove it again” bias
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
After 25 years as a senior leader in tech, Karen Catlin saw a decline in the numbers of women in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, Karen became an author and coach focusing on helping women navigate the male-dominated tech industry and coaching men to be better allies. In this episode, Karen gives us 10 tips to be better allies.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create More Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces
Karen Catlin's list of 50 privileges
Waking Up White by Debby Irving
20 Books to Help Break the Bias for a More Gender Equal World
1:28 Introduction of Karen Catlin
5:12 What to do if a woman’s idea is hijacked in a meeting
8:09 How to understand your own privilege
14:11 How to talk to people who are resistant to change
17:09 Advocate by finding common ground and describing your own learning journey
19:27 Allies will make mistakes
21:47 How to avoid “Just Like Me Networks”
26:52 How White women can be better allies for Black and other women of color
34:42 Practice makes perfect
In this episode, we discuss how to gender sleuth so you can detect when people are responding to the often hidden pressure of gender stereotypes. When we unwittingly conform to gender stereotypes, women face increased gender bias, particularly in male-dominated workplaces and as they move up the career ladder. We offer solutions with 4 action steps so women and male allies can snuff out gender bias.
Despite the pay equity win by the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, the gender wage gap persists. In this episode, we discuss how the gap is measured, how some companies like L’Oreal, Starbucks, and Salesforce are making a difference, and how TEA - Transparency, Education, and Audit - can reduce the gap. Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below. 1:40 What is the gender wage gap, what are the gender wage gap facts, and solutions for equal pay
2:14 Why are women paid less than men
3:08 How is the pay gap calculated
4:10 American Progress is a top expert
4:45 Gender pay gap and gender stereotypes
5:10 Women are funneled into jobs with low wages and benefits
5:27 Men are funneled into jobs with high wages and benefits
7:42 Gender pay gap at the top percentile of wage earners
9:41 Motherhood penalty Economic Policy Institute article
11:40 Most educated demographic
12:59 Gender wage gap statistics
14:45 Wage gap for Black men
14:58 Intersectionality and the wage gap
15:27 Gender wage gap statistics
17:45 LeanIn.Org survey about the gender pay gap
19:34 L'Oreal and Angela Guy used the EDGE certification
21:32 Starbucks commitment to achieve a zero pay gap
22:53 Salesforce reduced the wage gap
24:23 Pay Transparency and the gender wage gap
25:03 What if employer asks for salary history
26:00 Consolidations and pay gaps
26:53 Gender roles household chores
29:10 What are unconscious bias examples
How to Uncover Unconscious Bias so We Can See Women
Only Wonder Women Need Apply: Solutions for Working Moms
29:50 Wage gap audits
31:26 Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation hearings
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email us CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com
We’ve been called bellicose, belligerent, and bombastic, and connected with male allies at banana stands, and through these experiences, we have solutions for you to break the bias. Together with guests Lilian Agyemang-Yeboah and Ashia Johnson, we offer over 20 ways that you can break the bias, the 2022 International Women’s Day theme.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
1:54 Introduction of Guests
2:15, Lilian Agyemang-Yeboah
- Born and raised in Ghana
- Plastics engineering degree from UMass - Lowell
- Current position is an applications engineer at a life sciences company
- Host of new podcast to be launched by SPE - Plastics and Beyond Podcast
2:30, 3:33 Aisha Johnson - she, her, hers
- Moved 7 times growing up so she is accustomed to building relationships and starting anew
- Currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and does CSR and Sustainability work for Amazon
- Mother is a role model
- Co-Host of The Core Intentions Podcast
International Women’s Day
7:37 2022 theme is #breakthebias - see IWD resources
7:50 We need more attention on unconscious bias
Stories of Bias
9:32 Interruptions during meetings and calls
9:40 Feeling of invisibility during meetings
10:45 Being called bellicose, belligerent, and bombastic
11:36 Suggestion that men do the heavy lifting with the woman doing the simple task
14:25, 17:05 Male boss thinks you are pretty
17:32 Mindset of women as we dress for work
18:45 Women face a double bind: we need to show up with make-up at work but we can’t show up with too much make-up at work
19:10 Expectations of how women show up on camera during the pandemic
20:14 Intersectionality of Sexism and Racism
20:36, 21:20 Difficult or impossible to disentangle sexism vs. racism
21:40 Intersectional experience
21:48 Focus on what you can control
Tips to Break the Bias
22:42 Manage your own bias - start with the Harvard Implicit Bias test
24:00 Create diverse teams
24:35 Use diverse hiring panels and diverse pools of applicants
25:26 Educate yourself and others on unconscious bias - don’t try to solve the problem without understanding it first
26:09 Bring men into the conversation - lean in male allies
27:00 Focus on inclusion and equity
27:30 Give everyone an opportunity to speak up
27:34 Create a culture of psychological safety
28:11 Lead with empathy - be emotionally and mentally open for change
28:41 Be an active listener
29:15 Build relationships with people who are different from you
30:14, 32:19 Be a mentor to someone who is underrepresented - give guidance and career advice
30:14, 32:26 Be a sponsor to someone who is underrepresented - be an advocate, help with promotions, say our names in rooms where we are not present, help move our careers, pull women up as allies move up
34:45 Male allies should first consider the possibility that a woman experienced bias
36:36 A women should develop a plan before discussing that she experienced bias
38:48, 40:43 When dealing with trolls, first protect yourself - consider blocking or reporting trolls when the comments occur repeatedly
42:50 Don’t feed the trolls
43:50 Remind people that DEI is about inclusion and not exclusion or throwing anyone out
45:40 Discuss bias after “the heat of the moment” - don’t turn the other cheek every time
46:50 Beware of bullies particularly during the early stages of a career
49:42 Don’t let the bully intimidate you or impact your work performance
50:09 Consider the power dynamic before taking on a bully
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
In this final Episode of 2021, Cathy and Deborah share their favorite tips for achieving parity, discuss the latest data on women in the workplace, and look forward to 2022 and blowing up the status quo. Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Most Positive Developments for Women in 2021
2:24 We are finally discussing unconscious bias, intersectionality challenges for women who identify as BIPOC, and burnout for women
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Only Wonder Women Need Apply: Solutions for Working Moms; Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
3:34 We are pivoting towards real changes because people are being real about their needs
Most Negative Impacts for Women in 2021
6:10 Most experts believe that it will now take 135 years (up from 100 years) to achieve gender parity due to COVID’s increased pressure on women
-and 1 in 3 women has considered leaving the workforce (up from 1 in 40 women considering leaving in 2020)
McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2021; COVID19's Impact on Women's Employment by McKinsey; COVID widened the gender gap, CNBC
8:30 Millions of women have dropped from the workforce
-women are overrepresented in underpaid jobs and some of these jobs disappeared due to COVID
-burnout resulting from gender bias at work and at home
OxFam International and Women in Low-Wage Jobs are Underpaid and Overloaded, Atlantic Monthly and McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2021
Did the Parity Prescription Hold Up During 2021?
9:40 The Parity Prescription is:
S - Stop Trying to Change Women
C - Create Diverse Teams
R - Recognize Unconscious Bias
I - Intentionally Include
P - Partner with Men as Allies
T - Talk about the Issues
How the Parity Prescription Can Work for You
10:20 The Parity Prescription doesn’t completely address the challenges of childcare
12:42 The Parity Prescription is backed by research and studies, is common sense, and aligns with basic societal expectations about how we treat each other
Most Important Elements of the Parity Prescription
15:16 Recognize Unconscious Bias
-need broader understanding to see and recognize bias, particular by straight white men who aren’t negatively impacted by gender bias
-most people want fairness but gender bias is not fair
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Only Wonder Women Need Apply: Solutions for Working Moms; Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
16:44 Stop Trying to Change Women
-teaching women to empower themselves isn’t enough
-we need more authenticity in the workplace and alliances with men
Resources: How to Fight Gender Inequality with our Parity Prescription, How to Discovery and FLEX Your Authenticity at Work
Season 1 Accomplishments
Rated #6 for podcasts focused on gender!
19:30 Covered many of the fundamentals
20:55 Framework offers real solutions
-Dr. Nithila Peter and Tracy J. Edmonds added tremendous value during Season 1
Surprises and Fave Moments
22:37 Thanks to
-Faith Blackwell - photography
-Kathleen Fennessy - logo and trademark
-Laura Scott - LLC
-Isabel Robertson - podcast editing
-Dr. Nithila Peter reviewed Season 1 scripts
-Allison Lin gave us a shout-out in Plastics News
-we heard from so many listeners
-grateful for the men who showed up
25:30 Explicit gender bias continues to be a problem and women often do not have a satisfactory way to deal with gender bias so they change jobs
27:40 There is too much pressure on women to keep quiet
-women are told “don’t play the victim”
29:21 People of all genders rate women higher than men on 19 of 21 core leadership competencies but women aren’t being promoted into leadership roles due to unconscious bias
5 Steps to Achieve Increased Leadership by Women
32:25 Tremendous resources to help impact real change including
Better Allies by Karen Catlin
All Report by Diane Primo
Diversity Lab
34:01 Fave podcasting moments
-when Cathy and Deborah make genuine connection, laugh, aha moments
-authenticity discussion
How to Discovery and FLEX Your Authenticity at Work
Top Tips
36:41 You should test your own unconscious bias with a free online tool at Harvard's Implicit Bias Test. The Equalist app is another tool to consider.
37:11 Women are leaning in and we need men to also lean in and meet us halfway.
How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Apple); How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
39:28 Everyone in the workplace should “Shake, Not Stir” and create as many interactions between people from underrepresented groups
5 Action Steps to Shake It Up With Greater Gender Diversity and Inclusion (Apple); 5 Actions Steps to Shake It Up with Greater Gender Diversity and Inclusion (Spotify)
40:25 Do not presume that men have higher competencies than women just because of gender
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women
40:54 Male allies, ask women what they need
How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Apple); How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
41:48 Watch for the SIGNPOSTS of a good culture including organizations with clear, gender-neutral communications and a real suggestion box
8 Signposts of Cultures Where Women Thrive, Parity Podcast (Apple); 8 Signposts of Cultures Where Women Thrive, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
Parity Podcast Metrics
43:28 Season 1 Metrics
-Most downloaded episode How to Fight Gender Inequality with our Parity Prescription
-Second most downloaded episode is The Treasure Trove of Emotional Intelligence, Interview of Dr. Nithila Peter
-Top countries tuning in are United States, India, UK, and Germany
Sneak Peek for Season 2
47:48 Topics will include masculinity, the gender pay gap and more
Save the Date of March 8, 2022 for the Parity Podcast group discussion with guests Ashia Johnson and Lilian Agyemang-Yeboah as we discuss ways to #breakthebias for International Women's Day
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
In this episode, Tracy J. Edmonds, the author of Wild Hair and the owner of TJE Coaching and Consulting, explains how authenticity can disrupt gender bias, help us connect with others, and transform women into more effective and visible leaders.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Intro
1:20 Tracy J. Edmonds is a mom, coach, consultant, and author of Wild Hair
Episode Breakdown
1:55 In today’s episode we discuss:
- What is authenticity and how do we discover who we are
- How does authenticity impact leadership, working moms, vulnerability, and workplace culture
- How does authenticity relate to each element of the Parity Prescription and practical advice for listeners striving to be authentic at work
Who is Tracy J. Edmonds?
2:35 Recovering corporate soldier, 31 year corporate veteran, former Chief Diversity Officer of Fortune 500 company
2:53 Pivoting to entrepreneurship and unlearning in order to chart a new path
3:00 Now coaches women and offers diversity consulting - TJE Coaching & Consulting, LLC
What is authenticity?
3:30 Important for women to be authentic but it is challenging in male-dominated organizations and industries
4:00 Definitions of authentic, Webster's definition
4:12 Authenticity is also being true to yourself
4:40 We all have different lived experiences and being true to ourselves is different for each of us
How do we discover our own authenticity?
5:15 Discovering your own authenticity is challenging
5:30 Don’t assume that you know who you are
5:54 We are often defined by expectations of others
6:16 Discovering your own authenticity is a journey and takes time
6:20 4 principles of authenticity
- Self honesty - look internally about who you are and what you want
- Courage - how do you put your fear in action
- Confidence - have a healthy respect for who you are and your abilities
- Resilience - stay the course over a lifetime
7:50 Tracy’s motivation to write Wild Hair
8:55 Tracy’s moments of dissonance or disagreements between her authentic self and what was expected of her
9:15 Tracy straightened her hair for many years
10:25 As the Chief Diversity Officer, she decided to make a change and wear her hair naturally - this was Tracy’s “wild hair moment”
10:55 Tracy’s actions were freeing for many women, particularly Black women
11:50 Too much emphasis on women’s appearances and impact of COVID
12:45 COVID created chaos but that gives us the opportunity to make change
How does authenticity impact leadership, working moms, vulnerability, and workplace culture?
14:40 People rate women highly on leadership skills but men recieve more leadership roles
15:00 Authentic leadership can help women be seen inside organizations and disrupt unconscious bias
15:45 Women don’t need to check the box for all requirements to lean in and seek leadership opportunities
17:00 It is empowering for women to think about:
- What is it that I do that no one else can?
- What makes me unique?
- What impact can I make through what I have and what I do?
18:30 Increased focus on mothers due to COVID
19:05 Understanding your own authenticity can help you navigate motherhood/parenthood
19:45 Story of woman preparing for maternity leave
20:55 Greatest challenge is when we’re out of integrity with ourselves (ie, working instead of attending a baseball game or vice versa)
21:40 Easy for us to “lose ourselves” as we struggle to keep up with work and personal life
23:10 Navigating careers and work-life balance is easier when there are male allies providing support
23:42 Importance of vulnerability in being authentic
24:50 Only be vulnerable when it adds value - being overly vulnerable or giving TMI can be harmful
25:30 Underrepresented groups have more on the line than others so we need to be careful about vulnerability
26:23 Being authentically vulnerable can create authentic connections
28:23 Tips for being vulnerable:
- Always add value when seeking new connections
- Give context to your story
- Speak a universal truth
30:35 When is it time to leave your job? Consider, what are your goals/values and can your organization help you meet those goals/values
30:45 Changing culture is challenging to execute and takes time
34:20 Maya Angelou quote: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
34:25 Great Resignation: We can't unsee what we saw and unlearn progress like acceleration of digitization and success of WFH.
36:33 COVID caused us to reprioritize our lives
37:02 Work is an activity and not a place
How does authenticity relate to each element of the Parity Prescription and practical advice for listeners striving to be authentic at work?
38:50 The Parity Prescription is:
Stop Trying to Change Women
Create Diverse Teams
Recognize Unconscious Bias
Intentionally Include
Partner with Men as Allies
Talk About the Issues
39:27 How can women resist the very real pressure to conform?
40:45 Many women feel pressure to conform - don’t work where you are “less than” or must conform, but have a plan before walking out the door
42:00 When women are on boards and in senior leadership roles, organizations have better financial outcomes
42:27 Men can be terrific allies and are often those men with daughters or who are married to BIPOC women
43:10 Tips to detect pressure to conform
44:40 We all show up in different ways and leaders don’t always look the same
45:00 Example of woman who conformed and modeled the behavior of men to get to the top but it took her 2x as long as her male peers
46:25 Women experience unconscious bias in different ways
47:18 Black women have additional unconscious biases to navigate - intersectionality is a challenge
48:18 Trust can be a challenge for women at work
50:30 Story of how authenticity can disrupt unconscious bias
52:57 Practical tips to increase inclusion
- Remember that the world is bigger than your backyard
- Work with different people
- Make sure the introverts have space to speak up on calls
- Be willing to be vulnerable
- Have a learning mindset
56:18 Effective male allies need to be vulnerable and admit that they don’t know everything; reflect on times when they were in a group, didn’t fit in, and they knew it.
59:55 The shadow of top leaders creates culture and they need to set the tone so that it is ok to talk about the issues
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Today’s Guest: Tracy J. Edmonds
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
Women receive mixed messages to be authentic but also to conform, fall in line, fit in. It’s a challenging tightrope to walk but we have solutions. In this episode, learn how to discover your own authenticity, and then how to FLEX so that you can contribute at work in a way that reflects who you are.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Intro
2:10 Women are told to be authentic but also to conform
2:29 We need to stop trying to change women
3:00 Mixed signals start at birth
5:05 Girls are trained to smile, be pleasant, play well with others
6:00 Sometimes we don’t know who we are
Episode Breakdown
6:19 In today’s episode we will discuss:
- What is authenticity and what are tips for you to best discover who you are
- Why is authenticity at work critical
- How can you navigate between being authentic and the pressure to conform or fit in
6:40 Tracy J. Edmonds author of Wild Hair
Tips to Discover Your Authenticity
9:20 Definitions of authentic
Webster's definition
10:35 Uncover authenticity by asking
- who or what you trust
- what you cherish
- what brings meaning and purpose to your life
- what gives you peace
Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads
12:45 (Cathy), 16:12 (Deborah) Who or what you trust answers
18:22 (Deborah), 19:50 (Cathy) What do you cherish answers
22:20 (Cathy), 24:40 (Deborah) What brings meaning and purpose to your life answers
28:25 (Deborah), 29:28 (Cathy) What gives you peace answers
30:46 (Cathy), 32:05 (Deborah) 3 characteristics or values
35:05 Strengths Finder by Tom Rath
35:30 Women have to prove themselves over and over again
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women
Why Authenticity Matters at Work
36:36 Inauthenticity akes you feel uncomfortable
36:58 Story of friend rated poorly because she was being authentic
38:15 ⅓ employees feel pressure to conform
How to Be More Authentic at Work by Dr. Patricia Hewlin
38:30 Examples are:
-parents downplay importance of parenting
-employees won’t wear clothing reflecting their religion
-people stay silent on social justice issues
-people don’t speak up about inequity or workplace microaggressions
38:58 We learn when to smile, frown, nod
How to Be More Authentic at Work by Dr. Patricia Hewlin
39:27 Being authentic improves marketing skills
How to Express Authenticity - Flexing
40:20 What is flexing
40:38 Tips for those early in career
40:52 Tips for interviews
41:40 Using authenticity to nudge culture in the right direction
42:01 Examples:
-Don’t like sports
-Social justice issue matters to you
-Challenges with parenting
42:28 Tip for allies
42:45 Flex through vulnerability
42:50 What is vulnerability
Books by Dr. Brene Brown
43:30 Dr. Brene Brown 2010 Ted Talk: The Power of Vulnerability
43:44 Vulnerability births innovation, creativity, change
Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, innovation, and change by Dr. Brene Brown
44:35 Importance of:
Sharing new ideas at work
Disagreeing with someone at work
Admitting that you made a mistake
46:36 Risks of flexing authenticity
47:40 Leaders should model authenticity
48:20 Parity in Play
48:34 Afghan women and girls
CSIS article
48:54 Girls barred from secondary school
BBC article
49:10 Unconscious bias in the US
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women
Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Contributor: Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
Juggling work and motherhood is a bone-weary challenge unless you’re Wonder Woman. While women’s skills grow after becoming mothers, we often face biases that stall careers. The pandemic made the situation more dire but now is a golden opportunity to find solutions with the Parity Prescription.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Intro
00:27 Time for gender parity increased from 100 to 135 yrs; COVID widened the gender gap, CNBC
5:23 Need workplace support; Unfinished Business by Anne Marie Slaughter
Unique Skills of Working Moms
8:29 Skills grow; Modern Family Index; Why Mothers Make Excellent Employees, DiversityQ
12:42 Skills developed as mothers
13:35 Remain calm under pressure
14:29 Improve communication skills
14:50 Hone negotiation skills
15:10 Improve creativity
Biases Against Mothers
16:19 50% believe mothers are less committed to work; Modern Family Index
17:54 Mothers MORE devoted
18:25 Won’t “half-ass” my job - kids are watching
19:08 Sleep deprived v. less interest
20:00 Moms lose opportunities
20:15 ‘She won’t have time’
20:37 “Benevolent” leaders harm careers
20:42 Fathers face bias too
21:15 Women judged for flex schedules; Modern Family Index
21:32 Motherhood biases + regular biases against women; How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Apple); How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Spotify); Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
12:03 Boss not supportive
22:20 Will mother return to work?
23:44 Miscarriage, morning sickness, breast pumping at work
25:02 Common questions causing guilt
27:44 Child crying on Zoom
28:30 Opportunities given to less qualified employees; The Wage Gap is Wider for Working Mothers; The Hazard of the Motherhood Penalty
29:16 Mothers MORE ambitious; For mothers in the workplace, a year (and counting) like no other, McKinsey
30:44 Women do more housework; Mothers' Careers Are At Extraordinary Risk Right Now, Atlantic Monthly
32:01 Work culture; 8 Signposts of Cultures Where Women Thrive, Parity Podcast (Apple); 8 Signposts of Cultures Where Women Thrive, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
Impact of COVID
32:56 Job losses; OxFam International
34:10 Women overrepresented in low wage jobs; Women in Low-Wage Jobs are Underpaid and Overloaded, Atlantic Monthly
34:29 Working thru pandemic
36:22 Feeling judged; Mothers' Careers Are At Extraordinary Risk Right Now, For mothers in the workplace, a year (and counting) like no other
Solutions
37:45 Parity Prescription helps; How the Parity Prescription Can Work for You
38:29 Recognize Unconscious Bias; How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Apple); How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Spotify); Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
39:29 Focus on skills
40:51 Partner with Allies; How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Apple); How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
41:15 Allies at home
44:15 Allies at work
49:19 Talk About the Issues; How to Have Tough Conversations at Work, Parity Prescription (Apple); How to Have Tough Conversations at Work, Parity Prescription (Spotify)
Parity in Play
51:05 Some universities not supportive of women in STEM programs; The Parent Trap: Scholars find antagonism towards motherhood dissuades women from pursuing academic science careers, UC Santa Barbara, July 15, 2021
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Contributor: Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
Business culture can make or break your career. It’s that invisible but ever-present force that determines whether you are seen and heard, welcomed and respected. In this episode, you will learn the eight signposts of a robust culture where women-- and everyone --can thrive.
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn.
We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
Emotional Intelligence - understanding ourselves and relating to others - will help us achieve parity. Join us as we interview Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads to learn how to improve your emotional intelligence and how EI helps us implement the Parity Prescription.
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn. We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
A majority of people rate women higher than men for leadership skills. Studies show that many of the core competencies necessary for success as a leader are competencies at which women excel. Despite these strengths as leaders, men are more often awarded the coveted positions of power. In this episode, we will explore why and propose 5 steps to promote women into more leadership roles.
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn. We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
Women are frequently encouraged to “lean in,” but we can only lean in so far before we lose our balance. Men, we need you to lean in as allies and meet us halfway because we cannot achieve parity without you. In this episode, we teach allies how to be effective by being mentors, sponsors, partners, and collaborators with women, and we guide women on how to identify and partner with male allies.
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn. We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
Want to talk about gender inequality at work? Having those tough conversations is critical to achieving workplace parity, and in this episode, we will give you a framework so you can consider when and how to start.
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn.
We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
In this episode, we will lay out the business case for diversity and inclusion and give you 5 actions steps so that everyone feels welcome, connected, and included in your organization.
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn.
We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
In this episode, we will examine the science and culture which causes unconscious bias which can make women seem invisible, and we will bust some myths along the way. Spoiler Alert: Women don’t talk too much!
You can find the resources that we used for this episode at www.par-ity.com and we would love to hear from you at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to this podcast so that you don’t miss a single episode.
You can also find the hosts Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick on LinkedIn. We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
In the premiere episode of the Parity Podcast, we discuss the dismal state of workplace gender equality, explore the working world by looking at the numbers, and make the case for our signature Parity Prescription.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Intro
0:20 Experts believe that it will take 100 years to achieve gender parity [after the recording of this episode, the World Economic Forum has extended the time to achieve gender parity to ~135 years]
World Economic Forum
1:48 We have been treating the symptoms instead of the cause of gender inequality and that needs to change
3:07 Our goal is to arm you with information, data, and ideas
3:35 Objective is to increase success of listeners and we want to hear from you
4:55 We will be light on the chit chat and show you evidence-based solutions
State of Women as of March 2021
5:39 Women are trailing men in the workplace by most measurements
6:07 Gender bias is a challenge
7:18 Harmful for women to blame themselves for career hurdles without considering the impact of gender bias
8:07 Parity means an equal opportunity to succeed
9:06 Women are superstars in college and earn more degrees than men at all college levels
LeanIn and McKinsey 2020 Report
9:30 Beginning with the first promotion, more men than women advance
LeanIn and McKinsey 2020 Report
Fast Company article
10:42 Women should win a higher percentage of early promotions because we have more college degrees
10:55 Only 37% of managers, 29% of senior manager, and 23% of executive managers are women
Catalyst article
LeanIn and McKinsey 2020 Report
11:50 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women
LeanIn and McKinsey 2020 Report
Washington State University article
12:30 We Can Do Hard Things
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Parity Prescription
12:50 We can accelerate gender parity with our signature Parity Prescription
How the Parity Prescription Can Work for You
13:45 Elements of the Parity Prescription are:
S - Stop Trying to Change Women
C - Create Diverse Teams
R - Recognize Unconscious Bias
I - Intentionally Include
P - Partner with Men as Allies
T - Talk About the Issues
Stop Trying to Change Women
14:44 Women are constantly encouraged to change - we’re told how to think, act, behave, be confident, etc.
15:35 Women don’t need “special help” - workplaces need to accept our authenticity
16:30 Women have to navigate unconscious bias and cultures built by men in male-dominated workplaces
17:29 Impact of “me too”
18:10 Role of personal responsibility
18:35 Women shouldn’t be expected to behave like men
19:05 In male-dominated organizations, success often looks like a man and not a woman
19:55 We all need to work together for continuous improvement to nudge workplace cultures in the right direction
Create Diverse Teams
20:30 Create Diverse Teams for more profitability and employee job satisfaction
21:30 Example of a customer meeting lacking diversity on one side
22:16 Importance of empathy as we work towards more diverse teams; try to avoid excluding and instead consider expanding the team
23:33 We’re all carrying a heavy backpack uphill and it’s a question of how many rocks we are each carrying
Recognize Unconscious Bias
24:55 Recognize Unconscious Bias because we all have it
Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
27:02 It is challenging to overcome unconscious bias
28:55 Need to check our own unconscious bias - we will do a deeper dive on unconscious bias
Episode 2: How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women
Intentionally Include
29:30 Importance of Intentional Inclusion
30:30 We All Want to Be Invited to the Party
Intentional Inclusiveness in Community Renaissance by Scott Wylie
30:38 Women and people in other underrepresented groups are often excluded in the workplace
31:30 People have poorer work experiences when they are not intentionally included
32:00 Consider eye contact, interruptions, etc. when you try to intentionally include
Conversation Starters To Intentionally Include
Partner with Men as Allies
32:25 We need men to make progress
33:00 Men often show interest but sometimes don’t know how to help
33:15 We will talk more about male allies in a future episode
Episode 5 - How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity
34:10 Women need to have more conversations with men
Talk About the Issues
34:42 Change is accomplished by speaking up
35:12 One person can make organizational change
35:30 We will talk more on this topic in a future episode
How to Have Tough Conversations At Work
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Contributor: Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
