{"id":88803,"date":"2021-07-06T09:45:44","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T13:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/?p=88803"},"modified":"2021-07-06T09:37:36","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T13:37:36","slug":"equitable-work-environment-for-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/blog\/equitable-work-environment-for-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating a More Equitable Work Environment for Women"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Covid-19 pandemic offered an unflinching look at the structures upholding social inequality. We\u2019ve seen this in a multitude of ways: the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/public-and-social-sector\/our-insights\/covid-19-investing-in-black-lives-and-livelihoods\">disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Black communities<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/asian-america\/anti-asian-hate-crimes-increased-nearly-150-2020-mostly-n-n1260264\">near-150% surge<\/a> in anti-Asian hate crimes, and the droves of women leaving the workplace in the past year (stoking fears of a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bc.edu\/content\/dam\/files\/centers\/cwf\/research\/Publication%20Images\/COVID%20stand-alone%2012-7-20.pdf\">female recession<\/a>\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>In the U.S., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/about-us\/covid-response-center\/leadership-mindsets\/webinars\/women-in-the-workplace-2020-progress-toward-gender-equality\">five years\u2019 worth<\/a> of women\u2019s professional progress hangs in the balance. Currently, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/featured-insights\/diversity-and-inclusion\/seven-charts-that-show-covid-19s-impact-on-womens-employment\">one in four women<\/a> are considering leaving their job or downshifting their career (as opposed to one in five men). And while this pressure on women is widespread, it\u2019s not evenly dispersed. Black women are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/about-us\/new-at-mckinsey-blog\/how-are-working-women-doing-during-covid-19-our-women-in-the-workplace-study-explores\">3x more likely<\/a> to report the death of a loved one during the pandemic, and mothers with young children are leaving their careers at a higher rate.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s clear that we\u2019re at a pivotal moment for women in the workplace \u2013\u00a0one that we can hopefully course correct with both individual and company-wide action. This was the focus of our most recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/insider\/learn\/webinars\/women-in-tech\/\"><em>Building Better <\/em><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/insider\/learn\/webinars\/women-in-tech\/\">webinar<\/a> (part of our larger series dedicated to candid discussions on workplace culture, and encouraging equality and diversity).<\/p>\n<p>I had the honor of hosting that panel and was joined by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lauraadint\/\">Laura Adint<\/a>, VP of Sales Operations at Drift<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lynnesambishop\/\">Sam Bishop<\/a>, Head of Analytics at edX<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/cullenerin\/\">Erin Cullen<\/a>, VP of Sales at Brightcove<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jenniferrenna75\/\">Jen Renna<\/a>, VP of Customer Success Management at Rapid7<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Keep reading for a recap of the panel\u2019s insights into how we can create a more equitable work environment for women.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Balancing our personal and professional lives <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Compartmentalizing often feels like the price for appearing \u201cprofessional.\u201d It\u2019s this pressure to not allow our personal lives to interfere with our work, or risk calling into question our commitment to a company. As Sam Bishop said, \u201cI think there\u2019s still some implicit bias when you might leave early, because you have a pediatric appointment or whatever it might be&#8230;\u201d \u2013 this idea that you\u2019re not fully invested.<\/p>\n<p>But in the past year, the divide between our professional and personal lives was blurred. In Bishop\u2019s words,<em> \u201cI\u2019ve often been in the minority in my department, my function, et cetera. And it was always very challenging to try to balance, and keep separate, work from my life: being a mother, being a partner, a homeowner, whatever it might be, from someone who&#8217;s driven in their career&#8230;If there&#8217;s one silver lining of last year, it\u2019s that all companies have been forced to realize that we are not two different people.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88797\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Sam-Bishop-quote.jpg\" alt=\"women in tech\" width=\"1200\" height=\"627\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Right now, the future of work is fluid. As businesses consider their timeline for reopening offices, or offering more flexibility with remote work, they have an opportunity to alleviate some of the pressures placed on employees.<\/p>\n<p>As Jen Renna said, \u201cWe&#8217;re all adults and we trust our teams and employees to do what they need to do to get their job done&#8230;When we think of, <em>what does returning to work look like? <\/em>It has to be through that lens of equality, and how do we make it as equal as we can for everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For example, not expecting parents to return to the office before they have the support of schools and daycares reopening, or setting up boundaries around when meetings are scheduled to encourage work-life balance.<\/p>\n<p>At edX, management found that requiring cameras to be on during meetings was more burdensome for women (who experienced higher rates of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellhealth.com\/women-report-higher-levels-of-zoom-fatigue-5179875\">Zoom fatigue<\/a>). Moving forward, they made sure that cameras were optional for meetings \u2013 a small adjustment that likely had a big impact on avoiding burnout.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Be intentional about advocating for equality<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Conversations on equality and diversity are often driven by two questions: what needs to change, and what meaningful action can we take to make that happen?<\/p>\n<p>Laura Adint\u2019s advice? Be intentional in your efforts.<\/p>\n<p>One way she\u2019s done this is through recruiting. When evaluating different candidates for a position, Adint asks: are we showing bias in a particular profile? Where have we been looking for these candidates? Are there internal candidates that are being passed over?<\/p>\n<p>Jen Renna also called out the importance of applicants seeing diversity at the companies they\u2019re applying to. Or as she put it, <em>\u201cWe will never be able to increase diversity if we don\u2019t have a diverse interview panel.\u201d<\/em> People want to see themselves reflected in the organization, and know that they\u2019ll have an opportunity to advance in their career.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88799\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Jen-Renna-quote.jpg\" alt=\"women in tech\" width=\"1200\" height=\"627\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Tackling these subjects head-on is the best way to root out any unconscious biases that may be holding people back. Because, how can you rectify something you haven\u2019t recognized?<\/p>\n<p>For instance, women often feel the pressure to soften their tone, or be extra accommodating to avoid coming across as abrasive. One symptom of this is constantly tacking on \u201csorry\u201d to certain requests or questions. Jen Renna sees this regularly, noting, \u201cOne of the biggest things I coach women on is to not apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In fact, Harvard Business Review <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2016\/04\/research-vague-feedback-is-holding-women-back\">studied over 200 performance reviews<\/a> at a tech company and found that it was much more common for women to be called \u201ctoo aggressive.\u201d (76% of women\u2019s reviews had this type of feedback, compared to only 24% of men\u2019s.)<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a double-standard that can quickly undermine a woman\u2019s career. And as Erin Cullen pointed out, \u201cMe holding you accountable, isn&#8217;t me being aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Strengthen your network <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For a long time, there\u2019s been this romanticized idea of <em>the grind \u2013 <\/em>this always-online, answering-emails-after-hours, no-days-off mentality. But it isn\u2019t sustainable.<\/p>\n<p>Erin Cullen weighed in on this,<em> \u201cWe&#8217;ve grown up being told to be self-sufficient, to take care of everything, and handle everything that&#8217;s thrown at us. We&#8217;re now in a place where we need to tap back into the community, and make sure that we&#8217;re working together, not just going on a project completely alone and nobody knows what we&#8217;re doing.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Erin-Cullen-quote.jpg\" alt=\"women in tech\" width=\"1200\" height=\"627\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As leaders at different organizations, we have the power to help break this cycle, which Sam Bishop recognized, \u201cIt&#8217;s important for folks to understand that, I also have vulnerabilities, and it&#8217;s okay to ask for support, or flexibility if you need it. We should feel safe to do that, and foster that environment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Having this support can only make us more productive. We all have different strengths to bring to the table. Erin Cullen thinks of it like this: \u201c<em>Who is helping me with my blindspots? <\/em>I have folks at Brightcove and outside of work, who I&#8217;ve worked with before, who\u2019ve helped me navigate certain issues or problems. You need to nurture those relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These relationships go both ways: <a href=\"https:\/\/cmopodcast.drift.com\/public\/13\/CMO-Conversations-29272\/954d2416\">mentorship<\/a> plays a huge role in helping people advance in their careers.<\/p>\n<p>Laura Adint described one example of this, \u201cI have somebody in my organization, and saw that she was a little unsure of herself. And I just reached out to her and said, <em>Hey, I\u2019ve actually looked at your work and you do an amazing job. Feel very comfortable that you can talk to VPS. <\/em>If you need to practice with me, great, or if you want me to set you up with a couple other people to practice with, I can help you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88798\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Laura-Adint-quote.jpg\" alt=\"women in tech\" width=\"1200\" height=\"627\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Rotational work is another great way to help employees learn about different aspects of the business, and better prepare themselves for leadership roles. But it\u2019s also about encouraging confidence in one\u2019s abilities.<\/p>\n<p>On the panel, there was an overarching agreement that women often feel as though they need to constantly \u201cprove themselves.\u201d As Adint described it, \u201cYou don\u2019t get the benefit of the doubt. You have to demonstrate your competence. It\u2019s not necessarily assumed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I think everyone agrees that the best candidate is always the one who should be given the position. But is every candidate getting a fair shot at it? That\u2019s more difficult to answer.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Final thought<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s disheartening to see the ripple effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on women\u2019s professional development. But together, we can change this pattern.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a matter of challenging the status quo and acknowledging the obstacles placed in women\u2019s paths. And on an individual level, it\u2019s about seizing those opportunities to support and encourage one another.<\/p>\n<p>Want to get all the insights from this incredible panel? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/insider\/learn\/webinars\/women-in-tech\/\">Watch the full recording here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/insider\/learn\/webinars\/women-in-tech\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88796\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Women-in-the-Tech-Industry-watch-now.jpg\" alt=\"women in tech\" width=\"1200\" height=\"627\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Covid-19 pandemic offered an unflinching look at the structures upholding social inequality. We\u2019ve seen this in a multitude of ways: the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Black communities, the near-150% surge in anti-Asian hate crimes, and the droves of women leaving the workplace in the past year (stoking fears of a \u201cfemale recession\u201d). In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":88802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[79,42],"tags":[116,262],"acf":{"evergreen_content":false,"hero_image":{"ID":88801,"id":88801,"title":"Elevating women in techHERO","filename":"Elevating-women-in-techHERO-scaled.jpg","filesize":199588,"url":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-scaled.jpg","alt":"women in tech","author":"109","description":"","caption":"","name":"wp-attachment-wp-attachment-wp-attachment-elevating-women-in-techhero","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":88803,"date":"2021-07-06 13:24:14","modified":"2021-07-06 13:29:00","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1244,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-scaled.jpg","medium-width":2560,"medium-height":1244,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-scaled.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":373,"large":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-scaled.jpg","large-width":2560,"large-height":1244,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-1536x747.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":747,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-2048x996.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":996,"third_width_square":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-324x324.jpg","third_width_square-width":324,"third_width_square-height":324,"profile_24":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-24x24.jpg","profile_24-width":24,"profile_24-height":24,"profile_48":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-48x48.jpg","profile_48-width":48,"profile_48-height":48,"profile_96":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-96x96.jpg","profile_96-width":96,"profile_96-height":96,"profile_150":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-150x150.jpg","profile_150-width":150,"profile_150-height":150,"profile_300":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-techHERO-300x300.jpg","profile_300-width":300,"profile_300-height":300}},"inject_into_header":"","include_customer_story_fields":false,"index_image":{"ID":88802,"id":88802,"title":"Elevating women in tech INDEX UNFURL","filename":"Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","filesize":420177,"url":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","alt":"women in tech","author":"109","description":"","caption":"","name":"wp-attachment-wp-attachment-wp-attachment-elevating-women-in-tech-index-unfurl","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":88803,"date":"2021-07-06 13:24:17","modified":"2021-07-06 13:29:00","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":627,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","medium-width":1200,"medium-height":627,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":401,"large":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","large-width":1200,"large-height":627,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":627,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":627,"third_width_square":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-324x324.jpg","third_width_square-width":324,"third_width_square-height":324,"profile_24":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-24x24.jpg","profile_24-width":24,"profile_24-height":24,"profile_48":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-48x48.jpg","profile_48-width":48,"profile_48-height":48,"profile_96":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-96x96.jpg","profile_96-width":96,"profile_96-height":96,"profile_150":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-150x150.jpg","profile_150-width":150,"profile_150-height":150,"profile_300":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Elevating-women-in-tech-INDEX-UNFURL-300x300.jpg","profile_300-width":300,"profile_300-height":300}},"bottom_cta":{"title":"","subtitle":"","button_text":"","button_link":"","button_text_two":"","button_link_two":""},"related_posts":[{"ID":85464,"post_author":"112","post_date":"2021-02-19 08:00:34","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-19 13:00:34","post_content":"Joan Wallace-Benjamin has spent most of her career in the C-suite.\r\n\r\nShe was president and CEO of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulem.org\/\">Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts<\/a> for 11 years \u2013 a nonprofit dedicated to helping adults overcome social and racial inequities to gain employment and economic empowerment.\r\n\r\nShe then worked as a consultant for the executive recruiting firm Whitehead Mann before moving back into the human services sector \u2013 joining <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thehome.org\/site\/PageServer?pagename=homepage\">The Home for Little Wanderers<\/a> in 2003 as their president and CEO. It\u2019s a role that she would have for 15 years until her retirement (taking only a brief leave of absence to serve as the Chief of Staff for former Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick).\r\n\r\nAll this to say: Joan Wallace-Benjamin knows the ins-and-outs of what it takes to run an organization \u2013 and how to succeed as a leader.\r\n<h2><strong>Cultivate confidence and a strong sense of self<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nJoan Wallace-Benjamin often fields questions about leadership \u2013 is there a leadership gene? Do some people have this innate disposition toward taking action? For Wallace-Benjamin, it\u2019s not that simple. Leadership qualities can, and often need to be, cultivated.\r\n\r\nIt begins with confidence (not to be confused with cockiness).\r\n\r\n<em>\u201cYou must <strong>be brave, be bold, speak up, and step up<\/strong> if asked to lead or participate in an initiative at your company or organization...being self-effacing and shrinking back doesn\u2019t get you anywhere. It really doesn\u2019t.\u201d <\/em>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-85462\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/JoanWallace-Benjamin-quote1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1254\" \/>\r\n\r\nFor Wallace-Benjamin, she says the people that were fearless were the ones that always caught her attention. They may not have known with 100% certainty if their idea would work, but they were willing to try. And that\u2019s the mark of a leader \u2013 this inclination toward action. Because the truth is: sometimes your idea <em>won\u2019t<\/em> work. But in her view,<strong> failure can provide great feedback<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nAnd successful leaders are willing to keep learning \u2013 they don\u2019t allow self-doubt to cloud their judgment. As Wallace-Benjamin notes, \u201cFor me, a strong executive presence comes from being prepared, knowing your stuff, appearing calm, and sporting a smile even when you are uncomfortable. Never let them see you sweat, and it's best when you're actually not sweating. Instead, you are prepared. Authenticity is key.\u201d\r\n\r\nBut even with preparation, and pushing yourself to be bold in the workplace, it can be hard to sidestep a sense of imposter syndrome.\r\n\r\n<em>\u201cSo often, <strong>women and people of color walk around feeling like imposters<\/strong>, like they don't belong where they are...especially when confronted with barriers others place in their way. Barriers that they need to learn to jump right over.\u201d <\/em>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-85461\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/JoanWallace-Benjamin-quote2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1254\" \/>\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s easier said than done, especially when operating within systems that were built to favor some over others. But this is where confidence \u2013\u00a0and a strong sense of self \u2013 come into play. Knowing that: <em>I worked hard to be here, and I deserve to be here. <\/em>It\u2019s having that tenacity to persist, even when you\u2019re feeling uncertain.\r\n\r\n\u201cI wish I had a dollar for every time, over my 37-year career, that I walked into a room in which I was the only woman, and even more frequently, when I was the only person of color,\u201d Wallace-Benjamin reflects. \u201cBut over time, <strong>I refused to let a preoccupation with behavior that I could not change, or had no reflection on me, expend my emotional and intellectual energy<\/strong>.\u201d\r\n<h2><strong>Diversity is more than just extending an invitation \u2013 it\u2019s inclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nEveryone has a unique point of view. And for Joan Wallace-Benjamin, it\u2019s vital to recognize the ways in which your identity and experiences impact the way you confront data, assess situations, and chart a course of action. As Wallace-Benjamin puts it, \u201cAll of the incidents in your life have both a conscious and subliminal impact on what you think and believe.\u201d\r\n\r\nThis is just one of the reasons that diversity in the workplace is so vital: it helps break past the limitations of our singular viewpoints. \u201cGood leaders do not have to possess every necessary attribute. Instead, <strong>they know how to build the diverse, talented, and skilled teams that are so important to an organization's success<\/strong>.\u201d\r\n\r\nWhen Wallace-Benjamin joined The Home for Little Wanderers, there was a lack of diversity in upper and executive management \u2013 a dynamic she worked to dismantle. In her words, <em>\u201cbeing invited to the party is diversity, but being asked to dance at the party is inclusion.\u201d \u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-85460\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/JoanWallace-Benjamin-quote3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1254\" \/>\r\n\r\nTo be a truly diverse and inclusive workspace, there needs to be diversity at every tier in the organization.\r\n\r\nAnd now more than ever,<strong> people are calling out the empty promises of diversity.<\/strong> This past year put a spotlight on the racial and social injustices that have long been ingrained in this country, making them impossible to ignore. And businesses need to hold themselves accountable for how they\u2019re ensuring a safe and equitable work environment for every employee.\r\n\r\nTo do this, leaders need to do more than just point to an initiative. They need to have a plan of action, and be honest about what needs to change. \u201c<strong>People, and particularly people of color, are coming back to the workplace much more impatient than they were before George Floyd.<\/strong> They\u2019re much less willing to listen to a lot of talk... They want to see some things change.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnd while certain policy changes may take more time than others, there are immediate steps an organization can take \u2013 whether it\u2019s acknowledging microaggressions that have slipped into the workplace or inequitable hiring practices.\r\n<h2><strong>Balancing your personal and professional life <\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThere\u2019s a Congolese saying, \u201ca single bracelet does not jingle.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>It\u2019s easy to think of leaders as lone figures, forging their own path.<\/strong> It feeds into this mentality that to be successful in your career, you need to make sacrifices in your personal life.\r\n\r\nBut Joan Wallace-Benjamin warns that this type of thinking is a mistake.\r\n\r\n<em>\u201cPrioritizing family does not divert attention from the role of leadership. Rather, it provides the emotional fortitude you need to lead fully.\u201d \u00a0Whether it\u2019s family or friends, it\u2019s important to invest in these personal relationships. These are the people that will offer their support, and their honesty \u2013\u00a0making for a stronger and more empathetic leader.<\/em>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-85459\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/JoanWallace-Benjamin-quote4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1254\" \/>\r\n\r\nAnd this emphasis on balancing professional and personal relationships strengthens the commitment your colleagues have to the organization. <strong>It builds trust, rather than promoting burnout.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIn Wallace-Benjamin\u2019s experience, \u201cWhen leaders recognize and support their employees\u2019 responsibilities for their own families, and create a work culture that acknowledges their need for balance too, I found that my team and my workforce would walk across hot coals for me.\u201d\r\n<h2><strong>Looking ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nEven after 37 years in leadership, and 27 years of being a CEO, Joan Wallace-Benjamin shares a secret:<em> \u201cYou never want it to get too easy...You should always have a little knot in your stomach. That adrenaline is what keeps you sharp.\u201d \u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-85458\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/JoanWallace-Benjamin-quote5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1254\" \/>\r\n\r\nSo often, we try to find a common denominator between successful leaders. They all rise before dawn, read constantly, have five-minute meetings, and so on...but <strong>Joan Wallace-Benjamin reminds us that one of our greatest strengths is our unique experiences<\/strong>. It\u2019s how our upbringing, heritage, and families have shaped who we are. And of course, it\u2019s persistence and preparation, too.\r\n<h3>Be sure to check out Joan Wallace-Benjamin\u2019s new book, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Leading-Life-Balance-Principles-Leadership-ebook\/dp\/B08HZH1QTW\">Leading a Life in Balance: Principles of Leadership from the Executive Suite to the Family Table<\/a>, to dive deeper into the philosophies and practices of successful leaders.<\/h3>","post_title":"Joan Wallace-Benjamin Was a CEO for 27 Years. Here\u2019s What It Takes to Be a Successful Leader.","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"joan-wallace-benjamin","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-02-18 12:06:18","post_modified_gmt":"2021-02-18 17:06:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/?p=85464","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":62898,"post_author":"250","post_date":"2020-06-19 08:00:23","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-19 12:00:23","post_content":"<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-62900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/2006-Kyle-Sutton.jpg\" alt=\"Kyle Sutton\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1000\" \/>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Editor\u2019s Note:<\/em><\/strong><em> This article is part of Drift\u2019s ongoing efforts to diversify the voices featured on our blog. If you are interested in sharing your story or insights with our audience, please contact Gail Axelrod at <\/em><a href=\"mailto:gaxelrod@drift.com\"><em>gaxelrod@drift.com<\/em><\/a><em>. <\/em>\r\n\r\nI\u2019m Kyle. I spent a decade in ad agencies ranging in size from startups to global holding companies. My years in the agency space were rewarding. I picked up skills and contacts that have helped advance my career.\r\n\r\nBut, there are some realities of the agency environment that everyone notices but no one dares discuss.\r\n\r\nInequality is a massive issue for Black staff in marketing agencies. I wish I could point to a few bad actors but the problems in the agency space are structural.\r\n\r\nAs a Black marketer, I\u2019ve been content to trade my personal truth for a collective comfort. That stops now.\r\n\r\nI\u2019ve outlined a few steps below for agency leaders that are seeking to make meaningful strides towards a diverse and equitable working environment.\r\n\r\n---\r\n\r\nDear Marketing,\r\n\r\nI love you, but you\u2019ve got a massive diversity and inclusion problem. It is, oddly enough, not due to a lack of diversity and inclusion programs. You\u2019ve got those by the dozens. And, due to the nature of your trade and the skills that come with it \u2013 you brand them beautifully. You make strategic hires and form committees and create conferences with the right sponsors and the right keynote speakers. You don all the trappings of wokeness, make all the motions consistent with progress.\r\n\r\nBut here\u2019s the problem.\r\n\r\nMarketing agencies are often a dead end for Black marketers. Your D&amp;I programs have born some fruit \u2013 you\u2019ve gotten a little better at getting Black talent in at the entry level. But their upward mobility and retention are damnably limited. Hiring people without creating a substantive chance to grow isn\u2019t progress. It\u2019s tokenism. Your team expects more of you. Your industry expects more of you.\r\n\r\nHere are some actionable steps you can take to do better.\r\n<h2>Diversify your recruiting relationships.<\/h2>\r\nYou\u2019ve built a pipeline of talent by aligning with business and communications programs at local universities. Are historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) represented in your recruitment programs? If the answer is \u201cno\u201d \u2013 reach out and forge those relationships. The career development team would love to hear from you.\r\n\r\nDoing this correctly means doing more than setting up a booth at an HBCU\u2019s career fair. Yes, formal recruitment relationships are great. But, meaningful engagement here means making Black candidates a part of the informal recruitment community around your agency where the real doors are opened. The next time you\u2019re hosting an industry mixer, or inviting a college chapter of the American Marketing Association to your space, or setting up a mentorship program for aspiring marketers \u2013 be intentional in diversifying THESE environments.\r\n<h2>Create real pathways for upward mobility.<\/h2>\r\nSeveral D&amp;I programs center on the false assumption that diversity is entirely a pipeline problem. While it\u2019s true that building a diverse pipeline is an important first step, the work doesn\u2019t stop there. The Black talent you hire needs a legitimate opportunity to grow at your agency. This means early and honest conversations about what\u2019s required to reach the next level and pairing talent with a mentor to help them navigate the process. It means granting access to clients and projects that are challenging, rewarding and visible. And that transcend the confines of your \u201cmulticultural marketing\u201d clients.\r\n\r\nDiversity shouldn\u2019t be relegated to entry level positions. You should seek to bring diversity to your agency\u2019s leadership team as well. Sadly, even the agencies banging the D&amp;I drum the loudest often lack leadership at the account, division and corporate levels.\r\n\r\nThe data prove this out. In 2018, the Association of National Advertisers surveyed its membership regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ana.net\/miccontent\/show\/id\/rr-2018-diversity-ad-industry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">diversity in marketing roles<\/a>. Black marketers made up 9% of both administrative and entry level roles and only 4% of senior level roles.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-62903 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Diversity-in-marketing-roles.png\" alt=\"Diversity in marketing roles\" width=\"630\" height=\"429\" \/>\r\n\r\nDiversity in recruitment is for naught if there\u2019s no pathway to retain and promote Black marketers. Mirrors matter. Representation matters. Black talent will stop leaving your agency out of frustration that they\u2019ll never break the glass ceiling when you prove, through your actions, that this assertion isn\u2019t true.\r\n<h2>Teach the hard skills.<\/h2>\r\nGeneralists make great executives. But when marketers are too generalized in the early phases of their career, it actually inhibits their growth. The popular point of entry into agency life for marketers is some flavor of account or project management. Both skills are useful, but for new marketers the roles are largely administrative in nature and don\u2019t foster the type of depth required for specialization in any one discipline. This limits earning potential, slows the path to growth and makes individuals more expendable in an industry that\u2019s subject to wild swings in revenue and profitability.\r\n\r\nThis dynamic is especially problematic for Black talent, who are on average <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/blog\/stark-black-white-divide-in-wages-is-widening-further\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">paid 16.2% less<\/a> than their white counterparts for the same job. Equitable pay is a massive problem that warrants examination followed by a lasting solution. There\u2019s no doing this issue justice within the confines of this post.\r\n\r\nLook for opportunities across all departments when diversifying your talent pool from analytics and digital media to social and finance. Viewing the challenge through this lens makes recruiting easier because it broadens the aperture on the talent pool.\r\n\r\nCreate opportunities for your teams to build their skillset by going deep and wide. This doesn\u2019t mean taking design majors and forcing them onto the big data team. It does mean being intentional about giving team members room to deepen their talent in ways that align with their aptitude and that make sense for the business.\r\n\r\nWhat other collective actions can marketers take to make meaningful strides towards a diverse future? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:6679719827344515072\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Join the conversation on LinkedIn here.<\/a>\r\n\r\n<em>Kyle Sutton is a seasoned marketer with more than 13 years of experience across technology, healthcare and management consulting. He\u2019s led strategy for notable brands like Lenovo, Accenture, SAP, and Novo Nordisk. Kyle is the senior director of marketing for SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI), a leading provider of IT infrastructure management software. He leads the teams tasked with prospect and customer marketing. In his previous role, Kyle served as VP of digital strategy for Ketchum, the public relations arm of the Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC).<\/em>","post_title":"Dear Marketing, I Love You, but You\u2019ve Got a Massive Diversity and Inclusion Problem.","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marketing-diversity-inclusion-problem","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-19 08:54:26","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-19 12:54:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/?p=62898","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2303,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-06-28 10:00:53","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 14:00:53","post_content":"If you want to lead people, there\u2019s only one book you need to read.\r\n\r\nSeriously.\r\n\r\nSure, there are a lot of other books out there about management and leadership that are entertaining, but they\u2019re all built on top of this one book.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s a book written by the OG of management, Peter Drucker. It\u2019s called<em> <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/books\/the-effective-executive-the-definitive-guide-to-getting-the-right-things-done\/9780060833459\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done<\/a>,<\/em> and it was first published back in 1966.\r\n\r\nThis book has stood the test of time and has everything you need as a manager to be able to grow and be an effective leader. It\u2019s a book I give to all of our managers here at Drift (and before COVID came along, I made them keep it on their desks in the office).\r\n\r\nI love this book so much that we once spent a whole episode of <a href=\"https:\/\/seekingwisdompodcast.drift.com\/public\/13\/Seeking-Wisdom-22c38a4d\/707db9c1\">Seeking Wisdom<\/a> to break the book down and unpack the top five management lessons that Drucker outlined. You can listen to the full episode below, or keep scrolling for the lessons.\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/medias\/21dm3ldd7s.jsonp\" async><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/assets\/external\/E-v1.js\" async><\/script><div class=\"wistia_embed wistia_async_21dm3ldd7s seo=false\" style=\"width:100%;height:218px;position:relative\">&nbsp;<\/div>\r\n<div><\/div>\r\n<h2>1. Effective executives know where their time goes.<\/h2>\r\n<h3>\u261d <a href=\"https:\/\/ctt.ec\/qM32I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet This<\/a><\/h3>\r\nThis lesson is all about being proactive about the time that you have.\r\n\r\nAccording to Drucker, the question you have to ask yourself is, \u201cWhat would happen if this was not done at all?\u201d And if the answer is nothing would happen, then obviously you have to stop doing that thing.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s all about first principles, it\u2019s all about big rocks, it\u2019s all about focusing on that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/insider\/learn\/newsletters\/dc\/\">one thing<\/a>. As Drucker wrote, \u201cIt\u2019s amazing how many things busy people are doing that will never be missed.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnother point to consider here: You need to look for patterns. To quote Drucker, \u201cA crisis that recurs a second time is a crisis that must not ever occur again.\u201d\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s okay if it came up the first time, it\u2019s okay if we made a mistake, or if we missed something. But if it keeps recurring \u2013 that same pattern over and over \u2013 then the flaw is not in that mistake itself. The flaw is in the management of that and the fact that we\u2019re letting that happen over and over and we\u2019re not learning.\r\n\r\nOne final point when it comes to time management: Adding more people rarely helps. In fact, the biggest time-wasters often result from over-staffing. As Drucker wrote:\r\n<blockquote>A workforce may indeed be too small for the task, and then the work suffers if it gets done at all. But this is not the rule. Much more common is the workforce that\u2019s too big for effectiveness. The workforce that spends, therefore, an increasing amount of time interacting rather than working.<\/blockquote>\r\nThis is why at Drift we believe in the distributed teams approach, and keeping the teams small, what Jeff Bezos calls the two-pizzas-per-team rule that he has at Amazon. Adding more people to the mix almost never solves the problem faster. Instead, it only creates more process, more meetings, and more overhead, and it actually slows the entire thing down.\r\n\r\nAnd there was Peter Drucker, before the two-pizza-team rule, before you heard it from me, before you read it anywhere else, Peter Drucker had it in his book.\r\n<h5>Want to learn more about the processes that have made Amazon what it is today? Check out my interview with Colin Briar and Bill Carr \ud83d\udc47<\/h5>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/medias\/3kgaeu1yb1.jsonp\" async><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/assets\/external\/E-v1.js\" async><\/script><div class=\"wistia_embed wistia_async_3kgaeu1yb1 seo=false\" style=\"width:100%;height:218px;position:relative\">&nbsp;<\/div>\r\n<h2>2. Effective executives focus on outward contribution.<\/h2>\r\n<h3>\u261d <a href=\"https:\/\/ctt.ec\/cyeCR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet This<\/a><\/h3>\r\nTranslation: It\u2019s all about the results.\r\n\r\nI love when people put in the effort. But it\u2019s not about effort. It\u2019s about results. And those results can be achieved by brute-forcing your way, or by actually having a smarter approach to things.\r\n\r\nI often talk about working hard, because that is the basic thing you need to do, which most people fail to do. And when I do that people bring up, \u201cOh, it\u2019s not about working hard, it\u2019s about working smarter.\u201d But to me, that\u2019s obvious. Obviously, we need to work smart. Obviously when I\u2019m saying \u201cwork hard,\u201d I\u2019m not saying \u201cwork dumb.\u201d\r\n\r\n<strong>The key is to do both things: to work hard and to work smart.<\/strong> But in the end, the way that you measure success is not in the effort, but in the results.\r\n\r\nAs a manager, you\u2019re always asking, \u201cWhat can I contribute?\u201d But that\u2019s not personal to you, it\u2019s about the organization. That\u2019s the servant-leadership approach, which is your job as a manager \u2013 it\u2019s to serve your team and the organization. And that\u2019s the question you should be asking: Not \u201cWhat can you provide?\u201d\u2013 but \u201cWhat can you provide others in order for them to be effective?\u201d\r\n<h2>3) Effective executives make strength productive.<\/h2>\r\n<h3>\u261d <a href=\"https:\/\/ctt.ec\/dv1bK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet This<\/a><\/h3>\r\nThis is something we talk about all the time at Drift: shoring up your weaknesses vs. doubling down on your superpowers.\r\n\r\nThe first part is identifying your superpower, then doubling down on it. And that\u2019s what Drucker\u2019s lesson here is about: Leaning into your core strengths, making them super strengths, and then surrounding yourself with people who are equally strong in other dimensions where you are weak. That is the key.\r\n\r\nTake any team sport as an example, whether it\u2019s basketball, football, whatever sport, and imagine if everyone on the team had exactly the same skill. So if everyone was the quarterback, if everyone wanted to be Tom Brady \u2013 that\u2019s not a team. They probably couldn\u2019t score very well if everyone wanted to throw the ball.\r\n\r\nSame thing if everyone wanted to be able to be great at every position. It wouldn't work so well. You have specialties. And people are specialized in that thing, and together, they form a cohesive team.\r\n\r\nTo quote Drucker:\r\n<blockquote>To make strength productive is the unique purpose of organization. It can\u2019t, of course, overcome the weaknesses with which each of us in abundantly endowed. But it can make them irrelevant.<\/blockquote>\r\nOne thing to keep in mind: Strong people always have strong weaknesses. Your superpower is also your super weakness.\r\n\r\nLet\u2019s take my co-founder Elias as an example. His superpower is that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/how-to-work-with-cofounders-different-personalities-communicate-styles-2020-11\">he\u2019s very extroverted<\/a>, so he likes to talk to people, and he likes to jump in the middle of chaos and try to bring order to the chaos. And that\u2019s amazing.\r\n\r\nBut that same superpower, of having that strength in that context, is also his weakness. Because he does not naturally have the capacity to stay in his head or to not maybe want to turn every situation into a chaotic one where then he can jump in. And so it becomes this super weakness.\r\n\r\nOne more point to consider when it comes to making strength productive: When hiring, most managers try to fill a job description instead of looking for the right role for a specific person. The 10x people, the people who are capable of becoming 10x people, are almost never going to fit into some preconceived job description that you have. And those are the ones that you\u2019re going to need to take big bets on.\r\n\r\nIn my career, most of the people who have been the 10x, 100x return people, have been people who didn\u2019t fit perfectly into the role we were looking for. The point is that there\u2019s something about them that looks like they have 10x capabilities. There might not be any role for them, but let\u2019s look and see if we can build a role around them. Because usually those people who are 10x aren\u2019t coming in through the normal process and aren\u2019t fitting into the normal role.\r\n<h5>You can get more of my thoughts on hiring and building teams in my episode with Leo Tenenblat\ud83d\udc47<\/h5>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/medias\/fziib3pq7t.jsonp\" async><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/assets\/external\/E-v1.js\" async><\/script><div class=\"wistia_embed wistia_async_fziib3pq7t seo=false\" style=\"width:100%;height:218px;position:relative\">&nbsp;<\/div>\r\n<h2>4. Effective executives concentrate on the few major areas where superior performance will produce outstanding results.<\/h2>\r\n<h3>\u261d <a href=\"https:\/\/ctt.ec\/fNfeK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet This<\/a><\/h3>\r\nTranslation: Focus, focus, focus.\r\n\r\nI had this conversation this week with a friend, which made me think about this. At Drift, we\u2019re going through this scaling process right now. We\u2019re trying to scale the company and the team.\r\n\r\nNow, you can try to do two things at once: scale and optimize. You can have most of the people at the company focus on scaling \u2013 repeating what in the past has been working. And then a small group can be experimenting at the same time.\r\n\r\nBut you can\u2019t have the people who are trying to scale and repeat also experiment at the same time. Because it\u2019s all about focus, focus, focus.\r\n\r\nFor the to-do list people out there, you might have five things you need to get done in a day. But there\u2019s usually always one thing that if you get that one thing done in the day, that\u2019s going to <a href=\"https:\/\/seekingwisdompodcast.drift.com\/public\/13\/Seeking-Wisdom-22c38a4d\/34bc16fa\">10x your day<\/a>. That\u2019s where your focus should be.\r\n<h2>5. Effective executives, finally, make effective decisions.<\/h2>\r\n<h3>\u261d <a href=\"https:\/\/ctt.ec\/c0dfd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet This<\/a><\/h3>\r\nThe big takeaway from this chapter can be summed up in two words:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/seekingwisdompodcast.drift.com\/public\/13\/Seeking-Wisdom-22c38a4d\/d236e6e3\">No consensus<\/a>.\r\n\r\nMaking effective decisions is all about no consensus. I hate consensus. That\u2019s one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/insider\/learn\/books-reports\/drift-leadership-principles\/\">leadership principles<\/a> here at Drift: No consensus. Because we want to be able to do the 10x ideas, the ones that are really going to move the company forward, and those are usually the ones that can\u2019t be created through consensus.\r\n\r\nConsensus regresses us back to \u201cjust good enough\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s something that everyone can agree upon. The least offensive option.\r\n\r\nThe solution: Pick a directly responsible individual and let her or him make the decision and take the responsibility. Let them have the accountability and autonomy to make that decision. And then move forward.\r\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/seekingwisdompodcast.drift.com\/public\/13\/Seeking-Wisdom-22c38a4d\">Catch up on Seeking Wisdom episodes you missed here.<\/a><\/h3>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/seekingwisdompodcast.drift.com\/public\/13\/Seeking-Wisdom-22c38a4d\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82629\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2010-Podcast-final5-FINAL-1200px_SW-listen-scaled.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2010-Podcast-final5-FINAL-1200px_SW-listen-scaled.jpg 2560w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2010-Podcast-final5-FINAL-1200px_SW-listen-768x401.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2010-Podcast-final5-FINAL-1200px_SW-listen-1536x803.jpg 1536w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2010-Podcast-final5-FINAL-1200px_SW-listen-2048x1070.jpg 2048w\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1338\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Editor\u2019s Note<\/strong>: This article was published in January 2018 and has been updated to reflect new information.<\/em>","post_title":"5 Peter Drucker Lessons That Will Make You a Better Manager","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"lessons-from-peter-drucker","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-04-01 20:45:23","post_modified_gmt":"2023-04-02 00:45:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/blog.drift.com\/?p=2303","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v20.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Creating a More Equitable Work Environment for Women | Drift<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this panel, we discuss the impact Covid&#x2d;19 has had on women&#039;s employment, the challenges women 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