Women are making inroads into previously male-dominated bastions
Published on : Tuesday 08-03-2022
Sharada Prahladrao, Editor & Public Relations Manager, ARC Advisory Group.
What was the inspiration that prompted you to pursue this career path?
Inspiration for my hobby and career stem from the same source – my penchant for writing. However, in the early years, my career (if you could call it that) was very scattered and without focus. Opportunity knocked many times, but I hesitated to open the door – that’s why I was a late bloomer.
When I was in my 40s, technical writing ignited my interest as it was a genre that was new to me. From writing I made a lateral and unplanned move to editing. As I began understanding processes and technologies, I realised that I could write such reports too. A ‘woman in tech’ need not necessarily be an engineer or in IT – folks like me are needed to understand and present these technologies articulately.
Can you recall your early days – say the first few days at work – and anything you would like to mention about that?
I stepped in with trepidation, unsure if I’d fit in. The written content was unfamiliar, so I left it largely untouched. I felt more like an English teacher correcting grammar goof-ups! The analysts were friendly and helped me settle down in the new environment. Still, I felt like a square peg in a round hole. They were young, energetic, and ambitious; while I was on the wrong side of 40, without a technical background or any ‘career climbs’ to talk about. I became more aware about my shortcomings and vulnerabilities and tried to cover them up. In hindsight I realise that this armour was unnecessary – if you accept yourself the way you are, others will too.
I remember gazing out of the office window one evening, flooded with self-doubt. But now I can confidently say ‘yes, it was the right decision’.
For a woman, it is a matter of finding the right balance between the job and managing the home – how do you manage this?
For late bloomers like me the balancing act between home and office is much easier! My son was doing his engineering when I began working, so there was not much ‘looking after’ to do. I had to find the right personal balance in terms of priorities, social commitments, and structuring my day in a disciplined manner.
The pandemic has made work from home (WFH) and hybrid workplaces the norm. So, for older employees like me it has worked out well – we remain connected yet work independently and with a certain degree of flexibility.
Food for thought: But why is a man never asked this question? Is the man (like the caveman!) still the hunter and provider?
What challenges (or privileges) do women stereotypically face, based on their gender?
The challenges women stereotypically face are both on the personal and professional fronts. We live in a patriarchal society where women are seen as less important and expected to be subservient. This is much more evident in low-income families and developing countries. Women are constantly judged and made to feel guilty – if they are working then they are neglecting the domestic front; if not, they are wasting their time. Such biases seem to be deeply ingrained in our psyches.
Although the challenges are many, there are certain ‘privileges’ like maternity leave too; but that’s not a ‘privilege’, it’s a birthright! But given a choice between two (male and female) 25-year-olds with equal qualifications and job skills, many recruiters would select the male candidate. The simple reason being that the woman would take time off during pregnancy/childcare, etc. This is a lopsided view.
But sometimes I wonder what is right and what is wrong? Because often it is just a matter of perspective. I was watching a debate on TV about dress code in a college in Karnataka. The college management felt it was regressive, but the students believed it was their right.
Have you ever missed a career opportunity or promotion due to gender?
This is not applicable to me, but it’s a topic I often ruminate over. Perhaps it is more relevant to women in the childbearing age who drop out of the workforce for a couple of years and then find it difficult to gain re-entry. But this is more of a situational problem due to biology than a gender issue. For any reason if a man takes a break for a few years, it’s bound to affect his career growth too.
Goal number 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals concerns gender equality. The UN aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. But as of now no country is on track to achieve this goal by 2030, and the implications of the pandemic are presenting an even bigger challenge for achieving this goal.
Are workplaces today more sensitive to gender issues than say, a decade ago?
Not just at workplaces, I think people all over the world are more sensitive and aware of gender issues today. According to a senior person in the ILO (International Labour Organisation), gender equality in the world of work requires a quantum leap and not tentative, incremental steps. We must all play our part — governments, women’s organisations, educational institutes, and you and me.
Women who feel discriminated against are speaking up and ensuring that they are heard. Companies have HR policies that protect women’s rights. Mind-sets should change and it should be more about human rights than women’s rights. Gender-centric conversations are becoming passé; it should be metric/capability-centric. Quoting Gloria Steinem, a champion of women’s rights: “A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist, where everyone can be themselves”.
The views above are my general observations and do not reflect on the men I work/worked with. Quoting author Jeremiah Say, they are “Men of quality who respect women’s equality.”
Which women's 'cause' needs to be challenged and changed, first?
The ‘feminist’ cause needs to be challenged and changed as it seems antiquated in today’s workplaces. Somehow, the ‘feminist’ cause brings to mind sloganeering activists badmouthing men. The term ‘feminism’ was coined in 1837 and referred to feminine qualities, but later it was politicised. It began with women’s suffrage and other liberation movements; more recently the #MeToo movement caused a furore.
If there has to be a ‘cause’ let it be ‘humanist’ – concerned about human welfare, values and dignity.
Are there areas at work that still restrict women when it comes to leadership roles?
I don’t think so. Women are making inroads into previously male-dominated bastions and assuming leadership roles. There are so many leaders and company owners who are trailblazing women like Indra Nooyi, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Falguni Nayar, etc.
A woman’s rights to contribute and grow at the workplace should be a given. In the workplace it should be more about intelligence, skillsets and teamwork. But for this to become a reality the perception and labelling should undergo radical change. Perhaps the ‘glass ceiling’ does exist, but it is more psychological – and that stunts growth. What holds us back is our own feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. We need to develop the confidence to learn, explore and voice our opinions.
What women-related myths or taboos need to be broken?
There are many preconceived notions about women that need to be debunked. Mentioning a few:
a. Too emotional to take rational views/stands
b. Prefer to be caregivers, and
c. Lack networking and negotiation skills.
Do you have a mentor or a role model? If yes, you may state briefly how it inspired you.
More than role models I was inspired by the traits I saw in some career women at the senior management level I interacted with. These traits are based on my observation and I hope I’ve imbibed a few:
i. Western women were forthright, optimistic and communicative.
ii. Indian women were empathetic, encouraging and connected well.
iii. Southeast Asian women were gentle, polite and expressed themselves carefully in order not to offend.
What would be your message to the youth who are just starting their career?
Use every available opportunity to learn from others’ experiences and widen your knowledge horizon. Don’t have a blinkered approach and say, ‘I will do only so much and no more’. Expand and diversify your skill sets. You are just beginning your journey so make the best of it – the world is your oyster, and you are the pearl.
Describe yourself or your aspirations, dreams in 3 words.
Disciplined. Loyal. Resilient.
Sharada Prahladrao is the Editor & Public Relations Manager at ARC Advisory Group. Besides editing global research reports she writes Insights, ARCViews and blogs. She has the innate ability to understand complex concepts and express them lucidly. She liaises with the media and contributes articles written by her and ARC colleagues regularly to industrial publications.
Prior to joining ARC, Sharada worked as a copywriter for F D Stewart and Clarion Advertising; provided media-related work for Corvo Shandwick, a PR firm; and freelanced for local newspapers. She has been involved with two NGOs: integrating children with disability into mainstream education and rural education programs. She’s an alumna of Rishi Valley School, Andhra Pradesh and Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.
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