Females in finance breaking through the banking glass ceiling
REGION
There will come a day, they hope, where they don't have to gather anymore. They'd rather attend more inclusive events that welcome everyone.
"I think that's a long ways off," said
For now, the second Women in
In the midstate, according to
Beyond that, the midstate is barren of female leadership at the very top of the organization.
That falls in line with the stats across the country, according to a 2015 study by Catalyst, an advocacy group for women in the workplace. Of the
At 29.3 percent, the percentage of executive and senior level officials and managers is much higher, according to the study, but it's still far below the gender makeup of the workforce.
Stereotyping plays a part in the gap, at least to a degree, according to female bank officials. Women are often seen as "solvers of people issues," in business, according to
From early on in their careers, that puts them in banking positions that require a more delicate approach, like marketing or human resources.
"When men start at banks, you see them in finance and commercial lending, which is a track to leadership," said
But if that's the traditional role of women in banking, the industry is starting to see a change, according to
"Dollars are dollars," she said. "You can see banks just looking for results now, and they realize women can benefit their organizations."
The lack of current leadership roles could be a self-defeating cycle if the women who are in banking leadership roles aren't reaching out to mentor potential female leadership candidates. One message of the conference was for women to find a "sponsor" - someone who could help them through the ranks to leadership roles.
But with the lack of females in leadership roles, women routinely look to men as sponsors or mentors but may be afraid to ask for that sponsorship opportunity.
"I think it's incumbent upon us to do those kinds of things," Stapleton said about reaching out to the next generation of women leaders.
Women typically are less inclined to seek out leadership roles, bank officials agreed, and instead wait passively for those roles to come to them.
Many of the female leaders said they've encouraged women to speak up to their superiors about their worth to the company.
"It's the difference between confidence and arrogance," said
"The best person should always get the job," she said. "But at least you're providing a platform to give women the opportunity to advance in the industry."<
"Dollars are dollars. You can see banks just looking for results now, and they realize women can benefit their organizations."
BY
michaels@cpbj com
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