How does having our own board of directors bring value to our personal and professional lives?
Our board of directors offers us a great gut check. Ideally, each director plays a different role that helps us on our way. One person may be who we reach out to for comfort or validation, another may challenge how we think, and someone else may give feedback better than others. Some of our directors may be only one of the things we need, some may be a few things, and those at the table may rotate over time, but these folks understand us better than others. We all need those safe spaces.
Developing your own personal board of directors is essential, especially when they have shared experiences to understand the context of what you’re going through. Even though we’ve all gone off to different jobs and life experiences, I'm still close with my starting class. While my friends and family might not always understand the nuances of a career in public accounting, my starting class does. It’s essential to have a community of folks who understand you.
Has Forum W been a place of validation for you in the past?
Of course. The Forum W meetups provided a place for us to talk through challenges that came up at work or offline. Sometimes, there’s a gender tax that comes with being a woman—especially a woman in leadership. Even if they were brief interactions, those connections were a huge part of developing a network and building bridges between all levels.
What can you say about the gender tax you’ve experienced in your career?
Early in my career, the gender tax included the dress code. I was once asked to drive home and grab a jacket because I wore a sleeveless shirt to the office, which was against the dress code. Working from home has made the work environment more casual than it used to be. I wonder if our younger professionals have even heard of pantyhose.
In the last few years, I’ve spoken with many women leaders across the corporate world about the “little leader” roles we’re asked to take on. A little leader empowers the team, and as someone who enjoys working with people, I’m always happy to be a mentor. However, many women leaders have noticed we’re asked to mentor more often than male leaders because of our empathy, compassion, and strong listening skills.
To be a good coach, we must build trust. That takes a significant amount of time, which is an added layer of responsibility. Women leaders are observing how this is accumulating, often without acknowledging how it weighs on us. It’s frustrating when male leaders might be excused from this responsibility because they’re considered not as good with people.
In accounting, engagements bring financial contributions to the organization, but our people are our inventory. Women may demonstrate a leadership style that allows us to be more invested in an individual’s well-being and personal needs, at times more naturally than our male counterparts, but counseling our people is the responsibility of every leader. We should champion and reward those who are great mentors while being equitable in our evaluation of leaders against this responsibility.