Industry Highlight: Design, Engineering, and Construction

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We buy boys construction toys, and we buy girls babies and homemaker sets. The conditioning begins when we take the first swallow of earthly oxygen. Just take a peek at Gabrielle Galimberti’s Toy Stories exhibit if you think my statement is too bold - the global norm is far from teaching children gender neutrality. But what happens when women, or men, step outside the predetermined gender boxes (and all of the behaviors that come along with them)? How does this affect our professional and personal lives? 

After earning my undergraduate degree I worked for a small private university that specializes in architecture and architectural design. I worked in the office of admissions where I got to manage and work with students. Lucky for me, these students became architects, designers, and engineers - and I’m still in contact with a number of them. Recently, Tara Spencer and I were catching up and in a natural course, we ended up discussing the immense gender divide in the construction industry as a whole. I reflected upon a short stint of mine when I worked at a construction company. I definitively coined the culture as antediluvian and underdeveloped. I lasted at that place of employment for six months. 

The feelings came fluttering back. And my experience was not an isolated one. In fact, it was cushy. Tara, a licensed architect, and certified interior designer embarked on a data-collecting journey to capture other women’s experiences in an industry dominated by men and so clearly overshadowed by a boys club set of rules. 

Tara polled interior designers, architects, construction managers, engineers, interior designers, and product designers. As I read through the personal accounts of these female professionals being on the receiving end of microaggressions and clear dismissiveness, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.

I am giving you this detail to set the stage for a series. We want to share real examples of what women have experienced in the construction industry, and offer ways you can maintain your confidence - you are credentialed after all - but also combat against the, at times, vulgarities. It’s a challenging feat; anyone who has been on the receiving end of lewd remarks can relate… There’s not an easy answer. At least not one that feels safe or necessarily appropriate.  

If you struggle with a male-dominated place of work, where your intelligence is overlooked and misconduct is rampant, tune in to this series. We aim to have you walk away with an understanding of what challenges women face in these fields, but also to provide proven tactics for managing provocation and realizing that you are not the problem. You are not alone and there is strength in numbers. Mainly, though, there is strength in knowledge. We can educate women to respond strongly and we can educate men that behavior matters -- as does allyship. 

First published on LinkedIn.

Cultivate a Leadership Culture

Mimicry. We see this both in nature and in the workplace. Whether it's the viceroy butterfly attempting to look like its more attractive counterpart, the monarch (I’m partial), or if it’s the malleable mind of an employee who mimics a leader’s behaviors, we must create organizational frameworks that encourage an environment that fosters leadership. 

What steps can organizations take to mold future leaders and help individuals reach their full potential? 

Mentorship. 

Formalized mentor programs are implemented to help people evolve. Whether a person is a new or tenured employee, the act of mentorship is invaluable. Mentors can shed light into life experiences: missed opportunities, successes, behavioral shortcomings, moments of strength… The list goes on. Organizations have an opportunity to help employees advance in more ways than one when a flexible but scalable mentor program is put into place.

[But here’s the thing -- if there isn’t a mentor program, that should not stop you from seeking out a mentor. Notably to my female audience, do not be afraid to ask for time from someone you respect. Observe the people you want to mirror and ask yourself why. Request time with this person.] 

Acknowledgment. 

I mention acknowledgment more than I do not. Why? It’s a powerful way to establish relational trust and respect. Furthermore, it increases discretionary effort (who doesn’t want to work harder for someone they respect and appreciate?). If you find yourself in a work environment without acknowledgment, the organization is missing the mark. Herein lies an opportunity: It can start with you. Acknowledge your colleagues, your direct reports, and even your boss. A contagion of acknowledgment can change workplace cultures into supportive, accountable ones.  

Consistency. 

Can your colleagues count on you? In an organization where leaders are notoriously late for meetings, cut off counterparts to take calls, and interrupt repeatedly to hear their own voice, there is little hope for the next class. Consistency is a double-edged sword. Do you want to be consistent? Craft what you want it to mean for yourself. To me, being consistent means many things. That I deliver work in a timely way, done with thought, effort, and a scrutinizing eye. But it also means being a confidant, and a voice of reason. It means providing emotional regularity, and being truthful about distractions. The truth is, consistency simply defines a repeatable pattern. This is why it is essential to craft what consistency means within your organization. Consistent leaders can encourage collaboration, trust, and accountability. 

We absorb tendencies from people we are around the most. And there’s no spoiler here, we spend a lot of time at work - at least 10 continuous years of our life. Great place to pick up habits, but it’s an even better place to practice habits, and teach others those habits. 

Foster leadership by being a mentor, by acknowledging others, and by consistently leading by example. If you want your organizations to foster an environment of leadership, it starts with you. 

First published on LinkedIn.

Toxic Places of Work & the Road to Redemption

Photo by Beth Jnr on Unsplash

There is no magic wand to miraculously wave away workplace toxicity, but there are actionable steps that can be taken to correct the course. 2020 has offered up challenges for employers and employees alike. From financial concerns to illness and future-state ambiguities, there were only one of two ways for toxic tendencies within workplaces to go. Toxicity was either brought to the surface, where the sunlight brilliantly exposed wrongdoing and dysfunction, or it was filtered out and left behind. The societal wake-up call(s) we’ve faced in the past six months -- one may even say a metanoia-like experience -- reshaped how organizational leaders chose to move forward. Many quickly got back on track without consequence (the “filter”), they knew time was up to be on the right side of history, taking into account equity, diversity, and overarching priorities. 

But not all are so lucky. 

There were organizations that exposed toxic behaviors and practices by happenstance, and yet proceeded in normal course and missed an opportunity. This spring there was a monumental moment in time to consider the current landscape, make changes, and proceed with a new North Star (crises can be good for that sort of thing). But perhaps these companies are now considering reworkings. They have lost too many valuable clients and employees, and are flailing in the water. What can these companies do? 

Acknowledge Deficiencies.

Workplaces with toxicity tend to have repeat offenses. If you are a leader, do the work: Why are people leaving? What is the consistent feedback loop? Why is there concern? This is the launchpad. Use this to admit to and recognize inadequacies. Shed light on areas of improvement as well as on the process for resolution.  

Re-engage: Actively Communicate & Revitalize. 

Effective communication is critical to the survival and success of any organization, regardless of location and size. Actively communicating goals, shortcomings, and progress around failures, demonstrates a commitment to change. Almost 75% of employees feel they do not receive consistent company communication from the organization for which they work. With a global pandemic, the necessity for companies to be even more communicative is at an all-time high. [I’m not suggesting you write daily books to employees - remember adults’ attention spans… A helpful tip: Employees are two times as likely to watch a video than read text.] 

Revisit the company vision and company values. Rework communication to incorporate these standards into the messaging. Keeping employees engaged during a period of correcting course makes them feel like a part of the process. Lean on this and dedicate the time to listening. Also, be cognizant of who is communicating these messages. Does the individual stand behind and embody the changes?

Universal Standard Setting 

If a company has admitted to shortcomings and is taking steps to improve the culture, it’s essential to set standards of excellence, especially for leaders. Revisit the code of conduct and make changes to it if necessary. Letting one incident slide turns into a slippery slope. All employees must be held accountable, regardless of seniority. Not addressing incidents is how toxic cultures fester. Some guidelines to ensure consistency include a) accountability, b) known consequences no matter how senior, c) offering employees a safe way to share their observations or concerns.  

First published on LinkedIn.

A Call for Ethical Leadership

Photo by @jaysung

Just as a heightened awareness of ethical imperialism is necessary for international business, so too is the knowledge that there is no such thing as "global ethics." What is considered to be acceptable in Bangladesh (i.e., working conditions) may be considered appalling and unethical to Switzerland. Whether or not the Swiss company chooses to do business with another country that may disregard basic human needs, depends upon the company’s ethical code. The point is the drastic difference in ethical foundations. There is simply not a synonymous ethical language spoken across nations and thus, it is paramount that the ethical standards referenced within nations are consistent and prevalent. 

Considering cultural relativism must be taken into account when doing business internationally, it’s equally as important to have leadership in place that recognizes the nuances in cross-culture ethics - well, not only cross-borders but within them too. Three guiding principles suggested for ethical consideration in difficult scenarios include: 1) Respect for core human values, 2) Respect for local traditions, and 3) The belief that context matters when deciding what is right and wrong. We can adopt ethical leadership in our backyard - and these considerations have the ability to permeate throughout a culture.

This is timely. We are in need of ethical leaders. 

There must be a backbone for corporate ethics. At the root: ethical decision making is the difference between successful companies and broken ones; the variance in nations that thrive, and those that are broken from within. If leaders do the work, they will be aware of the steps to take when an ethical dilemma is presented. Without a guideline, those in positions of influence and in positions of power could make a decision lacking in sound judgment.  

What should be applied in any decision-making process? 

Preciseness. 

It’s logical that any person who faces a predicament should reference corporate materials that were created to help guide leaders in complicated situations. The majority of companies  (ninety percent of all Fortune 500 companies, in fact) have codes of conduct. These materials have the need to be explicit about procedures in an array of situations. If a lack of specificity is provided, the leader should seek out answers to questions. Ideally, though, these procedures are already in practice.

Call for Core Values.  

At the deepest level of an ethical dilemma, leaders should reference core values in order to determine their next steps. These values include respect for human dignity, respect for basic rights, and good citizenship. These concepts are in alignment with the theoretical concepts constructed for ethics, as seen in ethical leadership texts dating back to the 1970s.

When determining what is ethical, it would serve the leader well to consider these core values and or ethical theories, prior to making a decision and/or presenting options to a  supervisor. 

But what about the processes for implementation of these guidelines? 

Ethics Committee.

Adopting an ethics committee will support the goals of maintaining an ethical organization. The committee can be composed of both company leadership and representatives from all company hierarchy. The purpose is to discuss ethical issues/problems being faced. It is important to include all levels; when subordinates feel like their input is valued, they are more likely to be invested in the company, ending in higher loyalty and decreased turnover. The participants would be welcome to provide input into possible ethical code additions or adjustments. 

Leadership Training.  

It’s no surprise that subordinates learn by example. In order to ensure proper conduct,  leadership training would be paired with ethical values training. This training would provide the framework for ethical decision making and would help team members learn about appropriate conduct in an array of situations. This would be part of the on-boarding process, a foundational topic raised in meetings and corporate updates, and would be an annual training program.  

Code of Conduct. 

A code of conduct would not only be created, it would be treated as the road map for decision making. The code of conduct, or ethical standards, would need to be treated as the must all, whether at home or abroad. This consistency would reaffirm the company’s values and help establish its footprint for ethical practices. 

What practices does your organization have in place to ensure ethical leadership?

First published on LinkedIn.