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If you don't already know Naureen Ahmed and The Inspiring Women in Hospitality community, click here! What began as a podcast a few years ago, has evolved into a burgeoning community for women in the industry. I recently had the chance to join one of Naureen's in-person workshops, part of a series of roundtable events she is hosting worldwide to help women create meaningful connections.
Safe Space to Share
As regular readers of hertelier well know, while hospitality is more gender balanced in entry level positions, the industry becomes more male dominated in leadership. This intimate, two-hour London workshop provided a safe space for the participants to share their challenges, frustrations, experiences and insights without judgment. Naureen skilfully guided the conversation through several key themes that resonated deeply with all participants. This openness encouraged real discussions about the difficulties women face within hospitality. Maybe you can relate?
Women need to be seen, and HEARD!
A major talking point centered on creating more visibility for women in hospitality. Amen, sisters!! This is our core mission at hertelier : ) One woman brought up the old saying, "Women should be seen and not heard," from previous generations (cough, cough, not as long ago as you'd think!) and how threads of this remain in our psyche and creates unconscious bias in the workplace. Also, the conversation around gender roles highlighted how women in some cultures, particularly in Asia, are raised to be submissive. Most of the women confessed, they struggle with self-promotion internally and externally, whether posting on LinkedIn or saying "yes" to speaking opportunities.
Finding Your Voice + Dealing with "Mansplaining"
Part of the issue is literally using our actual voices, which can be naturally softer than men. Read great advice on this topic from voice coach, Kim A Page. Yet, many of the women cited examples of being talked over or "mansplained" to in meetings. While in the best cases, this behaviour is unconscious, it always needs to be called out. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, find an ally to help you (see below).
Women Helping Women
Another major theme was women supporting other women, and not believing the "Queen Bee" trope. The group shared stories of how women mentoring, promoting, and cheering for them have pushed their careers to new levels.
Men Also Want to Help Women
Male allies are also key to women getting ahead! One woman shared how male colleagues encouraged her to apply for her last two jobs, roles she thought she was not qualified for...which led to the next takeaway.
Take More Chances!
This quote from Sara Blakely, the billionaire founder of Spanx, is apt; “Failure is not the outcome—failure is not trying. Don’t be afraid to fail.” Women need to take note of this and continually put themselves up for opportunities, promotions, special projects that aren't in your area, etc.
And Take Credit!
Participants shared that fears of failure, criticism, or breaking the status quo, kept them from taking ownership of their accomplishments at work.
Challenges in Connecting and Networking
It was clear that while women know that networking––internally and externally––is important for professional development, the struggle is real. Why? Not knowing about industry events, not feeling welcome or having time to attend, were some of the barriers discussed. But all agreed, making networking a priority is essential for visibility and leadership opportunities.
The System Isn't Built For Women: Culture & Flexibility in the Workplace
While we are moving towards a more equitable society (in some countries) there is still a long way to go in terms of care responsibilities. What can we do? Educate the men around us about how these responsibilities impact our lives, encourage more flexibility, and shared parental leave in the workplace. Women should not feel "we need to fix ourselves" because the system is not built for us.
Actionable Steps for Change
Attendees were motivated to implement achievable change at both individual and organizational levels. Networking, gaining visibility, and speaking at industry events were encouraged.
Leveraging Support Systems
The necessity of finding support, whether in networking buddies or mentors, was emphasized. Women were advised to harness their natural tendency to help others for their own career development.
Encouragement and Self-Belief
The workshop highlighted self-talk and owning what makes each of us unique. Participants were reminded to uplift each other, with their diverse backgrounds making them valuable industry participants.
To learn more about roundtables in your city and how to join the Inspiring Women in Hospitality community, click here.