Why Bias, not Behavior or Ability, is Holding Women Back
12,129 views |
Rami Elghandour |
TEDxOcala
• November 2019
There are more CEOs named David than there are female CEOs... and David isn't even the most popular name for a male CEO, that's John! That statistic highlights the challenge with gender bias, namely that the gatekeepers tend to hire others that look like them and that a combination of unconscious bias and misinformation makes it difficult for women to achieve gender equity educationally and professionally. I've had the experience of building a company from about 30 to nearly 1000 people and I personally found diversity powered our success and our culture. Research supports my personal finding demonstrating that diversity makes teams and organizations better, makes us individually better, and in my view can make our society as a whole better. Striving for diversity, therefore, isn't about hiring more women or more minorities, it's about getting the best person for the job who's often overlooked due to unintended or unconscious bias. So how can we overcome this bias? Education coupled with advocacy is a powerful way to close the gender gap. Understanding the sources of these biases and ensuring both men and women are aware of them can make a meaningful difference as research supports and my personal experience suggests. I'm also very passionate about inclusive leadership. Having had the privilege of serving in several positions of leadership I understand the importance and impact of prioritizing diversity and inclusiveness. And as I mentioned not only does that contribute to an incredible culture, it will absolutely result in improved performance.