A workshop for women in management
Stereotyping hurts both women managers and the organisation
Many women experience how stereotypic behaviours inhibit their status in the workplace, and their ability to progress their careers. Women can be overlooked for promotion and professional development, receive less compensation, and have their opinions ignored.
Stereotyping is not only problematic for the individual whose careers it affects. It is also problematic for the organisation who risk demotivation of their woman managers leading to them seeking alternative career paths.
Organisational policies and awareness raising initiatives are not enough
Attempts have been made by organisations to deal with stereotypes, but they are not working:
- Some organisations try to implement policies to counter stereotyping and its negative effects. However, such initiatives do not tackle the underlying cultural issues and lead to disconnection between policy and practice on the ground.
- Some organisations attempt to address stereotyping through awareness raising initiatives. However, even if managers in an organisation rationally understand the negative effects of stereotyping – stereotypes still persist as they are often ‘unconscious’ in nature influencing individuals’ daily behaviours and actions in practice.
- Many women try to deal with stereotyping on their own by adapting their leadership style and public image to one they perceive to be more like their male colleagues. However, this can lead to challenges in organisational relationships and give women in management positions a sense of working with a permanent disadvantage.
To deal efficiently with the issue of stereotyping, policies and awareness raising are not enough, and neither is the emulation of male stereotypes by women. Women managers need tools they can use to deal with stereotyping and its effects both externally and internally.
In this workshop, Dr. Gillian Danby and Dr. Claus Springborg will help women managers connect with capacities they inherently possess, that will enable them to cut through stereotyping without having to modify or hide aspects of themselves related to their gender.
How do we do this?
We use arts-based method which draws on the idea that our thinking is fundamentally rooted in the body. The method was developed and tested with a range of management issues through the Ph.D. research of Claus Springborg and in dealing with stereotyping issues women face through the Doctoral research of Gillian Danby. Both the research of Claus and Gill was undertaken with experienced managers in ‘real world’ settings.
What you get from participating in the workshop
- You will learn to deal effectively and efficiently with stereotypes in the workplace.
- This can significantly increase positive self-view, self-belief and lead to increased self-confidence.
- It can make it easier to open career paths and meet your career aspirations.
- You will become part of a network of women managers with challenges similar to yours’.
Dr Gillian Danby
Gill held many senior leadership positions in the public health and public education sectors in the United Kingdom and Canada. She has extensive experience in social sciences research, leading organisational change, human resource management, executive coaching, facilitation, and the development of critical management skills. As an enthusiastic artist, Gill is passionate about embedding arts-based methods in professional development and management education programming. Gill is a publishing academic and bases her work on developing theories through ‘real world’ practice. In her work she values the individual, openness and trust, and having fun.
Dr Claus Springborg
10+ years of experience teaching leadership and cocreation skills, management theory, systems of personal development, and entrepreneurship as an executive educator and as a lecturer at business schools across Europe. Being active as publishing academic, entrepreneur and social entrepreneur, I’m passionate about developing theories through practice and for practice. In my teaching, I value humanistic principles, precision, reflexivity, and humour
