Women's career growth in co-located teams

As International Women’s Day nears, we’ll see the usual corporate gestures—empowerment panels, social media campaigns, and carefully curated success stories. But let’s be honest: these feel-good initiatives rarely change what actually holds women back at work on the daily basis. Instead, I suggest focusing on something concrete, something I’ve seen have the biggest impact in my work with teams: the unspoken dynamics that shape psychological safety. 🚨Because psychological safety is not the same for everyone. Psychological safety is often defined as a shared belief that one can take risks without fear of negative consequences. But let’s unpack that—who actually feels safe enough to take those risks? 🔹 Speaking up costs more for women Confidence isn’t the issue—consequences are. Women learn early that being too direct can backfire. Assertiveness can be read as aggression, while careful phrasing can make them seem uncertain. Over time, this calculation becomes second nature: Is this worth the risk? 🔹 Mistakes are stickier When men fail, it’s seen as part of leadership growth. When women fail, it often reinforces lingering doubts about their competence. This means that women aren’t more risk-averse by nature—they’re just more aware of the cost. 🔹 Inclusion isn’t just about presence Being at the table doesn’t mean having an equal voice. Women often find themselves in a credibility loop—having to repeatedly prove their expertise before their ideas carry weight. Meanwhile, those who fit the traditional leadership mold are often trusted by default. 🔹 Emotional labor is the silent career detour Women in teams do an extraordinary amount of behind-the-scenes work—mediating conflicts, softening feedback, ensuring inclusion. The problem? This work isn’t visible in performance reviews or leadership selection criteria. It’s expected, but not rewarded. What companies can do beyond IWD symbolism: ✅ Stop measuring "confidence"—start measuring credibility gaps If some team members always need to “prove it” while others are trusted instantly, you have a credibility gap, not a confidence issue. Fix how ideas get heard, not how women present them. ✅ Make failure a learning moment for everyone Audit how mistakes are handled in your team. Are men encouraged to take bold moves while women are advised to be more careful? Change the narrative around risk. ✅ Track & reward emotional labor If women are consistently mentoring, resolving conflicts, or ensuring inclusion, this isn’t just “being helpful”—it’s leadership. Make it visible, valued, and part of promotion criteria. 💥 This IWD, let’s skip the celebration and start the correction. If your company is serious about making psychological safety equal for everyone, let’s do the real work. 📅 I’m now booking IWD sessions focused on improving team dynamics and creating workplaces where women don’t just survive, but thrive. Book your spot and let’s turn good intentions into lasting impact.

"She Waited. He Asked." Two employees. Same company. Same level. Same ambition. One day, a high-visibility project opened up—a game-changer. She waited to be recognised. He asked for it. Guess who got it? This isn’t about talent. Or effort. Or qualifications. It’s about how we position ourselves and the opportunities we take. 🔹 The first five years of your career define the next twenty. Yet, too many women end up in lateral roles, waiting for promotions, hoping their work speaks for itself. It rarely does. 🔹 Men don’t just get promoted—they’re placed in roles that fast-track leadership. P&L ownership, strategic projects, revenue-generating positions. These aren’t just job titles—they’re career accelerators. 🔹 Women are over-mentored and under-sponsored. A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor puts your name on the table for the next big opportunity. Women with active sponsors are 3x more likely to reach senior leadership. 💡 Women aren’t just held back by the system; we’re also held back by the rules we’ve been conditioned to play by. Here is what needs to change: → Step into high-growth industries. AI, fintech, sustainability—are you moving toward opportunity or staying in a comfort zone? → Negotiate for P&L roles. Revenue ownership isn’t a ‘nice to have’—it’s the fastest track to leadership. → Say yes before you're ready. The biggest game-changing opportunities rarely come when you feel ‘fully prepared.’ Take them anyway. → Challenge the broken rung. The biggest career drop-off happens at the first promotion stage. If we don’t move up early, we don’t move up at all. This isn’t about fixing women. It’s about fixing the way careers are built. So, let’s start here—What’s one career move that changed everything for you? #Leadership #WomenAtWork #CareerGrowth #BoldMoves #LokaViveka #OmamConsultants

👩🏽🔬 It’s not a glass ceiling if you never make it off the ground. Fix the broken rung already. Let’s talk about real progress and the real obstacles for women in the workplace, especially in STEM and leadership. We’ve made meaningful strides, but the most significant barriers are happening far earlier than most people realize. 🔹 Progress Worth Celebrating: ↳29% of C-suite roles are now held by women—up from 17% in 2015. ↳VP roles climbed from 27% to 34% over the last decade. But wait... ⚠️ At the manager level, a critical career stepping stone, growth has barely moved from 37% in 2015 to just 39% in 2024. Why does this matter? Because of what McKinsey calls: 🔧 The “Broken Rung” ↳The first promotion from entry-level to manager is where women get stuck. ↳This broken rung is why we’re underrepresented in every level that follows. 📉 Data Snapshot: ↳For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 87 women are. ↳For women of color, it drops to 73 per 100 men. This isn’t just a pipeline issue—it’s a promotion issue. And it’s compounding over time, shrinking the pool of future women leaders before it grows. 🧠 Why It Matters: ↳If we don’t fix this first step, we will not fix leadership representation, no matter how many women we hire at the entry level. 💡 This is about more than headcount. ↳ It’s about equitable access to opportunity and the ability to grow and lead. 🛠 What Companies Can Do (Starting Yesterday): ↳Audit promotion processes for bias ↳Set measurable goals for first-level promotions ↳Sponsor & develop early-career women ↳Hold leaders accountable for outcomes—not just intentions Women, especially those of us in STEM, are ready to lead.  But our systems and cultures must rise to meet that ambition. We don’t just need a seat at the table. We need a fair shot at getting there. ♻️ Repost this to show support of fixing the broken rung in the corporate ladder 🔔 Join Dr. Romie in promoting women leadership especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine. #WomenInLeadership #WomenInSTEM #BrokenRung  #WorkplaceCulture