Brock School of Business Students Discuss Successes and Challenges Women Face in Today's Workforce with Distinguished Alabama Business Women

Apr 15, 2008

Brock School of Business Contact: Kara Kennedy, Director of External Affairs, 205-726-4070, kkennedy@samford.edu

 

Birmingham,  Ala.  -- More than 50 female students, faculty and staff of Samford’s Brock School of Business came together recently at a luncheon to discuss the successes and challenges that women face in today’s workforce.   The purpose of the event was to dialogue and gain advice on what female students may face as they graduate and enter the working world.   A panel of distinguished Alabama career women addressed the young women.  The panel included: Leigh Davis, Chief Information Officer, Alabama Power; Martha Donze, Vice President of Corporate Administration Axcan Pharmaceuticals; Marquita Davis, Director of the Alabama Office of School Readiness; Tricia Gunnells, Customer Team Leader, Kraft Foods; and Kelly Thompson, Senior Manager-Audit, Ernst & Young, LLC.

Leigh Davis, CIO, Alabama Power, began the discussion by explaining how she was able to rise to her position within Alabama Power/Southern Company.   She encouraged the young women to find mentors and to cultivate relationships within their chosen organization.    

Marquita Davis, Director of the Alabama Office of School Readiness, explained that her passion for helping others is what led her career path.   Recently appointed by Gov. Bob Riley to head the Alabama School Readiness Office, Davis told the young women that she was in a job that she didn’t expect to have.  In saying that, she encouraged the young women to look at the bigger picture, to learn and grow and to do things for the community as they embark on their career path.  

 Martha Donze, Axcan Pharmaceuticals, serves as the only female executive in North America and Europe.  She encouraged the students to create the highest vision for life and find a passion for what they wanted to do.   “You must think like a man, act like a lady, always and work like a dog.  The world owes you nothing.”  She went on to say that they should never underestimate the power of networking.

Tricia Gunnells of Kraft foods gave the young women advice on interviewing and encouraged them to ask questions, ask about employee retention, ask for the job at the end of the interview and to write a follow-up Thank You note. 

Kelly Thompson, Ernst and Young, balances a career and family.  She encouraged the young women to find a happy balance between their careers and family life.   After these brief statements from the panelists, students were encouraged to ask questions about careers, the working environment and balancing family life.

“We bring our young women students together every year to give them an opportunity to hear from businesswomen in our area.  We want them to hear what it is like in the working world,” said Betsy Bugg Holloway, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Brock School of Business at Samford University.     “They are encouraged to ask questions about all issues that they may face when entering the workforce.”

It’s not always easy as a woman trying to have it all when it comes to working and family, and because of this, women traditionally face being categorized stereotypically when it comes to their careers. 

And according to the Catalyst Organization in New York City, gender stereotyping is very prevalent in today’s working environment, so much so that sometimes it serves as a key barrier to women’s advancement.  A study of US and European women senior business executives,  conducted by Catalyst, on The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership, found that gender stereotypes lead organizations to routinely underestimate and underutilize women’s leadership talent.  The study also concludes that women are viewed as “atypical leaders” with the perception that they violate the normal in business leadership practices.  The study defines three “double-bind dilemmas” that women face:

First, there are extreme perceptions, that women are considered “never just right” for leadership positions.  If they act stereotypically then they are considered too soft and if they go against the stereotypical way of leading they are considered too tough.   Second, women face higher standards when it comes to recognition and rewards for their work.  Third, if women are assertive they are seen as competent, but not well-liked.  Catalyst went on to conclude that organizations need to develop and promote change within the work environment to rid it of damaging stereotyping practices and to take advantage of female leadership talent.

One attempt with the annual forum at the Brock School of Business is to examine issues raised in the Catalyst study and to help female students examine the challenges they may face when entering the workforce.   

The panelists did offer consistent messages when speaking about an individual’s attitude towards work.     The one theme that was heard throughout the discussion was that the young female students should try to remain true to themselves.   Other advice included to seek and learn from mentors, to network and to always keep the bigger picture in focus.