This article first appeared in the 18 March edition of AdNews 'The Gender Issue' a themed edition that explored sexism and gender diversity in the advertising industry and marketing.
As a woman who has ‘reached the top’ I am sometime pointed to as proof that everything’s alright and so ‘women’ don’t need to speak up or lean in. Well, we still have a long way to go.
We just don’t have enough women in senior positions, in almost every industry, in almost every market. Less than 5% of CEOs are female in the top 100 companies in any major market. Advertising is not ‘that bad’. I calculated 21% of senior advertising leaders in Australia, but there’s some way to go given we enter the industry at 50/50.
If we look at the creative industry it’s worse, and given that women control 2/3 of spending, accounting for $20 trillion dollars, you’d think the people making the ads could better represent and empathise with those buying the products.
There are many reasons why women disappear towards the top: cultural; gender role congruity; unconscious bias (that both men and women hold); physical (giving birth); and organisational and policy legacy structures.
This may sound like a small thing, but there are questions I always get asked that men just wouldn’t, questions and assumptions I am always being subjected to about juggling work and family life. "How does your husband cope when you’re away so often," I get asked every time I travel. "As well as your wife," is my normal reply.
Women like me can be labelled aggressive or 'bossy' and we seem to walk a tightrope between being liked or competent; if you’re liked, you’re not seen as competent and if you’re competent you’re often not liked. To me that’s pretty depressing and a very low bar – I’d rather be loved and brilliant than liked or competent.
Next month I’m launching two global initiatives for the women of Maxus. Mind the Gap is helping us to get to grips with the data and making a commitment to the basic changes in policy around gender pay gaps (Maxus is ‘only’ 4% in favour of men vs a global norm of 23%), and maternity and paternity leave and our flexible working offering. Walk the Talk comprises three equality events in New York, London and Thailand for 200 of our female leaders and the next generation of standout talent to empower and inspire them to reach their potential.
Neither project is about creating undue advantage for women at Maxus; they’re about creating a level playing field. And the reason I’m passionate about this is we simply need the very best people in our business; we need to be gender-blind.
And if you’re still asking does it matter?
Take a look at how having more women – and more diversity in general – makes a difference to the business metrics all of us are measured by. EY, PwC and McKinsey all show hard facts that higher female representation in top management outperform those that don’t.
So come on, let’s all try harder.
Lindsay Pattison is worldwide CEO of Maxus.
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