#ILookLikeAnEngineer Helps To Combat Stereotypes in High Tech

#ILookLikeAnEngineer was started this week by Isis Wegner, a self-taught Enterprise Software Engineer with OneLogin. 

In just a few days her hashtag has taken on a life of its own with over 1.2 million hits on Google and over 50,000 retweets and pictures on Twitter. I'm fully on-board with this viral campaign to combat stereotypes in High Tech and I've added the hashtag to my profile pictures on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ - and I'm posting it wherever I can. 

The point is clear - don't judge a woman in Hi-Tech (or anywhere else!) through an outdated lens!

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Here's my story of how #ILookLikeAnEngineer

I decided to become an Electrical Engineer in my teens at a time when nothing seemed hard and everything seemed possible. I was right - it wasn't hard and everything is possible - so I did as I had planned.

Back then we didn't have STEM terminology and I knew nothing about the vast array of challenges that I would face in the world and in the workplace. All I knew was that I wanted to be an Electrical Engineer and I was singularly focused on achieving that goal. Solving difficult intellectual and practical problems made my soul happy (still does).

After graduating from High School, I got an earnest introduction to my first career love when I joined the U.S. Air Force in the Delayed Enlistment Program. I signed up for a role as an Electrician Specialist, departed for boot camp 6 months later, and never looked back. The path that I had chosen was the right one and I thrived on it.

I served our country with a young patriot's heart, eager to do my best as a soldier as my first priority while taking classes in the evenings as my second priority. I was a disciplined soldier and I still live by the same values:

 "Integrity First, Service before Self, Excellence in All We Do" 

I completed my tour after the Gulf War began and then stepped onto the world stage ready to take my place - somewhere.

After completing my Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Florida at Gainesville, I joined Corporate America where I began to see how segmented the world really was. While in the military or in school I didn't pay too much attention to the pockets of people that would form in lunch rooms, in break rooms, in meeting rooms, at house parties, or at restaurants. I noticed, but I didn't dwell on it.

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Isis Wegner - Self-Taught Enterprise Software Engineer @ OneLogin

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I knew that I was unique. I also knew that I had the mental chops to hang with the smartest of the smart - and that made me proud instead of apprehensive. My friends were as diverse as they came in those days - Black, White, Asian, Indian, Hispanic, Caribbean, Haitian, Canadian, German, Polish, English - tall, short, medium, strange, genius, weird - almost all males. I had a great time with these amazing individuals and I enjoy seeing their updates from time to time on Facebook or on LinkedIn.

Who says 

men and women can't just be friends?

Never mind the comments of Nobel Laureate Tim Hunt. We were friends - the cool kind - and we cared for and supported each other through tough classes, through life transitions, and beyond into our early careers. Life has taken over and many of us have lost touch, but I have no doubt that we will pick up in familiar territory when we meet again. 

We were cool, proud geeks - Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Computer Scientists, Semiconductor Engineers, and a Bio-Medical Engineer - just one in our group. We expected that we would have great technology careers and we were right.

Wait for it...

After spending a couple of decades in the corporate world, I'm still in love with my start as an Electrical Engineer. I've held roles as a Semiconductor Device Engineer, Wireless Data Test Engineer, Wireless Data Network Engineer, Telecom Technical Advisor, and Senior Technical Consultant - all during the first stage of my career. I was ambitious and hard working to say the least.

Over the years my career options expanded with advanced degrees, professional development programs, personal growth engagements, leadership stretch assignments, mentorships, and sponsorships. Each of the opportunities gave me tremendous experience and insight into the inner workings of the C-Suite and Corporate Functions. 

I was often the "only one" selected for various types of leadership programs because as the saying goes "there simply wasn't anyone else available." The landscape in Hi-Tech must continue to change in more ways than gender. I have a daughter who will be in the middle of the fray in a decade or so and I refuse to watch it go down for her the way it's gone for so many others.

I don't want her to face the surprised look on her colleagues' faces when she enters a room simply because of her gender or color. I don't want her to be given a double-take as if she's lost when entering decision-makers' meetings (unless she's actually lost!). I don't want her to experience disrespectful cat calls and other types of "harmless humor" from the males around her.

While these things don't happen all the time, they happen way too much for way too many women - so given the opportunity to change minds about women in Hi-Tech in a collaborative global chorus with something as simple as an impactful hashtag, I'm all in. There's much other work to be done and I'm in there as well.

To professional women in Hi-Tech who are just beginning your careers or who are in mid stride or to those of you who still hold wide-eyed amazement at what's possible in Hi-Tech careers, hang on to your vision! Change is here. 

If the original path that you laid out doesn't pan out as you thought it would, then find new ways to do what you're passionate about. Hi-Tech needs you so don't give up on it. Electrical Engineering is part of my career DNA and I'm proud to support #ILookLikeAnEngineer.

The Imminent Reality of Gender and Work Locations Follows You Home

Does it matter where you work as long as your work gets done?

Yes - it matters. The data says so.

Dame Stephanie Shirley's recent TED Talk was both an inspiration and a kick in the rear for me. She founded a software company in the 1960s to provide opportunities for women with dependents. She recognized the challenges and opportunities - and then she built a solution.

After many years in business her company was subsequently valued at $3 billion USD and she created a significant number of millionaires to boot. She continues to contribute through philanthropy and other endeavors.

Her idea to employ women with dependents wasn't really ahead of it's time considering that mothers have always existed. It was however an outstanding solution for leveraging an untapped talent pool. Working from home has been and will continue to be a workforce option. 

Studies show that over 20% of working Americans are remote today and the number is expected to climb to 63% approaching 2018. Formulating strategies for handling remote work assignments for individuals and for handling remote workers for corporations appears to be an imminent necessity. 

Here comes a key question:

Question #1: Can the gender equation be balanced more quickly through working-from-home (WFH) opportunities?

As with most questions on gender equality this one has a complex answer. While 90% of women feel that working from home provides for a number of distinct advantages such as increased flexibility and increased productivity, they may also be reluctant to take advantage of remote work opportunities due to fear of being "out of sight" or being thought of as less committed than their work-long-hours-all-times-of-the-day-and-night co-workers (I was one of those!).

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...women who do choose those more flexible schedules are often punished

... companies tend to reward people who stay late and work long continuous hours, over those who chose the flexible schedule - even if those two employees are equally productive

 Smithsonian Magazine (Harvard Study) [i]

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This unnecessary punitive challenge helps to explain why fewer women than men take advantage of remote work opportunities as captured by the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. One study shows an even wider gap between WFH women (23%) and men (36%). Yet the profile of a remote worker is quite similar for men and women. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey

Going forward the choice of whether to work from home or in an office will become less of a choice as more opportunities are outsourced to at-home workers. Whether your work-life gets balanced will be up to you.

What does all of this mean for individual earning power? Well - that's a deeper question requiring in-depth examination of the types of opportunities that are being sent to the homestead. 

The work may be part-time or full-time, knowledge-based or activity-based, etc. Work requirements will help to determine pay differentials.

Of course there's the nagging reality that average pay is already unequal - at home or at the office. 

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The advantages of WFH are expansive and inclusive - for companies, for women who are mothers, for women who aren't mothers, for men, across generations, for families, and for the planet. There are few areas in life where almost everyone agrees that the benefits outweigh the costs. Working from home (or working remotely) is one of those areas. 

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...if Americans who hold work-at-home compatible jobs did so 50% of the time, U.S. companies could collectively increase their bottom lines by between $525 and $665 billion USD as a result of savings in real estate, absenteeism, turnover, and increased productivity

Global Workplace Analytics [ii]

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Anyone who works in an office knows that you often have to go home or get out of the office in order to get your work done. If you google "working from home" you'll instantly get ~900 million responses on the topic. Do the same for "studies on working from home" and you'll come up with ~800 million responses. Ask anyone if they'd like to work from home for at least part of the time and 90% of them will say yes.

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Source: Global Workplace Analytics

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In study after study, employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention increase when individuals are allowed to work from home at least part of the time. There are compelling stats across reams of studies covering everything from saving employers money to reducing the brain-drain from retiring boomers to expanding opportunities for the disabled to increasing individual empowerment and engagement.

Yet...

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75% of women in the 25-44 age range participate in the labor force compared to 90% of men

25% of women work part-time compared to 10% of men

Global Workplace Analytics [iii]

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The answer to the Question #1 appears to be "well-maybe?"

If more women enter the workforce approaching 90% or more of the female labor force OR if more women take on full-time remote work OR if women are simply not penalized for working remotely OR if more women get paid the same as men THEN WFH opportunities may help to move the dial towards the gender balanced position.


Work location challenges aren't just here at home. The impact is felt in other places around the world. According to Fiona Cannon, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Lloyd's Banking Group in the UK achieving their 2020 objective of 40% women in senior leadership roles is doable yet is hampered by traditional working models.

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...one of the biggest obstacles is the traditional working model on which most organisations are based: Nine to five, five days a week. Start work at 16, retire at 60. Commute into offices in the town centre. Follow a linear career path. This model no longer reflects the lives we are living...

Forbes Magazine [iv]

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Are you overwhelmed with all of the data about where we work, when we work, how we work, and what will happen in the near future about work locations? I certainly am. I prefer Ricardo Semler's unconventional approach.


Think ahead - if you haven't already! Plug in some numbers with this gender-neutral HP Telework Tool to estimate how much you could save yourself and your employer. Dame Shirley had it right way back in the 1960s as one of the first companies willing to offer flexible work arrangements to an untapped female talent pool.

Question #2 - Can you use the info provided in this post to prepare yourself for WFH opportunities?

Answer - YES! 

Thanks for reading my article. Keep climbing and share your insights by commenting, liking, or sharing.

The Oracle's Wisdom and Leadership for The Ages

"In the beginning...", said The Oracle

Last week I took Bill Gates advice and read Warren Buffett's 50th annual letter. Before I read it I reflected on other corporate letters that I had injested in the past which contained oft repeated tales of business cycles with promises of innovation, customer focus, superior performance, and future growth only to show something different in practice.

This letter was different. 

The candid, sharp, and humorous wisdom coming from the pages of Warren Buffett's "best annual letter ever" rightly earned Gates' high praise. Unlike the time many years ago when I attempted to read The Intelligent Investor in order to learn investment strategies directly from Buffett's mentor, I made it through the letter multiple times as if rereading a favorite novel.

As I read the letter I thought about what I might be like when I turn 84 - or 91 in the case of Charlie Munger. What would my legacy be and how would I secure it? My thoughts quickly morphed into a rapid stream of questions and queries about the impact of gender inequality and it's long-term effects on women's wealth and power. I wondered: 

Could Warren Buffett's wealth and power have been gained by a woman?

Of course this is a rhetorical question, but the context and sentiment are real. Based on what we know the answer to this question is 'yes' in theory and 'no' in practice - at least not yet. The artificial, historical, and persistent roadblocks that have stood in the way are moving - or are being moved - by changing times, through diligent effort, and with rapidly accelerating technological innovations.

As more women step forward to take the reigns of wealth and power, odds are increasing that there will be a female "Warren Buffett" at some point in the future - though the jump will be a long one. According to Forbes, Buffett's net worth as a self-made billionaire is $72.3 billion USD. The world's richest woman is Christy Walton whose inherited net worth is $41.7 billion USD (58% of Buffett's net worth).

Source: Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census 2014

NOTE: Making a distinction between inherited and self-made billions makes me slightly uncomfortable as there is an implication that inherited wealth may not be as productive as self-made wealth. Wealth at this level is an accomplishment that few will ever achieve no matter the source.

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As I continued reading and thinking about the future that my daughter will inherit, I knew that I would take the time to review several of Buffett's annual letters with her as she prepares to take the reigns of her own life. 

Like never before the trajectories of wealth, business, and poverty can be altered in unexpected ways by women. The field of dreams is being reconstructed by technology and the knowledge economy so that the gates, ceilings, doors, and portals are wide open for all who want to play.

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The World's Richest Women

The richest women in the world mostly inherited their wealth. However, the ceiling has been shattered by 17% of female billionaires including Elizabeth Holmes, a Millenial who at 31 is the youngest female self-made billionaire ever with a net worth of $4.5 billion USD. 

Each of these women have obtained immense wealth and power to be leveraged to build even more wealth and power throughout the ages - and so the story goes.

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...I believe the chance of any event causing Berkshire to experience financial problems is essentially zero. We will always be prepared for the thousand-year flood; in fact, if it occurs we will be selling life jackets to the unprepared...

Warren Buffett's Annual Letter 2015 [p.34]

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Wealth is wherever one finds it, but the largest share of billionaires have made their fortunes in finance, banking, and investments. According to Wealth-X, the year 2020 will witness a double-digit increase in the billionaire population due to rapid technology innovations and cutting-edge ideas. Currently technology magnates make up only 4% of the world's richest people.

Source: Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census 2014

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Women, Investing, and Poverty

Women are the top earners of college degrees. Women continue to build businesses in record numbers. Women run their households either as the 'head of household' or as the CFO in a partnership. Women out live men. 

So what's up with women when it comes to investing - another of those nagging questions?

It's one thing to break through gender barriers of corporate leadership, but it's yet another to capture and keep the wealth that's earned after having done so. All of this the hard won advantages point to a need for sound financial education and strategies. Research shows that women are apprehensive when it comes to investing.

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You can’t get rich trading a hundred-dollar bill for eight tens (even if your advisor has handed you an expensive “fairness” opinion endorsing that swap)

Warren Buffett's Annual Letter 2015 [p.28]

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Here's what can happen later in life without keeping your mind on your money:

Source: National Women's Law Center

Nope - I'm not a financial advisor (far from it). I'm a mother who is looking out for the well-being of my daughter. I'm teaching her about asset allocation, saving versus investing, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, and business relationships. For her last birthday she received several of Robert Kiyosaki's books along with her first business building kit. 

Periodically I require her to play 'Cash Flow' or 'JA Success Park' on her iPad and sometimes we play together. I'm quite passionate about these topics for her and for me. I don't know where all of this will take her, but I'm certain that if she doesn't have this type of education she will struggle unnecessarily. Junior Achievement is next on the list along with a continuation in STEM engagements. 

She will have on her life jacket when the thousand-year flood comes.

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The Oracle's Wisdom

There are huge gaps between gaining massive wealth on the level of Warren Buffett and poverty. Effective strategies can help to close those gaps over time. Elizabeth Holmes is off to a great start.

From building a strong corporate structure and culture to selecting and empowering the right kind of leaders to sticking with what works, The Oracle's Wisdom is leadership for the ages. Though it was hard to narrow down the list for this post, here are a few of my favorite notes from Buffett's 50th annual letter:

[1] Forget what you know about buying fair businesses at wonderful prices; instead, buy wonderful businesses at fair prices

[2] It’s hard to teach a new dog old tricks

[3] It is entirely predictable that people will occasionally panic, but not at all predictable when this will happen

[4] It is madness to risk losing what you need in pursuing what you simply desire

[5] Character is crucial

[6] My successor will need one other particular strength: the ability to fight off the ABCs of business decay, which are arrogance, bureaucracy and complacency

[7] An incoming CEO should be relatively young, so that he or she can have a long run in the job

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Thanks for reading my latest article. Now for the fun part - what have you learned from reading Warren Buffett's 50th annual letter? Comment, like, or share.

BIG DATA is Really a Big Deal

If it's true that you get what you measure, are we measuring the right things?

BIG DATA has become part of our lexicon of new references. As we continue to explore who we are and where we're going, BIG DATA is our companion, our friend, and sometimes our foe. I speak of BIG DATA as if it is a living thing because it is.

The saying goes - and goes - that you get what you measure. I believe that you get what you get until you decide to measure what you want instead. Only then will you be able to effectively alter your trajectory with focus - aiming towards your goals. Whether you measure before or after, gathering and analyzing sufficient data points is how it's done. 

We're Not There Yet

On Monday Melinda Gates, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton hosted Not There Yet: A Data Driven Analysis of Gender Equality. The event highlighted 20 years of initiatives that have resulted in some dramatic gains in Health and Education, but show mixed progress in many other areas such as Economic Empowerment and the impact of Climate Change on the lives of women and girls.

The No Ceilings Full Participation Project brought to the forefront efforts that have been undertaken by the UN Women's Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Four sessions have been previously hosted in:

• Mexico (1975)
• Copenhagen (1980)
• Nairobi (1985)
• Beijing (1995)

Following the great work produced in Beijing, 5-year check points issued progress reports on Beijing+5, Beijing+10, and Beijing+15. We're now at Beijing+20 with much of the work still undone on the Beijing Platform for Action. Promises made by many governments and organizations 20 years ago have been met with slow resolve, even slower action, or not at all.

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A girl born today will be 81 years old before she has the same chance as a man to be CEO of a company ... and she will have to wait until she's 50 to have an equal chance to lead a country

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director

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The data tells the story and provides the blueprint for how we should proceed. So what's all the fuss about data-driven action plans for gender equality? Answer - there's not enough of it. There's not enough data or gender equality. However, we do know enough to move forward forcefully towards a 50-50 planet by 2030. 

Ernst & Young has started an 80-year countdown clock to fast forward gender parity in the workplace. Others will follow their lead and it can be done.

We Need New Data - BIG DATA

Data combined with significant efforts have already made a dramatic difference in Health improvements around the globe. One significant example is that mothers are 42% less likely to die from complications of pregnancy than in 1995. This is a BIG accomplishment.

Additional data on health, education, economics, climate change, peace and security, and many other areas demonstrate that we're moving forward albeit slowly.

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...the Gates Foundation is focused on health because we believe that a productive life begins first and foremost with having good health

Melinda Gates - The Gates Foundation, No Ceilings (2015)

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More data is being gathered and consolidated by UN Women, World Health Organization, The Full Participation Project, and many organizations around the world. In some cases the amount of data is overwhelming. In other cases it's underwhelming. 

Collecting and analyzing BIG DATA on issues affecting women and girls helps to refine the blueprint for progress and will let us know how quickly we need to put our feet on the gas or whether a shift in strategy is required.

During the live streaming of "No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project" I listened intently with my daughter at my side as one story after another demonstrated global challenges and ways that those challenges are being tackled. The highlight for her was seeing and hearing Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai advise the world to "Aim Higher!" on all educational initiatives.

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...guarantee free education for 12 years for every child - every girl and every boy - to end poverty and violence ...to go forward I say "Aim Higher!" and we will reach our goals

Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, No Ceilings (2015)

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We can see in the data that major progress has been made in Primary education. However, there's still a 24% gap for countries providing tuition-free Secondary education and an even wider gap at University levels. Malala challenged World Leaders to ensure that every child gets a solid education.

There is so much more to measure, study, and take action on in education and in other areas.

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Download The Full Participation Report

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...as long as girls and women are valued less, fed less, fed last, overworked, underpaid, not schooled and subjected to violence in and out of their homes - the potential of the human family to create a peaceful, prosperous world will not be realized


Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Beijing (1995)

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Not surprisingly Secretary Clinton's message and the messages from all of the leaders who took the stage echoed the same sentiments each in their own voice, in their own way. It would be a shame for us to analyze these areas in 2030 with similar gaps remaining. 

We can do better and we will. Here's how.

"Aim Higher!" for Gender Parity around the world. We can do this!

How To Prevent "Double Jeopardy" From Jeopardizing Your Success

Double-jeopardy is attached and it's not the legal kind...

Several weeks ago I read a great LinkedIn article by Marianne Cooper that highlighted findings on gender bias in STEM fields. The focus of the article was a report published by Tools for Change in STEM which confirmed that gender bias does in fact exist in STEM fields. 

While I'm grateful that the study was performed and that Marianne brought additional visibility to the topic, I thought to myself - why do I need a study to validate what I already know to be true? 

Then I read (and reread) many of the details.

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The current body of social psychological work on gender bias has focused almost exclusively on the experiences of White women...

Double-Jeopardy? Gender Bias Against Women in Science (pg. 4)

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When I read that statement, I was glued to the report for the duration. I had to know more about what women of all types were revealing. For certain my personal and professional experiences would mirror those expressed by 60 scientists almost verbatim regardless of race or color, right? Almost - the report at once confirmed my experiences and enlightened me about how difficult this topic can be to examine.

Please Note!

The study's findings warrant a detailed examination by all professional women who are either just beginning their careers or who are well-underway - along with their leaders. While the study focuses on STEM careers, these same types of challenges are experienced in other professions as well. 

Because of reports like this one, today's career women have new opportunities to prepare effectively before they have to do battle as STEM leaders. It's a battlefield out there and that fact shouldn't be understated. Everyone should know what they're facing - and then do it anyway.

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You have to be okay with being ostrasized in every way

Double-Jeopardy? Gender Bias Against Women in Science (pg. 48)

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Though there are many efforts in progress to improve professional workplaces, there's a need for everyone in leadership to roll up their (our) sleeves and do whatever they (we) can to help resolve these challenges post haste.

As was so eloquently stated by Alibaba's CEO Jack Ma, "...one of the secrets of our success is that we have a lot of women." Many leaders and reports continue to point out that success in the 21st century requires more women actively engaged everywhere - especially in STEM. 

The 21st century keeps calling. Are we going to answer for gender equality in STEM or are we sending the call to voice mail? I predict that we will continue to answer the call.


Double-Jeopardy Bias Patterns Defined

Four STEM field bias patterns were examined (plus a short mention of sexual harassment) against the back drop of previous and current research. Bias categories include:

• [1] Prove-It-Again
• [2] The Tightrope
• [3] The Maternal Wall
• [4] Tug of War
• [5] Sexual Harrassment (mentioned)

[1] Prove-It-Again refers to the persistent need to reinforce one's competence and capabilities even though both have already been consistently demonstrated.

[2] The Tightrope is that space between exhibiting caretaker behavior on the one hand and standing up for one's self on the other.

[3] The Maternal Wall occurs when a woman's commitment to her job responsibilities is questioned after motherhood even if she keeps up with her duties while managing her family.

[4] Tug of War highlights that both women and men show bias against women in male dominated fields and situations.

[5] Sexual Harrassment (mentioned) as legally defined simply must not be tolerated. Period.

So what is double-jeopardy in the STEM context?

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Definition of STEM double-jeopardy:

Risk or disadvantage incurred from two sources simultaneously as in race and gender or race and age or gender and age

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Resolution? Metrics-Driven Bias Interruptors

Recommendations in the report include the implementation of Metrics-Driven Bias Interruptors (see pg. 49 of the report) along with best-practices in recruitment, hiring, promotions, and tenure activities. These are sound ways to move forward in any organization or company, but can often take a while for results to show. After you review the report, encourage your teams and leaders to do the same in order to leverage its insights to build bridges towards the future.

While there is still much more to be done everywhere, the U.S. is currently positioned at 20 of 142 countries benchmarked according to the Global Gender Gap Index with a score of 0.746. Index categories include:

• [1] Economic Participation and Opportunity
• [2] Educational Attainment
• [3] Health and Survival
• [4] Political Empowerment

Source: Global Gender Gap Report 2014 (pg. 364)

Okay - now that we have reports, numbers, perspectives, and context - what's next? We use the insights to build bridges towards successful outcomes.

I started out in male-dominated fields because I was interested in male-dominated subjects and no one stopped me - at least not for long. As a child I loved to play with bugs and mud pies in the back yard or I would examine squishy things in creek beds close to our home. Dad would often say to me "act like a lady" if I was climbing a tree or doing something else that was considered boyish. That's exactly what I was doing. I was acting like a STEM lady by exploring the world around me. 

I was curious about the inner workings of things so whenever I got a chance I would probe. I haven't stopped probing since and I never will. One has to be firm in their commitment to make a difference in STEM - or in any area of their choosing. 

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We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves 

We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained

Marie Curie, First Woman to Win Nobel Prize (Only 2-Time Winner)

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How To Prevent Double-Jeopardy from Jeopardizing Your Success

If you're considering a role in a STEM field or are already in one, you're doing your part so here are some ways to prevent double-jeopardy from jeopardizing your success.

• [1] Prove-It-Again and Again - Do what you love and love what you do! There's a tremendous price to pay for shying away from an area because others don't want you there. If your passion and talents lead you to a specific field - scientific or otherwise, go there with all due haste. #YOLO (you only live once)! Surround yourself with a positive team of influencers, sponsors, mentors, coaches, and supporters who will help you to navigate. Don't go it alone! Make your success in STEM a team effort.

• [2] Walk the Tightrope Backwards and in High Heels - Nurture strong positive attributes such as assertiveness, confidence, kindness, and ambition daily. Focus on your career trajectory and on being a positive influence on and with others. "Square off" when necessary if someone is being beligerant or deliberately jerkish to you. Otherwise play nice in the STEM sand box, but don't allow others to walk on you.

• [3] Build Bridges Across The Maternal Wall - Becoming a mother doesn't guarantee you a sideline seat unless that's what you want. Evaluate your circumstances and make the best choices for you, for your child(ren), and for your family. If the company where you work doesn't support you having or raising valuable human beings, then find a new company! Better yet, build a new one.

• [4] Get On The Right Side of The Tug of War Rope - Working with women (or men) can be frought with challenges if there are feelings of insecurity in the mix. When it comes to gender strength, team up with professional women to build strong "pink links" and expand your network based on your strategic plan. Don't have a strategic plan? Build one. Know your game and play it well. Let others play their own game.

• [5] Don't Tolerate Sexual Harrassment - Period. End of story. Document, report, and move on if the issues aren't resolved right away in any environment where you find yourself. It may be a financial or professional inconvenience, but what price can you put on your self-worth or on your physical well-being? Remember your career will be over some day, but you will still be you.

Alrighty then - it's time to move forward. Lace 'em up and get ready for the climb! It won't be easy, but then nothing worthwhile ever is.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my article. If you would like to read more, just click on this link. Leave your relevant comments in the section below and let's keep the dialog going.