Communications of the ACM
The Advantages of Being a Woman in Tech
"People remember me in meetings . . . just because I'm a woman," says Cisco Systems CTO Padmasree Warrior. Differences "give you an opportunity and a spotlight, so use that to your advantage. Use it as a platform to demonstrate your knowledge and your cap
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Cisco CTO Padmasree Warrior shares career advice for female tech workers, based on her experience of becoming one of the most powerful women in Silicon Valley. As Warrior explains, she nearly bypassed a career in the tech industry altogether, turned off by the dearth of women in the field. However, as the tech industry has steadily become more accessible to women, there are now more outlets than ever before for women to make their mark. While women are still underrepresented in the tech sector, Warrior explains that this can actually become an opportunity for women to demonstrate their unique knowledge and capabilities to managers within an organization.
The tech industry has changed for women over the past two decades. When Warrior started her career, women were told they had to be tough in the tech world and have a thick skin. Now, we're in an environment where women can be who they want to be. Women now bring a different perspective than their male colleagues, tending to take a broader, bigger-picture view of things. Women are also typically better at sharing power. You have to know when is it okay to share your power and let someone else feel powerful and enjoy the spotlight.
Women also need to understand what their key strengths are. Many have areas of strength and don't need to prove themselves anymore, and those are areas to look to for sharing power. Also, don't be afraid of exploring new areas that are not directly related to previous experience or background. At a certain point, it's your ability to learn quickly and contribute quickly that matters. There is no perfect fit when you're looking for the next big thing to do. You have to take opportunities and make an opportunity fit for you, rather than the other way around. The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have. To increase the number of women in tech, Warrior suggests creating a strong foundation at a very young age, or something that sparks that initial interest in tech or science.
From The Huffington Post
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