At the height of the #MeToo movement, our founder, Nance L. Schick, was asked by Yahoo! Finance‘s Cameron Huddleston how men can be great mentors to women. Years later, we are still navigating complex conversations with business leaders who seek clarity in the rules of engagement. To kick off this year’s Women’s History Month, here are some of Nance’s tips.
Embrace Uncertainty
Accept that there are no clear-cut rules that apply to every person you meet. We are still figuring this out, and there’s no foolproof plan to prevent allegations against you. Life is inherently risky and unfair, and mistakes are inevitable. However, there are ways to minimize your risk of career-damaging consequences when mentoring women at work.
Handle Mistakes Appropriately
Denying a clear wrong is one of the worst ways to handle it. If you err when mentoring a woman or anyone else at work, it’s far more effective to:
- Listen to concerns
- Learn what is driving them
- Resolve them where possible
Master Complete Apologies
The more you practice taking responsibility, the easier it will become. It might even seem magical how quickly you can clean up mistakes and move everyone forward. Yet the apologies must be complete:
- Apologize for the specific conduct or statement
- Share how you will avoid making the mistake again
- Follow through on your promise
Focus on Measurable Goals
Your management role is always to deliver on the business’ goals, and supervising employees of all genders and gender identities is a vital part of this. When you can measure performance objectively, it will be easier to mentor your employees.
Maintain Professional Boundaries
Avoid behavior that mirrors what you do outside of work. When you are on the clock, remember that you were hired to further the business’ goals. You’re not at work to get a date, be reminded that you’re still attractive, audition for a stand-up comedy act, or win the “coolest boss” award. So, don’t act like you are. The more you can maintain your focus, the better this will be for your career. You’ll probably avoid sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and hostile work environment claims, and you’ll show that you deserve advancement opportunities.
Learn About the #MeToo Movement
Challenge yourself to understand why women felt a #MeToo Movement was necessary. Try to imagine going into a foreign land where most of the people are physically stronger than you and who haven’t had a lot of relationships with people from your homeland. Much of what they know, they’ve learned from the Internet, television, movies, and the occasional friend who visited your land for a few days once. They’ve developed implicit biases that they think are real, just as you had some preconceived notions about what they would be like.
- What would you need to feel safer?
- How would you overcome your implicit biases—and theirs—so you can work together as equals?
- Are there ways you can create those experiences for the women in your workplace?
The more you engage women as your intellectual and professional equals who can contribute to the business’ goals, the more you will see how similar you truly are. This will enhance your mentoring relationship and your leadership.