Melinda Gates and her three strategies for gender equality.

Photo by Linus Nylund at Unsplash

Please read this extremely thoughtful and immensely succinct HBR article written by Melinda Gates. Whether you are reading it out of curiosity on what will drive the needle for gender equality or reading because you were a fan of Bill Gates and want to see what his wife has been up to, it really doesn’t matter. Just read it, and read ALL of it.  She has spelled out perfectly, in three simple to follow strategies, what we need to do NOW to reach gender equality. By dismantling the barriers to women’s advancement, fast-tracking the advancement of women in high impact sectors, and amplifying external pressure on institutions capable of reinventing the norm, she has pulled together the real data with clear “go-to-market” steps that we can all take to knock down gender barriers (as consumers, as employees, as employers, as shareholders, and as human beings who want to see the world get better). 

At The Huuman Group™, we too have been pulling and culling the data and it’s true; the current state of gender balance is not pretty. Today, we know we are far from gender equality and, despite so many other advancements, our workplaces today don’t look that different from “our fathers companies”. But, there is an important word here that we like to use at The Huuman Group. That word is “Unless”.  “Unless” is a powerful word because, depending on how it is contextually used, can have an either ominous tone or it can be used as a portent of hope. We like to use the word in the latter form - as a portent of hope. We will continue to be on a backward spiral UNLESS we make change happen. And, I believe, our world is filled with enough human power, willing and able to make these things happen, that we can have hope. In the words of Melinda Gates, “We CAN do it”, and here is how:

1: Dismantle the Barriers ~ through challenging stereotypical representations, ending sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and help employees manage work and caregiving.

2: Fast Track Advancement ~ Open new pathways into priority sectors and support womens career advancement

3. Amplify External Pressure ~ Pressure from shareholders, consumers, and employees

Please read her HBR article here, with a highlighter in hand, and I promise you it will be worth your time.

First published by Kristi Rible at www.thehuumangroup.com