Dr Clare Embling clare emblingplymouth ac uk Clare

Dr Clare Embling clare. embling@plymouth. ac. uk @Clare. Embling http: //clareallatsea. com/ Image © Syed Abdul Basit http: //www. slideshare. net/sabasit/strategies-for-success-11397067

Workshop outline Me talking (10 minutes) • • About me… What are strategies for success? Do women need different strategies for success? Identifying role models You doing (40 minutes) 1. Identify your own goals (what is success? ) 2. Identify how to get there (the strategies) 3. Identify challenges & strategies to deal with them Me talking (5 minutes) • What can we learn from those in leadership positions You doing (5 minutes) • Write the goals for your goals for the next 6 months

GCSEs A-levels Passion for (science & art) subject Pure determination & hard work! Time for hobbies & looking for job passion (not progression) MEng Engineering Engineer in industry (with a placement year AND year in France) (6 years, 3 different jobs) My career & strategies Desire to travel 6 months travel (& conservation work) Following passion Open University Biology MRes Biology (Uni St Andrews) Ph. D Marine Biology (whales, dolphins & porpoises!) ? ! 2 post-docs (& 2 children) Lecturer in Marine Ecology Making sure I ticked all boxes Forward thinking, networking, social media profile Following passion & location LUCK! (at the right place at the right time)

Image © Syed Abdul Basit http: //www. slideshare. net/sabasit/strategies-for-success-11397067

Where I want to be Ho w d (ST o I g RA et TE the GIE re S) ? Where I am now

Me now – Lecturer in Marine Ecology My strategies My challenges • • • Time challenged! Self-doubt (‘imposter syndrome’) Balancing research & teaching Inability to say ‘no’ Interested in everything! Future me goals 1. Work-family balance 2. Promotion! Reader in Marine Ecology

Do women need different strategies for success? • Women are more likely to suffer from lack of confidence → Ignore the voice that tells you can’t do it! • Women tend to be less aggressive & pushy → Speak up & work to your strengths • Evidence of unconscious bias – women judged more harshly → Make sure you sell yourself & have a stellar CV! • Women tend to take on the bulk of childcare → Push for equal sharing of childcare → Time management & strategy incredibly important… → Fight for flexible working …however many men have similar characteristics so need to adapt the same strategies (not all men are ‘alpha male’!)…

Identify a role model (& mentor) My role model Characteristics I admire & want to emulate: Dr Beth Scott • Passionate about her research • Managed to raise 2 children at same time as having a successful career (she was main carer) …and has a dog & academic husband… • Become forefront of her field & wins lots of research money • Supportive of flexible working • She’s a really nice person, very supportive, AND a bit scatty at times Characteristics I don’t want to emulate: • She works A LOT so has little work-life balance (& is a bit scatty!)

Now over to you – in groups: Aim: to build your own ‘strategies for success’ toolkit Introduce yourselves BRIEFLY – name, post, faculty/company Three stages: 1. Identify what you define as success (goals) → feedback to group (1 min per group) 10 mins 2. Select one goal & list some strategies → feedback to group (1 min per group) 10 mins 3. List potential challenges & counter strategies 10 mins → feedback to group (1 min per group)

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What can we learn from our leaders? Challenges & strategies from interviews of male & female staff in leadership positions in Plymouth University

Background Sent questionnaires to 16 staff in leadership roles (mainly in STEM) → equal numbers of males & females → received 8 responses (5 women, 3 men) Interesting facts: • 4/5 women said they think it is harder to succeed as a woman • Women in leadership positions with children (3/5) all shared childcare equally with partner (3/3) • 2/3 men in leadership positions had partners who took on responsibility of childcare (all had children), 1 shared equally with partner (except in early years)

Female challenges Time management (work-life Male challenges Self-doubt, over-sensitivity Managing competing work demands Insecurity Finding job in same place as partner Getting desired jobs, research funding & promotion Travel/time-away required for successful career (regardless of Travel/time-away required for successful career Lack of female role models or mentorship Not single-minded enough As a woman being taken seriously in a male-dominated environment Managing peer perceptions balance, research-teaching balance) family, relationships suffer)

Female leader strategies for success Childcare related: • Sharing childcare • Pushing for flexible working (but consider that if you choose to work part-time then can be looked down on) • Minimise maternity leave • Research fellowships (& potentially post-docs) can allow freedom to work part-time through maternity leave Relationship related: • Equal importance of career between partners • Sort out one partner’s career & other may need to be flexible (e. g. re-focus into alternative discipline)

Female leader strategies for success • • Flexibility & conscientiousness (work hard over broad area) Ignore the voice saying you can’t do it Negotiate & choose battles carefully (win over people) Prioritise (research v teaching, important travel) Time management Develop strong mentor relationships Networking – professionally & with fellow female scientists + “perseverance, enthusiasm, love of job, honesty, trust & don’t get lost in the detail”

Male leader strategies for success Childcare related: • Partner able to take on caring commitments General: Note: on the whole general very similar to many points raised by women • Strategic focus & prioritise tasks • Greater time management & organisation • Good working relationship with colleagues & networking (keeping colleagues ‘on-side’) • Broad interests & interest in what others are doing • Not bothering to sleep… • Sense of humour… • Ignoring instructions & going with gut

Tips for dealing with biases inherent in being a woman (or man with female traits) 1. Speak up! & give measured responses (not emotional outbursts), respond with empathy, play to skills – don’t emulate male traits! 2. Appear confident – squash down that ‘imposter syndrome’ and ignor the voice saying you can’t do it 3. Develop your network (with men & women) & get a mentor 4. Stand up to your boss when needed Remember, being a leader is about relating to people as individuals & those that can do it are better leaders (women tend to have more empathy) Be passionate

Over to you… Write down some goals for next 6 months on a postcard & I will post it back to you in 6 months!