Success and Support
Together is always better!
One key question is how do we know these findings can't be attributed to men and women? Well, the researchers of this study found a clear gender divide. Men who find themselves in higher level positions also have an expansive network of connections, however, the divide shows when looking at the gender patterns of those networks. The gender composition of a man’s social network doesn’t appear to have any significant effect on them moving into higher ranking positions. Meaning it doesn't matter how many men or women make up their social network. Whereas for women it does. So while both genders appear to benefit from this network, the gender composition and a female heavy inner circle significantly predicts a move up the ladder for women.
Research such as this shines an interesting light on the value of our social networks. It also reminds us of how valuable building and maintaining strong professional relationships can be. It gives us the opportunity to appreciate the ties and relationships we already have and develop more moving forward with women and with men. Because although as women our success may rely on one another working towards professional, respectful and supportive workplace relationships with everyone can only be a good thing.
Together is always better!
What if our female network can help us not
just in imagining career possibilities or in opening up opportunities
in the workplace but in our everyday work too?Getty
Research exploring women in the workplace already highlights plenty of compelling findings. In one study looking at female leaders, organizational power and sex segregation the results suggested
that women in higher levels of organizational power may be key
catalysts for change. Evidence such as this is supported by findings
from the World Economic Forum. Their data showed that female leaders hire more females. We also know that same-sex friendship significantly predicts
course taking in all subjects for young women. For women, having role
models and female mentors impacts the paths they go on to take and the
work they choose to do. But what if our female network can help us not
just in imagining career possibilities or in opening up opportunities in
the workplace but in our everyday work too?
New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found
that women who had a female-heavy “inner circle” were more likely to
move up the career ladder into higher-ranking leadership roles. Those
who found themselves entering these roles also had expansive social
networks with connections to peers in similar roles. However, it was
their “distinctive inner circle of women in their network” along with
their weaker but expansive ties - something the researchers referred to
as “dual connectivity” - that was important for women’s success. These
“strong and weak ties” appeared to help provide women with a diversity
of job-market data, information and connections key to job searches and
negotiation. All of which are extremely helpful when trying to forge a
successful and developing career. One key question is how do we know these findings can't be attributed to men and women? Well, the researchers of this study found a clear gender divide. Men who find themselves in higher level positions also have an expansive network of connections, however, the divide shows when looking at the gender patterns of those networks. The gender composition of a man’s social network doesn’t appear to have any significant effect on them moving into higher ranking positions. Meaning it doesn't matter how many men or women make up their social network. Whereas for women it does. So while both genders appear to benefit from this network, the gender composition and a female heavy inner circle significantly predicts a move up the ladder for women.
Research such as this shines an interesting light on the value of our social networks. It also reminds us of how valuable building and maintaining strong professional relationships can be. It gives us the opportunity to appreciate the ties and relationships we already have and develop more moving forward with women and with men. Because although as women our success may rely on one another working towards professional, respectful and supportive workplace relationships with everyone can only be a good thing.
