1. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Sponsoring Women: What Men Need to Know Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division April 20, 2016

2. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC What We Will Discuss Today Why sponsorship matters How sponsorship differs from mentoring Why sponsorship is not as common or effective for women as for men How to include women more purposefully in your sponsorship activities

3. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC What’s the Problem?

4. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC In your organization, approximately what percentage of the equity partners, leaders, executives and top rainmakers are women?

5. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Women and Men in US Law Firms Ida Abbott Consulting LLC

6. Additional Figures 24% of Fortune 500 General Counsel In the judiciary women are: – 35% of Federal Appellate judges – 33% of Federal District judges In Florida, women are: – 25% of District Court Judges – 30% of Circuit Court judges – 34% of County Court judges

7. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Re-framing: What Needs to Be Fixed? Not, “What’s wrong with women that they are not making it to the top here?” Ask, “What’s wrong with this firm if the talented women we hire aren’t reaching the top here?”

8. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Women Face Barriers Men Don’t

9. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC What the Research Shows Even when women used the same career advancement strategies—doing all the things they have been told will help them get ahead—they advanced less than their male counterparts and had slower pay growth. Catalyst, The Myth of the Ideal Worker

10. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Why Should Men Care? Don’t women self-select out? Isn’t this a woman’s issue? Won’t this take care of itself naturally over time?

11. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Advancing Women Is: An economic issue A talent issue A leadership issue A strategic business issue

12. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Why Focus on Sponsorship? More men than women get promoted because they enjoy the sponsorship of powerful leaders who help propel their careers upward – Not because of any inherent differences in ability or ambition between the sexes – Women who have sponsors get promoted at the same rate as men

13. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Why Focus on Men? Most potential sponsors are men – Men tend to sponsor other men

14. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC What Should Men Do? Ida Abbott Consulting LLC

15. Mentorship vs. Sponsorship Mentors – More knowledge, experience than you – Personal, professional development – Inform – Advise, guide – Support, confidence, self-worth Sponsors – Have power, influence – Career advancement, promotion – Advocate, champion – Present/create opportunities – Protect – Take risks for you

16. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Mentoring Activities Champion Advise Inform Trust required Risk involved Ida Abbott Consulting LLC

17. Examples of Sponsorship Public endorsement and recognition Assignment to lead high visibility stretch projects Introductions to influential people Invitations to new business opportunities Protection from unfair criticism What are some others?

18. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Why Don’t Men Sponsor More Women? Men overlook or avoid women as protégées Unconscious mindsets Mixed signals from women Concerns about sex

19. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Unconscious Mindsets

20. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC VS.

21. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Unconscious Mindsets Gender norms Stereotypes Gender bias – Confirmation bias – In-group favoritism Own and others’ Seems riskier

22. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC 2016 Florida Bar YLD Survey 43% of women experienced gender bias Ida Abbott Consulting LLC

23. Unconscious Mindsets Toward women – Women not ready/suited for leadership – Women not ambitious, committed, tough enough – Mothers are distracted, unreliable, less competent Toward men – In-group favoritism: Comfort with people like us – Except: men who don’t meet gender expectations

24. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Overcoming Unconscious Mindsets Self-awareness Attention to others Looking for women candidates Clear, objective criteria Transparent decision-making

25. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Mixed Signals What do women want? – How ambitious is she? Less self-advocacy Avoidance of politics – Belief in meritocracy – Need for authenticity

26. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC To Clarify Signals: Don’t make assumptions about her. Ask about her career interests and aspirations. Tell her you think she has potential to move up. Explain the kind of career assistance you can offer her and what you would expect from her, and ask her if she wants your help.

27. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Sex

28. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Sex-Related Concerns Attraction Gossip Jealous wives Misperceptions alleged harassment

29. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Dealing with Sex-Related Concerns Act professionally at all times. Avoid or limit alcohol when you’re together. Set boundaries, either explicitly or through your actions. Do not assume your protégée finds you sexually attractive. If you are attracted to her, do not assume the feeling is mutual.

30. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Sponsoring a Woman

31. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC What Is Your Experience with Sponsorship? Being sponsored As a sponsor What in your past experience makes it less – or more - likely that you will sponsor a woman?

32. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Whom Have You Sponsored? Whom have you sponsored in the last 5 years? – What do those people have in common? – In what ways are they different? – How many were women? If you have not sponsored any women during the last 5 years, why not? – Were your reasons based on assumptions or facts? – How can you manage, counteract or eliminate those reasons?

33. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC To Increase Your Sponsorship of Women: Commit Learn; stay informed Be conscientious – Look for potential protégées – Ask, don’t assume – Encourage Be accountable

34. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC What’s Needed from Leaders Reframe the discussion: strategic business issue – Competitive advantage, not women’s issue Genuine, vocal, consistent, action-focused commitment to women’s advancement – Teach & align all managers, supervisors, partners – Personal sponsorship Accountability – Self and other leaders

35. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC www.attorneyatwork.com

36. Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Contact Details Ida Abbott Ida Abbott Consulting LLC www.IdaAbbott.com Phone: +1 510 339 6883 Email: IdaAbbott@aol.comIdaAbbott@aol.com