Women in Tech Leadership: Stories, Tips, and Challenges.
The tech industry is as we know is a male-dominated industry. However, there is significant growth in women who venturing in the tech industry today. These women in tech have shown great leadership skills and have inspired many young women to pursue their dreams in the industry The tech industry does not limit the knowledge and skills based on gender. Everyone is welcome to explore the tech field.
If you are a woman who is currently doubting yourself your ability to survive in the tech industry, we hope this story by mentor Lily Okamoto, the Lead Product Manager at TableCheck will lift your spirit and inspire you to continue in your career journey.
Lily’s story: The reason I decided to be in the technology industry
Problem-solving The tech industry enables problem-solving. I go back and forth between the tech industry and the non-tech industry. I'm conscious not to become too comfortable with where I am because there is a world that would inspire, heal, and expand me in many other ways.
I forget not to compare myself with others. I forget to celebrate my daily success. I forget I am learning so much and doing everything I can with the resource I have. When someone assumes and misunderstands your intentions, or you feel not trusted even you are doing everything for the team and company, my body started showing symptoms of stress. I treated them as a sign that I need to take care of myself.
Tips:
Seek support: peer to peer or mentor I have a group of peers who I can go to, and they will be your support system outside of work.I also talk to my mentor if I need immediate help. Find your go-to mentors, doesn't have to be one, but build a relationship with mentors who are happy to give you their WhatsApp. And they are happy when you are happy, that’s your “Give” to your mentor.
Book a session with a therapist when needed I book a session with a therapist when I can’t handle the situation with my circles. (I know it is a privilege to have access), but they help you as a third person, and are less likely to bring any subjective view, or does not pressure you to take any action which friends, coach, a mentor could do with no bad intentions.
Tap chest with my fist when having anxiety I’ve seen Olympic athletes do that too, try to google them. And try to “Let it go”. There are things you can’t control: People and the Past. If you want to rant, allow yourself to rant for 5 minutes, and decide to move on.
Women in tech leadership: The 3 Challenges
Self-sabotage
I used to find myself intentionally stopping myself to speak up. It was a societal condition, in Japan where I grew up, I was taught to respect harmony by suppressing myself on top of the societal expectation to be modest as a Japanese woman. I always had natural leadership and creative blessing, but I was putting a lid on it so I don’t disturb the harmony. After I read "Lean In" written by Sheryl Sandberg, I decided to "Sit at the table” and never look back. If I have no job speaking at that meeting, I don't attend. I value my voice, and if the environment doesn't value my voice, I’m onto something better.
I feel the need of proving myself a lot every step of the way. Once I was told that I'm not assertive enough. I realized I was people-pleasing at the interview, smiling and talking very friendly. Now I conduct interviews, and I see some male candidates who don't even smile, and they get feedback like "Firm". I think women will get "dislikable”.
Look in a certain way to get approval
As an Asian woman in Canada, I didn’t know I had to put lots of makeup on the interview so I look older, which means I look like I have more experience. I also wished I can change my female Japanese name on my resume and A/B test to see If I’d pass the resume screening if I have a white male name on it. I wish I could grow a beard and shave my head so I look like a “Firm" man in the interview to see if I get a better result in the interview. These doubtful thoughts, people may think that it’s my thought and I shouldn’t be even thinking about it if you are confident, but if you look at the number of hires, wage gap, it’s hard not to doubt.
Women in tech leadership: Career development and growth tips
Find any issues you can see in the world and work on them to improve.
I didn’t start my career with tech or products. I started working as an account manager. Maybe my manager thought I’m doing the work that I wasn’t supposed to be doing, but I was always working on the problem. I asked myself:
a) How can I improve the efficiency of delivery so I can satisfy my customers?
b) Is there anything I can automate so I don’t have to do this again?
Continue to explore and grab every opportunity to learn
I tried to use new technology whenever I can (mostly free trials without any company approval) so I can take advantage of those and learn how these tools work. That was my way of doing MVP. At the end of the day, all these trials I’ve signed up for (now all on my unsubscription list) helped me to learn about the product from different industries in different parts of the world.
You are not your thoughts Don’t make your thought or someone’s thought into your reality.
The result doesn't come immediately No matter how hard you work on it. Sometimes it takes time. Keep working on yourself, don’t stop learning.
Don’t punish yourself, or criticize yourself too early Sometimes you’ll see the impact much much later than you expect. I hired a career coach, I didn’t see the immediate result, but now what she has taught me became my tools when I’m hiring people at work instead. Who imagined that would be my weapon. I was only thinking about landing a job back then, but now it’s my asset. So don’t punish yourself, or criticize yourself too early.
At ADPList, we have global women in techmentors who are available to support you in your career. Book a session to get career advice, portfolio reviews, resources to get you a step ahead!
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