Show Me Your C-Suite: Why Women's Programs and Diversity Initiatives Still Matter (Apr '24 Bonus Content Episode)

Check out the first of three Bonus Content episodes from the April Design-Build Delivers Podcast, complementing the longer April episode, "Blueprints to Inclusion: Championing Women's Design, Build and Beyond." 

In “Show Me Your C-Suite: Why Women's Programs and Diversity Initiatives Still Matter,” LaDrena Dansby, Anna Pridmore and Barbara Wagner dig deeper into issues impacting women in the construction industry, including the significance of women's programs and diversity initiatives, the importance of involving everyone in these discussions and the need to diversify leadership in AEC firms. 

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Transcript

Erin Looney  00:09

When I sat down with Le Drina Dansby Anna Pridmore and Barbara Wagner to talk about women in construction for the April episode of the design build delivers podcast, I promised them we would be done in 30 to 40 minutes. Over an hour later, we were still talking. Now on some level, I knew there was no way we could tackle such a broad set of issues in the span of one podcast. But that wasn't enough of a reason not to try right. And I'll bet if we wanted to, we could have talked for at least another hour, but we didn't. And you're welcome. Still suffice to say the show's producer, Fred Yee had to cut a ton of the conversation to get it to a reasonable length. Now the upside of so much good material hitting the cutting room floor is that means there's plenty left for our bonus content. And this is the first of three minisodes from this episode with luxury Anna, Anna and Barbara coming out in the next couple of weeks. This week in show me your C suite why women's programs and diversity initiatives still matter? We talk about how the industry is shifting toward diversifying the highest levels of AEC firms the need to continue supporting networking programs focused on women and how those programs might not be what you think or what you're used to. When we were planning this episode, we touched on how some particularly younger women in the industry wonder why is there a need for women's specific programs and networking events. Anecdotally, our guests said some of the women they work with do feel some disconnect with gender specific initiatives and what they're aim to address. Barbara touched on some strategies to overcome that disconnect during the longer episode.

Barbara Wagner  01:36

We also ensure that men are invited to because men need to see some of the challenges that we're all facing. And these conferences aren't all about saying how we're different. It's really about helping them with leadership skills, what to look out for, but inviting men to these meetings so that they could become an ally or an advocate is super important, too. It's not just the Women's Club.

Erin Looney  02:01

And Anna commented in our planning session that some of the women she mentors have wondered aloud what is the point of these programs. So I asked her to tell us more about what she's heard and how to address it. And that is where we pick up in this bonus episode of the design build delivers podcast brought to you by us CAD. Now Anna, when we were planning, you shared a story of a mentee who said, you know, it would be pretty weird to have a men's networking groups. So why do we have a women's Can you share your thoughts on this perspective and the role of gender specific initiatives in the construction industry.

Anna Pridmore  02:32

I really love what Barbara was saying about some of the networking events that her women and construction group did of making sure that they're also including men. So it's not a situation of excluding others. It's about making sure that underrepresented populations have a chance to get together with people who may share similar interests or challenges with others. For example, sometimes working on a job site, as a female working at a certain time of the month is extremely challenging. Just even with construction, bathroom facilities, things like that, working through how do you navigate that kind of situation, where those are unique challenges that may be faced by women. And it's helpful to have someone who maybe understands those types of issues and how to work through them. So it's not in any way about excluding others, it's about allowing the opportunity to share some common perspectives with others, and then make sure that everyone is included to be part of that conversation as well.

Barbara Wagner  03:26

Again, it's important to find ways to help support our women and help them smooth some of the challenges within their careers. You know, women tend to be more loyal to their teams and sacrifice their ambitions. So women tend to be on their projects longer. We don't want to be self serving. So we do sacrifice sometimes our careers for our job, there's been a ton of studies out there that say, you know, we need to check all the boxes to move to the next level, where men are more promoted on potential when were promoted on what have you done, right. So again, there's some of the challenges that we have, but it's really gaining that confidence in yourself and in your abilities to be able to navigate to this career, just like any career,

Erin Looney  04:12

thinking about. I don't want to say the disconnect. But Anna, your example of someone saying this is weird that we need this. How can initiatives like those you've been talking about? How can they shift to meet changes in demand to meet changes in representation? So how do you address when someone says, Why does this lady things still exist? We don't need it.

Anna Pridmore  04:32

One of the things that I think that's really helpful is also beyond having conversations that are just explicitly listed as diversity sessions also having conversations that are more about workforce development, because that's a word that may be less triggering to others, but fundamentally covers many of the same concepts. When you're trying to develop a workforce, the concepts of making sure everyone feels included that there's good mentorship, there's good ally ship, all of those same concepts that you just Scott is part of a diversity, equity and inclusion related conversations occurs within workforce development. But that's a topic that holistically, a broader set of the population can rally behind. So sometimes that's maybe what we required to be able to help the messaging get to that broader audience.

Erin Looney  05:16

Literally know, what is your experience show?

LaDrena Dansby  05:19

I've not seen a real need to change. The thing about it. We talked about what 14% of women in the industry. Now, if you had like a stock portfolio, and it performed at that rate, you wouldn't be trying to address it right. So we still need to address it put whatever label, you weren't on it. But we need to address the success of women in our industry.

Erin Looney  05:42

I see you nodding Barbara, what are you thinking?

Barbara Wagner  05:44

The challenge is not just that 14%. But when you break it down as to within which level of your career is that percentage, you find that it becomes like 2% at the top level. And then that's the challenge. The last two decades, I've focused on the healthcare space and working with healthcare systems, they really want to ensure that their teams, their construction teams, emulate the communities in which they serve. And there's one prominent system here in particular that has asked in our RFQs and RFPs, show me the diversification of your C suite. So they want to see all the statistics within your organization, but also, at certain levels. Show me the diversity within your organization. And we're seeing a lot more of that now, especially in some markets and with some clients. And again, not that it needs to be the owners, it's going to push all of us to do the right thing. Right. But again, it helps.

Erin Looney  06:52

You know, like they say every little bit right. And if Barbara's seeing those changes in the healthcare sector, it's certainly not a reach to say they're happening across other sectors. And thanks to its collaborative nature design build is perfectly situated to help usher in that transition to teams that look more like the communities they serve. Le Drina Anna and Barbara talk more about that connection in the longer April episode blueprints to inclusion championing women's design, build and beyond and if you haven't checked it out yet, I give you permission express permission from me to prolong today's workout, take an extended lunch hike, the longer trail drive the scenic route, whatever excuse you need to make and pop on the April episode of the design build delivers podcast and make sure you have notifications turned on for upcoming episodes including two more bonus content clips from this conversation and the upcoming May episode where we will tackle augmented reality in construction with Margaret Thatcher from Argyle and DBIA is very own Brian script back. Thanks for listening and thanks to our design build delivers podcast sponsor us CAD Learn more at us cad.com/dbia