Women helping women is a powerful concept. I was fortunate early on in my career to benefit from the guidance of a female executive who took an interest in me and my professional advancement. She appreciated my skillset, pushed me to stretch myself, and encouraged me to speak up in meetings and take on leadership roles. This kind of support is invaluable for women in the workplace, and crucial for our advancement for several reasons.
Female mentorship means more women in leadership roles
Simply put, women need workplace role models. Representation is undeniably important. Girls and women look for themselves in powerful female figures, and take inspiration from their example. Female to female mentorship provides women with the professional support and career guidance they need to excel and take on leadership roles, which then equips them to continue the cycle of empowering others. In this way, we inadvertently create better future opportunities for all women.
We also bring our own unique perspectives and ideas to the workplace, and often employ different leadership styles. While I’ve heard this referred to as “masculine” vs. “feminine” leadership styles, I’ll say that in many ways, men and women approach things differently – and leadership is no different. Neither style is better than the other, but having that diversity of thought and process is an important part of creating a successful work environment where all employees can thrive.
Women generally face the same obstacles and obligations
As a wife, mom, professional, and graduate student, I can tell you that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support that I have received from female mentors and colleagues alike. We exist within a society that unfortunately creates a real tension for women who choose to both work and raise a family. This balancing act of working mothers is not new to us. Recent terminology points to the “mental load” that women face, which highlights the all too often invisible labor involved in managing a household and a family. Research has even confirmed that being a mom is the equivalent of 2.5 full-time jobs – to which moms everywhere likely responded, “We know!” When women decide they want to raise a family and contribute to the workforce, that workload only intensifies. Working mothers are lacking the support that they need to manage it all. It is an issue that is uniquely ours, and society is not setting us up for success. All too often women feel like they have to choose career or family to do either really well, and that is a hard place to be in. This problem is at an all time high, with mothers of small children losing work at three times the rate of fathers since the onset of the pandemic.
Mentorship builds a community of support
Inherent to a mentorship relationship is the interpersonal benefit of community building, which can lead to greater morale and increased job satisfaction. Again, I’ve been unusually fortunate in this area with an incredibly supportive and positive cohort of female colleagues. Community is vital for our emotional and mental wellbeing. Female mentors and mentees offer each other support, empathy, understanding, and sometimes, just a listening ear. Haven’t we all been in a situation where, after given the chance to talk something through, we experience more mental clarity and just feel better all around? That kind of support, in the workplace and among women, is invaluable.
Robert Ingersoll said, “We rise by lifting others.” I’ve found this to be true. We can all benefit from the guidance of those who have gone before us, and we can provide our hard-earned wisdom to those who will come alongside us and after us. Our shared, lived experiences unite us and when we support each other, we can move things forward for all women.
About the Author
Ashley Day is the Manager of Grants and Communications for College Relations at Pennsylvania College of Technology. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Strategic Communications through Penn State World Campus.
