Is Dancing Holding Women Back in Corporate America?
If you're like me, you've probably wondered at one time or another, why has it taken so long for women to make progress in the C-suite? According to the Department of Labor, 51.9% of all managers and professionals are women. And for the first time ever, women outpaced the number of men in the workforce.
So, why does it feel like we take one step forward and then it's two steps back? Well, I think I may have figured out the answer to this age-old question. And, you may be surprised to know that it has to do with dancing. That's right. Dancing!
Let me explain. I have a business trip planned for Austin, Texas for late September. Like many of you, I plan to combine this trip with some business, personal development and personal time off. The instructor for the class I'm taking, mentioned that she and her significant other plan to go dancing and specifically, they would be two-stepping. I thought, how fun! So, I invited my husband to join me.
After inviting my husband, it occurred to me that we don't couple dance very often or very well. Not because we can't dance but because that's not the style of dancing we grew up with. So I decided that each weekend we should spend some time two-stepping in the priavacy of our own home.
Here's what I discovered in trying to teach my husband to two-step.
Because I know how to two-step, and because I learned to do it at home with other girlfriends as a kid, I want to take the lead. But, technically, when dancing it's the man that takes the lead, right? So imagine the scenario that occurred as both my husband and I were trying to dance the lead. Dancing with the Stars - watch out!
So, how does this apply to the corporate world?
Historically we've been trained that men take the lead and women follow. But isn't it obvious that women are now ready to take the lead? It may be to some but apparently not to many others. That's why it's one step forward and two steps back.
For those men and women that think we can't do it, and for those women who think they're not ready, consider this. Think for a moment about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers gliding effortlessly around the dance floor together. Ginger did everything Fred did except she was dancing backwards and wearing heels.
So, why does it feel like we take one step forward and then it's two steps back? Well, I think I may have figured out the answer to this age-old question. And, you may be surprised to know that it has to do with dancing. That's right. Dancing!
Let me explain. I have a business trip planned for Austin, Texas for late September. Like many of you, I plan to combine this trip with some business, personal development and personal time off. The instructor for the class I'm taking, mentioned that she and her significant other plan to go dancing and specifically, they would be two-stepping. I thought, how fun! So, I invited my husband to join me.
After inviting my husband, it occurred to me that we don't couple dance very often or very well. Not because we can't dance but because that's not the style of dancing we grew up with. So I decided that each weekend we should spend some time two-stepping in the priavacy of our own home.
Here's what I discovered in trying to teach my husband to two-step.
Because I know how to two-step, and because I learned to do it at home with other girlfriends as a kid, I want to take the lead. But, technically, when dancing it's the man that takes the lead, right? So imagine the scenario that occurred as both my husband and I were trying to dance the lead. Dancing with the Stars - watch out!
So, how does this apply to the corporate world?
Historically we've been trained that men take the lead and women follow. But isn't it obvious that women are now ready to take the lead? It may be to some but apparently not to many others. That's why it's one step forward and two steps back.
For those men and women that think we can't do it, and for those women who think they're not ready, consider this. Think for a moment about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers gliding effortlessly around the dance floor together. Ginger did everything Fred did except she was dancing backwards and wearing heels.
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