4 Simple Questions to Ignite the Gender Equality Conversation in Your Organization
Most teams aspire to greater diversity, yet the path to initiating meaningful conversations often remains unclear. You’re not alone if the term “diversity” sometimes feels loaded, even triggering defensiveness among those who don’t readily see themselves as part of a diverse group. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This post consolidates a series of questions designed to help you spark critical and productive dialogues about gender equality within your team and across your organization.
1. Visioning the Future: What would our organization look like if our gender equality goals were met?
Start with a vision. As a powerful tool in leadership, career development, and workshops, visioning helps us see what’s possible. By anchoring ourselves to a picture of success, our minds begin to recognize its attainability and map out the behaviors needed to get there.
Simply pose this question to your team or in your next meeting: “What would our organization look like if our gender equality goals were met?”
If you encounter silence, offer a compelling starting point: Gender equality drives higher profitability. The McKinsey Women Matter report consistently highlights that gender-equal leadership teams outperform their less-equal industry counterparts. If your organization hasn’t yet established gender equality goals, this is the perfect place to begin.
Consider the example of Cummins, featured in our “Pivot Point” podcast season two, “Communication and Leadership Gaps.” Their senior leadership made a deliberate commitment to gender equality at the C-suite level. Now at 35% women and striving for 50/50, they consistently affirm that gender equality is not only the right thing to do but also aligns directly with their business objectives, particularly in growing developing countries where women’s active participation is crucial for community growth.
This leads us to a crucial point: Have a noble purpose. The Cummins story resonates because it’s rooted in a genuine belief that permeates the entire organization. To achieve your gender equality goals, whether it’s increasing overall diversity or specific gender representation, connect it to your core values and business objectives. When people understand that gender equality is integral to how you operate, their values and behaviors will naturally align. The challenge arises when it’s perceived as a separate, isolated initiative.
Map it out: Try this exercise with your team: “If we increase diversity by [X%], we will impact our business goals by [Y%].” Dig deep, solicit input from across the organization – diversity cannot be addressed in isolation.
Furthermore, recognize the positive behaviors that emerge from gender balance – what I call the Yin-Yang effect. Diverse teams not only perform better but also foster an environment that retains top talent. These teams are more collaborative, cultivate a stronger sense of belonging, actively listen to each other, and build high trust. Research consistently shows that belonging and inclusion are key drivers of employee retention today. A balanced perspective also leads to better decision-making. Women, often socialized to be more supportive and inclusive, naturally promote this sense of belonging. How could your team benefit from more of these behaviors? This isn’t just a trend; millennials are demanding this in the workplace, and its importance will only grow.
2. Identifying the Gaps: What are we missing out on by not maximizing the talents of both genders?
People inherently dislike missing out. The adage “no pain, no gain” rings true – we often need to feel a sense of loss or deficiency to motivate change. That’s why another powerful starting question is: “What are we missing out on by not maximizing the talents of both genders?”
Like all effective gender equality conversation starters, this question is designed to spark debate. Healthy debate is a hallmark of high-performing teams; it encourages different perspectives, ultimately leading to better outcomes. Our “Pivot Point” podcast season two even features an episode dedicated to “Welcoming Diverse Perspectives” with leaders in the diversity and inclusion space, highlighting this very point.
The reality: Gender parity is rare at the top. While we might assume some industries are more diverse than others (education, healthcare, etc.), a closer look at leadership often reveals a different picture. The fact remains that most C-suites hover around 20% women across various sectors, with non-profits potentially being a notable exception.
So, if gender neutrality is lacking at the highest levels, how do we quantify what’s being lost? How do we make the “pain” visible?
Follow-up questions to clarify the pain: The gender equality conversation is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process. This is often why people avoid it – it can feel complex and messy. To dig deeper and uncover the pain points, ask:
- What percentage of women vs. men are we retaining (or losing to negative attrition)?
- What is the breakdown of women vs. men in promotions?
- Have we measured the pay gap between women and men? If not, when will we? If so, what are we doing to close it?
Healthy pain drives progress. These questions are designed to elicit a sense of unease, a healthy recognition that we are not yet equal. This awareness can then fuel activities and discussions aimed at bridging the gaps. By failing to address these disparities, organizations risk losing top talent, perpetuating unequal pay, and hindering equitable advancement opportunities. Both women and male allies often express dissatisfaction with organizations that fail to address these issues, increasingly demanding proactive solutions.
3. Recognizing Areas for Growth: What do we see that tells us we have room to improve our gender equality?
Continuous improvement is essential. Teams committed to gender equality and broader diversity and inclusion must consistently challenge themselves to evolve and become better.
Consistency in message and action builds belief. Our brains tend to internalize messages we hear repeatedly. Dialogue further accelerates this process. To effectively communicate the need for gender equality and foster meaningful discussion, seek broad input from your team regarding key areas that hinder true inclusivity.
Ask your team:
- What are the barriers and obstacles to achieving gender equality within our organization?
- What feedback do we receive from women and allies in exit interviews regarding equality?
- What data or evidence do we have indicating we are falling short (e.g., senior leadership demographics, pay disparities, promotion rates, attrition)?
- What specific gaps do we need to address to achieve greater equality?
Often, organizations are blind to their own biases and the ingrained cultural barriers that impede gender equality. Reflect honestly on the answers to these questions. Every organization has its challenges; no one is perfect. Acknowledging these “skeletons in the closet” is the first step toward progress.
Find the wiggle room; progress takes time. For those advocating for gender equality, the desire for rapid, disruptive change is understandable. However, significant change often unfolds gradually. Patience is key, even though it can be frustrating. Remember that in 2018, only 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women. Progress, while necessary, often takes time.
Take one step at a time. If the path forward feels daunting, slow down and engage your team with more questions. Address barriers one by one. Approach the conversation with curiosity, seeking input on what’s holding you back and what could lead to improvement. Most importantly, listen to learn.
Taking action, even small steps, is always more impactful than inaction. It won’t always be easy. As the saying goes, “mind the gap.” Pay attention to your organization’s gaps, track positive progress, and consistently challenge your team to strive for better.
Because gender equality is a journey, not a destination.
4. Acknowledging Progress: What are examples of times we have gotten gender equality right?
It’s crucial to recognize and reinforce positive behaviors. Rarely do companies achieve perfect gender equality across the board. We need to meet our allies where they are and acknowledge even small attempts at positive change.
In my work with organizations, I often hear subtle yet significant stories of progress. These positive behaviors might include:
- Calling out “bropropriating” behavior (interruptions, taking credit for women’s ideas, mansplaining, etc.).
- Equitably distributing office housework between men and women.
- Actively involving allies in diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- Ensuring diverse perspectives are present in meetings.
- Asking diverse individuals, “What is it like to be you?” to foster understanding.
- Ensuring all voices are heard in team meetings before decisions are made.
Building a truly inclusive culture is a continuous process.
There’s a continuum of progress. The initial step is to identify and acknowledge the positive actions already supporting diversity and inclusion. By rewarding these behaviors, you set a clear expectation for what “good” looks like and signal that you want to see more of it. If your organization struggles with recognition, model the behaviors you want to encourage (or discourage).
Organizations further along the gender equality continuum might celebrate:
- Proactively building diverse talent pools for key roles lacking diverse candidates.
- Promoting equal numbers of men and women into senior leadership roles.
- Measuring and ensuring equal pay for men and women.
- Having a clearly defined diversity and inclusion vision with measurable metrics.
- Achieving gender equality at the C-suite and in board representation.
- Establishing inclusive parental leave policies.
As a former colleague wisely said, “Catch ’em doing something good.” When you witness positive behavior, acknowledge it. As leaders, our actions and words powerfully shape what we want to see from our teams. Review the lists above and reflect on what your organization is already doing well. Recognize it the next time you see it in action. If there are gaps, use these as opportunities to engage your team. Ask for their perspectives and empower them to drive positive change.
Gender equality is an intentional conversation. Start by acknowledging the good, and build from there.
Next Pivot Point offers custom solutions and education programs to help you help leaders engage in gender equality conversations. Schedule some time with our team today to discuss next steps.