We: Men, Women, and the Decisive Formula for Winning at Work

Much has been written about the need for and benefits of gender diversity in business. Mixed gender teams make better decisions, understand clients and the market better, and deliver higher results. “It’s clear that the underutilized, but decisive formula for winning at work is equity, collaboration, and shared equal leadership between men and women,” explains Rania Anderson in her new book, We: Men, Women, and the Decisive Formula for Winning at Work, the first hands-on guide to recruit, retain, and advance high-caliber women.

President of The Way WoMen Work, Anderson is one of a handful of global experts dedicated to equipping male business leaders with the skills they need to intentionally advance women. In We: Men, Women, and the Decisive Formula for Winning at Work, she presents an actionable blueprint to help men improve their own results by transforming the way they work with women and ultimately make gender parity a reality. “Most men want to support women at work,” she explains. “But they tell me they don’t know how.”

Anderson’s strategies can be implemented by anyone—man or woman, front-line manager to senior executive—who recognizes that being inclusive benefits everyone.  

“You don’t have to wait for your organization to implement a program or change anything before you can take these actions,” she maintains.“You merely have to decide to do so.” The actions that Anderson recommends are based on her evidence-based WE 4.0 Framework—Eliminate, Expand, Encourage, and Engage: 

ELIMINATE. Stop behaviors and workplace practices that negatively impact women. Anderson discusses how to eliminate gender-based wage gaps, and how to address—not tolerate—inappropriate comments, sexual harassment, or misconduct. She also shows how to adjust meetings and interactions to create a productive environment where both men and women want to work.

EXPAND. Interact with women in intentional and impactful ways. Anderson reveals how to increase the number of female candidates by expanding where and how you recruit women. She also discusses why being a sponsor and advocate, not just a mentor or a supportive colleague, is essential. In addition, she advises readers on ways to give women the same type of direct feedback and challenging assignments offered to men, so that everyone—including the business—can excel.

ENCOURAGE. Support and prompt women to take advantage of high-impact opportunities and achieve their full potential in order to improve results. Anderson advises readers to be mentors who offer sound advice and counsel. She says that it’s important to recognize women’s efforts as well their results. And warns not to take a woman’s self-assessment at face value. Dig deeper to be sure she has not underrated herself.

ENGAGE. Actively participate or lead initiatives that support women and an inclusive workplace. Anderson advises managers to acknowledge and accommodate their teammates’ life/family demands and be transparent about their own obligations. She also recommends that work-keeping tasks, like taking notes at a meeting, be equally distributed among the men and women on a team to make space for everyone’s ideas and innovation.

The approach Anderson describes in We: Men, Women, and the Decisive Formula for Winning at Work doesn’t require money or a title. These actions are designed to help managers think strategically about their own talents along with the talents of the women they lead to set up everyone for career and business growth.

As Dominic Barton, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company, writes in the book’s Foreword, this is “not about what institutions should do to become more inclusive and diverse. It is about what you can do to make your workplace more inclusive and diverse—and, in the process, more effective, more profitable, and more successful.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rania H Anderson is an international speaker, an executive coach, the founder of The Way Women Work, the cofounder of a women's angel investor network, and a committed mentor. Sought after by Fortune 100 companies, entrepreneurs and leaders for her practical advice and tangible insights, she transforms the way men and women work, lead and succeed together. Rania is also the author of Undeterred: The Six Success Habits of Women in Emerging Economies.

To learn more, visit: www.TheWayWoMenWork.com.