In the second part of the Women in Leadership series on Stories from the River, host Hope Stocker, Manager, Retail Accounting, welcomes Anita Harris, Director, Customer Experience; Renee Bradley, Regional Manager, Charlotte Region; and Samantha Blum, Associate Director, Customer Experience. They engage in a powerful discussion on women in leadership; the shift in workplace dynamics is highlighted as Renee Bradley observes the growing acceptance of career-focused women as opposed to the judgment they faced in the past. Moreover, the panel discusses the balancing act of personal and professional responsibilities that women often navigate, especially in relation to motherhood.
Addressing the bias and obstacles women leaders face, such as being deemed emotional or sensitive, the conversation turns to building self-confidence and recognizing women's empathetic and natural leadership abilities. They discuss the trend where women often feel pressured to meet 100% of job qualifications before applying, in contrast to their male counterparts who apply with significantly less. The conversation reveals the underlying issues of perfectionism and the false belief that one must know everything beforehand. The guests share personal anecdotes and the collective struggle they face in professional settings, such as the negative biases towards successful women and challenges with confidence and self-worth.
The episode further delves into gender roles and stereotypes, where Anita Harris and Renee Bradley reflect on the changing perceptions of assertive women in the workplace, while Samantha Blum urges women to exist loudly and take charge in leadership roles, thereby challenging traditional gender roles. The importance of mentorship is underscored by all, with discussions on its value in both personal and professional growth. The idea for a women in leadership group at Broad River to promote mentorship and support is also zealously floated, with an emphasis on identifying male allies. Anita Harris wraps up by sharing how age and mentorship have played a significant role in her development as a confident leader. This special series episode for Women's History Month leaves audiences with poignant advice to their younger selves and brings to light the motivational journeys and challenges these women leaders at Broad River have faced and overcome.
Be sure to come back on Tuesday for more conversation from this crowd!
Listen to the first conversation of this series here: https://youtu.be/eIA_tya2bt8
This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UzSFNNjL3eU
Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.