Go on women, be another woman’s champion!

“I know that she wants to win, but she will continue rooting for me. And she knows that I want to win, but I’ll keep rooting for her.” 2024 Olympic all-round gymnastics silver medallist Rebeca Andrade, on her competitor, gold medallist Simone Biles.

Women’s Month provided a time of reflection to think about the many stories we have heard from women during our years of work in leadership development and Women in Mining.

One of the most surprising barriers to access and support for women in their organisations is often…other women. Why is this? And how can women champion, empower, and support one another in the workplace?

Building Supportive Female Relationships

From my engagement with women in the workspace, many express experiencing a lack of support from other women in all areas of life. From the aunt who thinks their niece is showing off, to the mother who constantly criticises their daughter, to the friend who sets them up for failure, to the cousin who puts them down in front of others, to the female leader who bullies other women at work. I have heard countless examples of microaggressions that women carry out on other women.

Media Influence and Perception

Compounding this is the messaging we receive from reality shows and TV dramas, filled with women competing and tearing each other down. Many women watch and enjoy these spectacles, share the drama and, in some cases, recreate it in their own lives. While there are also positive portrayals of powerful women in the media, the allure of these dramatic shows often prevails. For instance, a friend of mine, a successful professional, unwinds by watching her favourite reality TV show after a long workday. She enjoys it and eagerly shares the latest episode’s fights and betrayals with me.

Could constant exposure to this type of content influence how we support other women, or at least diminish the importance of intentionally championing them? It brings to mind the ‘crabs-in-a-bucket’ analogy. When one crab succeeds in climbing out of the bucket, the others try to pull them back in.

Many women have worked incredibly hard and faced many obstacles to reach their positions in organisations. They might feel compelled to guard their achievements at all costs, even if it means not supporting or nurturing other women. What environmental and systemic factors create this self-protection and fear?

In her book Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado Perez highlights how women worldwide are disadvantaged by working cultures and environments that favour men. This bias manifests in various structural ways that disadvantage women and widen the gender pay gap. This includes the fact that longer hours are often celebrated and rewarded in workspaces, versus the flexibility required to navigate childcare and unpaid responsibilities.

2023 Nobel Memorial Prize winner of Economic Sciences, Professor Claudia Dale Goldin in her work on women’s labour market outcomes says: “The jobs with the greatest demands for long hours and least flexibility have paid disproportionately more.”  

Other areas include a lack of/not enough maternity/paternity leave in certain organisations, the high cost of childcare and offices that are designed without conscious consideration of women’s needs. As an example, a modern office a colleague worked in had a fire-escape style stairway, from the reception to the first-floor workspace. This made it impossible for women to wear skirts without feeling exposed.

Women must navigate these challenges, strive for reform, and still perform in their roles. This additional stress can affect how women perceive each other in the workplace and how they choose to support one another. As one woman in my workshop remarked, “You also don’t want to be seen as someone who is supporting another woman just because of her gender; it is a careful balance.”

A Path Forward: Championing Women in the Workplace

How can women champion other women in the workplace? Here are some suggestions:

• Speak positively: Make a conscious effort to speak kindly to and about other women. If you can’t say something empowering, it’s better to remain silent.
• Empower others by sharing power: It takes courage, especially in competitive environments, to give away some of your power to empower another. By doing so, you signal to other women that they are not alone. Consider what small actions you can take to mentor, provide information, or sponsor another woman, making it easier for future generations to succeed.
• Lead by example: Demonstrating leadership doesn’t cost anything, but it sets a precedent for others. Reflect on a time when someone championed your success and how it impacted you. It could be as simple as allowing a female team member to present or speak first in a meeting to ensure her voice is heard.
• Create supportive spaces & collaborate: Foster a safe environment where women feel comfortable sharing their struggles and victories with you. Collaborate on tackling gender policy and structural issues within your organisation.
• Advocate for fairness: If you notice something unfair, speak up and work towards improvement. Educate others on what women empowerment looks like. In my work, we focus on raising awareness and providing spaces for leaders to reflect and experiment with new ways of engaging and behaving.

Inspiring Change, One Step at a Time

Begin with those closest to you—a niece, sister, or a friend—and see the impact. You have the power to inspire countless women and contribute to building a fairer, more equal society for all.

Go on women, be another woman’s champion!

Taegan Devar is an Industrial Psychologist and the Managing Director of Organisational Development company PeopleSmart (www.peoplesmart.global)

PeopleSmart is an Organisational Development consultancy working across South Africa and the continent. They focus on leadership development, the design of self-sustaining wellness and safety programmes, women in mining, executive coaching, and team building. For more information contact taegan@peoplesmart.global.