The career advice you probably didn't get | Susan Colantuono

譯者: Aaron Shoo 審譯者: Adrienne Lin

Women represent

女性佔了

50 percent of middle management

50% 的中階主管和專業職缺，

and professional positions,

but the percentages of women at the top of organizations

但在組織頂端的女性比例，

represent not even a third of that number.

根本不到 17%。

So some people hear that statistic and they ask,

聽到這個統計的人會問，

why do we have so few women leaders?

為什麼女性領導者那麼少？

But I look at that statistic

但我看到這個數據，

and, if you, like me, believe

或是你們如果知道，

that leadership manifests at every level,

各個層級的領導人才概況，

you would see that there's a tremendous,

你會發現一群為數眾多、

awesome resource of leaders

傑出的女性領導者，

who are leading in middle management,

位在中階管理的位置。

which raises a different question:

所以你反而會問：

Why are there so many women

為什麼那麼多女性

mired in the middle

卡在中階主管？

and what has to happen

她們若想再升遷，

to take them to the top?

要付出什麼代價？

So some of you might be some of those women

在座可能就有女性朋友

who are in middle management

正面臨這樣的情況，

and seeking to move up in your organization.

想辦法要往上爬。

Well, Tonya is a great example of one of these women.

「童雅」就是這樣的一名女性。

I met her two years ago.

我兩年前認識她時，

She was a vice president in a Fortune 50 company,

她是全球 50 大企業的副總。

and she said to me with a sense of deep frustration,

那時她充滿挫折地跟我說：

"I've worked really hard to improve my confidence

「我真的很努力想要增進自信、

and my assertiveness and develop a great brand,

決斷力和個人風格。

I get terrific performance evals from my boss,

老闆對我的評價也很高，

my 360s in the organization let me know

『 360 度考績』也顯示

that my teams love working for me,

我的團隊很喜歡與我共事。

I've taken every management course that I can here,

我去進修所有的管理課程，

I am working with a terrific mentor,

我還有一個很棒的企業導師，

and yet I've been passed over

但我已經和兩次升遷的機會

twice for advancement opportunities,

擦身而過。

even when my manager knows

儘管我的主管知道

that I'm committed to moving up

我很想往上升，

and even interested in an international assignment.

而且有意接下海外任務，

I don't understand why

我真的搞不懂為什麼

I'm being passed over."

最後升的人都不是我？」

So what Tonya doesn't realize

童雅不知道的是，

is that there's a missing 33 percent

對女性有所謂的

of the career success equation for women,

「消失的 33% 」職場方程式。

and it's understanding what this missing 33 percent is

去了解這「消失的 33%」的原因，

that's required to close the gender gap at the top.

才會消除組織高層的性別差異。

In order to move up in organizations,

若想要在組織內升遷，

you have to be known for your leadership skills,

就必須展現你的領導才能，

and this would apply to any of you,

無論男女都是這樣的。

women or men.

It means that you have to be recognized

也就是你必須被認可，

for using the greatness in you

有能力運用你的優勢，

to achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes

再讓別人發揮長處，

by engaging the greatness in others.

創造或維持非凡的成果。

Put in other language,

換句話說，

it means you have to use your skills

你要運用你的技巧、天賦、能力，

and talents and abilities

to help the organization achieve

去幫助組織達成

its strategic financial goals

策略性的財務目標，

and do that by working effectively with others

藉由有效率的團隊合作，

inside of the organization and outside.

無論是組織的內部或外部皆同。

And although all three of these elements

雖然這三項關於領導的要素

of leadership are important,

都很重要，

when it comes to moving up in organizations,

當說到組織內的升遷時，

they aren't equally important.

之間的重要性就不同了。

So pay attention to the green box

所以接下來請大家

as I move forward.

注意綠色的部分。

In seeking and identifying

在尋找、挑選有潛力的員工時，

employees with high potential,

the potential to go to the top of organizations,

可以爬到頂端的那種潛力，

the skills and competencies

和綠色框框相關的技巧和能力，

that relate to that green box

are rated twice as heavily

會比另外兩項領導特質

as those in the other two elements of leadership.

受到兩倍的重視。

These skills and competencies

這些技巧和能力

can be summarized as business,

可以被歸納為

商業、策略性、金融的敏銳度。

strategic, and financial acumen.

In other words, this skill set has to do

換句話說，這套技能和

with understanding where the organization is going,

了解組織的前景、

what its strategy is,

組織的策略、

what financial targets it has in place,

組織的財務目標，

and understanding your role

還有了解自己在組織進步

in moving the organization forward.

過程中的定位有關係。

This is that missing 33 percent

這就是消失的 33% ，

of the career success equation for women,

中高階女性比例的落差。

not because it's missing in our capabilities

不是因為我們的能力或意願不足，

or abilities,

but because it's missing in the advice

而是職場建議裡根本沒這一條。

that we're given.

Here's what I mean by that.

舉個例子給你們聽。

Five years ago, I was asked to moderate

5 年前，我被邀去主持一場

a panel of executives,

行政主管的會議。

and the topic for the evening was

那晚的主題是：

"What do you look for in high-potential employees?"

「如何挑選有潛力的員工？」

So think about the three elements of leadership

回想一下剛剛講過的，

as I summarize for you what they told me.

總結出的 3 個領導特質；

They said, "We look for people

他們說：「我們想找的人，

who are smart and hard working and committed

是聰明、認真、投入、

and trustworthy and resilient."

值得信任而且抗壓性高。」

So which element of leadership does that relate to?

所以這是哪一項特質？

Personal greatness.

個人才能。

They said, "We look for employees

他們又說：「我們要的員工

who are great with our customers,

要跟客戶處得好、

who empower their teams,

對公司團隊有幫助、

who negotiate effectively,

能有效協調、

who are able to manage conflict well,

可以順利解決紛爭，

and are overall great communicators."

整體來說要善於溝通。」

Which element of leadership does that equate to?

這又是哪一項特質呢？

Engaging the greatness in others.

和別人的長處互相配合。

And then they pretty much stopped.

他們就講到這，

So I asked,

所以我接著問：

"Well, what about people

「嗯...那你們覺得那些

who understand your business,

了解企業的發展走向，

where it's going,

and their role in taking it there?

然後知道自己能貢獻什麼的人呢？

And what about people who are able

或著是那些能夠

to scan the external environment,

觀察外在環境，

identify risks and opportunities,

找出風險和機會後

make strategy or make strategic recommendations?

擬定策略或提供建言的人呢？

And what about people who are able

又或者是那些可以

to look at the financials of your business,

看著公司的財務報表，

understand the story that the financials tell,

了解財報透露出的訊息，

and either take appropriate action

然後直接做出適當的處置，

or make appropriate recommendations?"

或是提出適當的建議？」

And to a man, they said,

如果應徵者是男性，大家都說：

"That's a given."

「這是基本要求啊！」

So I turned to the audience

所以我問當時台下的

of 150 women and I asked,

150 名女性與會者：

"How many of you have ever been told

「在座有多少人聽到過，

that the door-opener for career advancement

要升遷的墊腳石就是

is your business, strategic and financial acumen,

商業、策略性、金融的敏銳度。

and that all the other important stuff

然後其他的那些能力，

is what differentiates you in the talent pool?"

都只是加分用的？」

Three women raised their hand,

只有 3 個人舉手。

and I've asked this question of women

然後我這 5 年間，

all around the globe in the five years since,

問過全球各地的女性，

and the percentage is never much different.

知道的人少得可憐。

So this is obvious, right?

大家都不知道？

But how can it be?

但怎麼會這樣呢？

Well, there are primarily three reasons

主要有 3 個原因，

that there's this missing 33 percent

想成功的女性不知道

in the career success advice given to women?

有所謂的「消失的 33%」。

When organizations direct women

當組織要提供女性指導時，

toward resources

that focus on the conventional advice

聽到的都是一些古板的建議，

that we've been hearing for over 40 years,

講超過 40 年的那種。

there's a notable absence of advice that relates

非常明顯地很少提到

to business, strategic and financial acumen.

商業、策略性、金融的敏銳度。

Much of the advice is emphasizing

大多數的建議都強調

personal actions that we need to take,

個人特質的加強改進，

like become more assertive, become more confident,

比方說要更果斷、更有自信，

develop your personal brand,

要發展出個人特色，

things that Tonya's been working on,

就是童雅之前想努力的部分。

and advice about working with other people,

或是教你怎麼和別人共事，

things like learn to self-promote,

比方說要會推銷自己、

get a mentor, enhance your network,

去找人指導、加強人際網路。

and virtually nothing said

很明顯沒人說過

about the importance of business, strategic

商業、策略性、金融的敏銳度

and financial acumen.

有多重要。

This doesn't mean that this advice is unimportant.

不代表上述的努力不重要。

What it means is that this is advice

因為上述的建議

that's absolutely essential for breaking through

讓我們能夠從

from career start to middle management,

菜鳥晉身到中階主管。

but it's not the advice

但這些不足以

that gets women to break through

讓女性往上突破，

from the middle, where we're 50 percent,

從 50% 的女性所在的中階，

to senior and executive positions.

升到高階或行政的位置。

And this is why conventional advice to women

這就是為什麼這些古板的建議，

in 40 years hasn't closed the gender gap at the top

被講了 40 年但性別差異還是在，

and won't close it.

一點也沒變。

Now, the second reason

第 2 個原因，

relates to Tonya's comments

是關於童雅提到的，

about having had excellent performance evals,

主管很高的評價

great feedback from her teams,

和團隊給的好評，

and having taken every management training program

還有她努力去上的所有進修課。

she can lay her hands on.

So you would think that she's getting

你可能會覺得

她獲得公司那邊的

messages from her organization

through the talent development systems

人才發展系統

and performance management systems

和績效管理系統建議，

that let her know how important it is

讓她知道發展

to develop business, strategic and financial acumen,

商業、策略性、金融的敏銳度有多重要。

but here again, that green square is quite small.

但是你看，綠色的框框還是很小。

On average,

平均來說，

talent and performance management systems

人才和績效管理系統

in the organizations that I've worked with

在我共事過的組織裡面，

focus three to one

以三比一的程度

on the other two elements of leadership

強調另外的兩項領導特質，

compared to the importance of business,

而較不著重在

商業、策略性、金融敏銳度的重要性。

strategic and financial acumen,

which is why typical talent and performance systems

也就是為什麼之前的 人才和績效管理系統

haven't closed and won't close

不曾也不會縮小

the gender gap at the top.

高階人才的性別差異。

Now, Tonya also talked about working with a mentor,

童雅也提到了「企業導師」，

and this is really important to talk about,

講到這個很重要。

because if organizations,

因為如果公司的

talent and performance systems

人才和績效管理系統，

aren't giving people in general

不能普遍提供

information about the importance of

商業、策略性、金融的敏銳度

business, strategic and financial acumen,

有多重要的資訊，

how are men getting to the top?

男性是怎麼升上去的？

Well, there are primarily two ways.

主要有兩個方式：

One is because of the positions

一個是他們被訓練

they're guided into,

要接下的位置。

and the other is because of informal mentoring

另一個是私底下的指導

and sponsorship.

和支持。

So what's women's experience

所以女性的指導經驗

as it relates to mentoring?

又是怎麼樣呢？

Well, this comment from an executive

最近和我共事的

that I worked with recently

一個行政主管

illustrates that experience.

和我分享了他的經驗。

He was very proud of the fact that last year,

他很驕傲他去年，

he had two protégés: a man and a woman.

收了一男一女兩個學生。

And he said, "I helped the woman build confidence,

他說：「我幫女的建立自信心，

I helped the man learn the business,

幫男的學做事。

and I didn't realize that I was treating them

我沒有意識到

我教的是不同的東西。」

any differently."

And he was sincere about that.

他說的是實話。

So what this illustrates is that

所以這個意思就是，

as managers, whether we're women or men,

身為主管，無論男女，

we have mindsets about women and men,

我們有既定的性別印象，

about careers in leadership,

關於職場領導能力。

and these unexamined mindsets

這些沒來由的印象，

won't close the gender gap at the top.

無益於減少高階的性別差異。

So how do we take this idea

所以我們怎麼看待

of the missing 33 percent

「消失的 33% 」，

and turn it into action?

並且付諸行動？

Well, for women, the answer is obvious:

對女人來說，答案很明顯，

we have to begin to focus more

我們要開始更加重視

on developing and demonstrating

發揮和展現已有的技能，

the skills we have

that show that we're people who understand

顯示我們了解自己的工作、

our businesses, where they're headed,

企業的走向、

and our role in taking it there.

和自己的定位。

That's what enables that breakthrough

這樣才會讓我們

from middle management

從中階主管

to leadership at the top.

突破到高階領導。

But you don't have to be a middle manager to do this.

但不只是中階主管要這樣。

One young scientist that works in a biotech firm

一名在生技公司的年輕科學家，

used her insight about the missing 33 percent

因為知道「消失的 33% 」的原因，

to weave financial impact data

在將受財務影響的資料

into a project update she did

納入她的研究計畫之後，

and got tremendous positive feedback

得到主管們普遍的正面回饋。

from the managers in the room.

So we don't want to put 100 percent

所以我們不必把 100%

of the responsibility on women's shoulders,

的責任都交給女人。

nor would it be wise to do so, and here's why:

這樣也不是明智之舉，

理由如下：

In order for companies to achieve

若公司想要達到

their strategic financial goals,

策略性的財務目標，

executives understand that they have to have

行政主管也知道必須

everyone pulling in the same direction.

要讓大家有一致的目標。

In other words, the term we use in business is,

也就是說，用商業的術語講，

we have to have strategic alignment.

必須要有「戰略一致性」。

And executives know this very well,

雖然嘴巴上這樣說，

and yet only 37 percent,

根據最新的經濟諮商局報告，

according to a recent Conference Board report,

只有 37% 的主管

believe that they have that

相信他們有

strategic alignment in place.

「戰略一致性」。

So for 63 percent of organizations,

所以對剩下 63% 的主管，

achieving their strategic financial goals

能不能達成策略性財務目標，

is questionable.

還是個問題。

And if you think about what I've just shared,

回想一下我剛說的，

that you have situations where at least 50 percent

如果有 50% 的中階主管

of your middle managers

haven't received clear messaging

不知道這些訊息，

that they have to become focused on the business,

不知道要專注在公司的業務、

where it's headed, and their role in taking it there,

未來發展和自我定位，

it's not surprising that that percentage

難怪行政主管對於一致性的信心

of executives who are confident about alignment

會這麼低。

is so low,

which is why there are other people

這也是為什麼

who have a role to play in this.

他們會需要別人幫忙。

It's important for directors on boards

對董事會來說，

to expect from their executives

會期待每年看到

proportional pools of women when they sit down

一定比例的女性主管

坐在會議桌上開會。

once a year for their succession discussions.

Why? Because if they aren't seeing that,

為什麼呢？因為若不這樣，

it could be a red flag

這可能是一個警訊，

that their organization isn't as aligned

代表公司的一致性

as it could potentially be.

表現不如預期。

It's important for CEOs

對總裁來說，

to also expect these proportional pools,

性別比也很重要，

and if they hear comments like,

如果聽到類似：

"Well, she doesn't have enough business experience,"

「她的經驗可能還不夠。」

ask the question,

就要問：

"What are we going to do about that?"

「那我們怎麼解決？」

It's important for H.R. executives

對人資主管來說，

to make sure that the missing 33 percent

確定「消失的 33% 」被適當強調

is appropriately emphasized,

也很重要。

and it's important for women and men

另一點很重要的是，

who are in management positions

任職管理階層的男性女性，

to examine the mindsets we hold

時時檢驗那些關於性別、

about women and men, about careers and success,

職業和成就的既定印象，

to make sure we are creating a level playing field

確保為所有人創造公平的環境。

for everybody.

So let me close with the latest chapter

最後讓我以童雅的近況作結。

in Tonya's story.

童雅兩周前寄 e-mail 給我。

Tonya emailed me two months ago,

and she said that she had been interviewed for a new position,

她當時正在面試新的職位。

and during the interview, they probed

在面試當下，

about her business acumen

他們考驗了她的商業敏銳度

and her strategic insights into the industry,

還有對產業的策略認知，

and she said that she was so happy to report

她很高興地向我報告，

that now she has a new position

她現在的新職務

reporting directly to the chief information officer

以後都直接向首席資訊長報告。

at her company.

So for some of you, the missing 33 percent

所以對某些人來說，「消失的 33% 」

is an idea for you to put into action,

是一個可以付諸行動的概念，

and I hope that for all of you,

也希望所有人

you will see it as an idea worth spreading

覺得這是個值得傳播的概念。

in order to help organizations be more effective,

能讓組織更有效率，

to help women create careers that soar,

幫助職業女性合理升遷，

and to help close the gender gap at the top.

並且拉近組織高層的性別差異。

Thank you.

謝謝！

(Applause)

（掌聲）