HD6060-.A84-2008-PDF-Athena-factor-Reversing-the-brain-drain-in-science,-engineering,-and-technology

The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering, and Technology
HBR Research Report
this need is a difficult challenge. How does a company create a mentoring program when there are
so few women in leadership positions?
The Impact of Isolation
Isolation is a serious problem because it takes a toll on job satisfaction and engagement. Women
who are isolated are 13% more likely to report being unsatisfied with their job. Moreover, women
who are not satisfied with their job are 22 times more likely to leave. As one female executive at a
tech firm explains, “When you are isolated, it takes a huge amount of energy just to maintain your
footing.” In other words, isolation creates flight risk.
Isolation also takes a toll on career progression, which ultimately leads to women leaving SET
fields. Women who feel isolated are 25% more likely to be stalled in their career than counterparts
who are not isolated. A full 14% of women who feel stalled have one foot out the door, compared
with only 5.6% of their colleagues who are maintaining a lockstep progression with male
colleagues.
Some of this isolation comes simply from being the only woman in the room, while other
stories we heard imply less benign dynamics at work. Deena, a high-ranking scientist, has an
idiosyncratic definition of isolation: “Isolation is everyone agreeing on the direction of the project
except the girl. Pressure to raise the bar/up the ante is particularly hard to hear from a woman.”
Feelings of isolation can sometimes be heightened unintentionally. At one engineering firm where
we held a focus group, for instance, a small group of high-potential employees had recently taken
part in a leadership seminar that included a diagnostic survey (the Hermann Brain Dominance
Instrument). This tool coded participants’ thinking styles into one of four colors: red (emotional),
yellow (strategic), green (structural), and blue (analytical). These styles are thought to influence
communication, decision-making, and problem-solving approaches. Michelle, the only woman
invited to attend the workshop, describes her experience:
“The facilitator asked all of the ‘red’ people to stand up…I was the only red. They told us that the
point of the leadership training was to show people about different styles, and how it’s important
to go halfway and meet others in the middle. But it seems that I am always meeting them [the
men] more than halfway. What about them? Why can’t they meet me halfway?”
Old Boys’ Network
Women’s feelings of isolation are exacerbated by the persistence of an exclusionary old boys’
network. Time and again we heard stories about the strength of old boys’ networks at SET
firms—and women’s failure to gain access.33 As one female engineer describes it, “The guys would
get together every month and never invite the women. So I started a networking group with my
female colleagues. Unfortunately it broke up—the working moms had a hard time arranging
babysitting, and people drifted away.” One woman we spoke to at a tech company told us, “I walk
up to group of guys and conversation stops. They could be on projects I’m involved with, but
conversation still stops and they ask, ‘Susan, how’s your son?’ I don’t want to talk about my son; I
want to talk about work!”
Tanya, a female engineer working in Texas, relays a similar exclusionary experience. As a team
co-chair, she had spent a weekend preparing for an important meeting designed to update
subordinates on the direction of the project and assign tasks. Come Monday morning, however,
she found herself completely undermined. Tanya’s three male colleagues had gotten together
over the weekend to watch a football game. Over beers, pretzels, and pizza they had discussed
what they thought was a problem with the project and changed the entire plan of action. Tanya
spent the meeting mute with anger: She looked like an incompetent leader who was not deemed
important enough to include in decision making about her own project.
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