#PressforProgress: Leaning In, Leaning Out?…Standing Up!!

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Instructor
Candace Gibson, PhD, CHIM
Assistant Dean, BMSUE, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University
Director, Center for Collaborative Command and Leadership, CMU & Western University

Marking International Women's Day 2018 #PressforProgress

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – the phrase penned by Charles Dickens in 1859 to describe the atmosphere and environment leading to the French Revolution rings as true today as it was then. Revelations and accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct at the end of last year led to the fall of several prominent men in fields stretching from media to politics to sports sparking the #MeToo movement and a counter movement backlash that has galvanized both women and men, and reignited conversations on gender division, inequality, censorship and power in the workplace. Yet, this International Women’s Day brings to mind the continued discrepancies in women’s pay, positions and status in society, and the still present impenetrable glass ceiling. Despite compelling evidence of the benefits of women in the board room and C-suite to the corporate “bottom line”, there are still few women CEOs and board members, and pay inequities persist. It seems a seismic shift is needed!

Most of us in health care and science, have worked in a male-dominated profession and have had both productive and positive experiences, but I am now being asked by my male colleagues what can they say or not say for fear of being labeled with harassment, something unheard of a few years ago! While inequities definitely exist, let’s not lose our sense of collegiality, collaboration and enjoyment of the different perspectives that each can bring to the work environment and in solving problems together – that is after all WHY women make a difference on the board of directors. It is their knowledge, skills, experience, and moral and ethical leadership that women bring to the table. Whether we decide to ‘lean in’ or ‘lean out’ we should be ‘standing up’ and not only start, but LEAD the conversation; as the theme of this year’s IWD expresses we need to press for progress. Join me in a discussion of leadership, gender equality, cultural and organizational change in health care and the health professions.

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