Quality Progress

@Lindsay Pietenpol build now gg There are many ways to reduce gender stereotypes including educating senior leadership, showing them what you can do, evaluating your work assignments, etc.

In the September 2019 QP cover story, "Yes, We Can!" 12 women offer their perspectives on being a woman in quality today. They share how they're making a difference, the challenges they face and advice to women entering the field. Do you have experiences or advice to share? What can be done to reduce gender biases and stereotypes, and make the workplace more inclusive?

My thoughts for women are to be the best technically you can offer and leverage the resources of colleagues and ASQ.

I would further advise to seek 1-2 mentors and align with an Advocate for the good work you will do.

I suggest early on to study people and learn tools quickly associated with Human Development & Leadership. 

You'll find these tools will serve you towards a faster and more sustainable solution.

And my advise on bias / inclusion etc.... Just be you and follow your goals. 

If you perceive these are barriers to your advancement, you have choices to acknowledge and stay behind or acknowledge and move on.

Thank you for a great conversation.

-Deb

I am pleased to see this article available to all in ASQ. Women in Quality have apparently tracked the same growth as Women in Engineering, although I will leave it to the statisticians to get the real data ?. I look forward to hearing from our members on their thoughts about career growth in quality and the opportunities available through education and personal dedication. MyASQ is the sounding board we need to share ideas on how to help each other in our careers. That is exactly why this professional society exists. Grace Duffy, ASQ Fellow, Distinguished Service Medalist, LSSMBB, CMQ/OE, CQA, SSGB, CQIA. 

 

I  am pleased to see this topic up for discussion. My hope is that we can use this primer as a platform for engaging women across the globe because ASQ is a global organization. I would like to see us women lift each other up with more than lip service. Really champion each other, mentor and coach both the current generation and next generation of quality minded women.


Heather Johnson, MSQM, ASQ CQA, PMP

Dear ASQ community - I'm looking to get to know freelance or full time consultants in the quality space who have QMS, Food Safety and Continuous Improvement skills I can get to know and possibly leverage in the future. Women would be nice, but not excluding men. Using this chain to "lift" women to someone elses comment.


I'm in business for myself but as I think of scaling the business, I will need more resources to connect with and pull in for projects; ultimately closer to full time on a contractor basis.


Please connect with me so we can get to know each other or I'm on Linkedin.


This post is a good way for us to network-Deb

Deborah, I am pleased to see you reaching out on this subject. Many of us are independent contractors, having spent significant time in full time positions with corporations, educational institutions, or government agencies. Scalable is a good idea. I have been approached by several such organizations with the desire to use me for "overflow" or specialty work. While it is always an honor to be asked to support my colleagues, the scheduling becomes awkward. Inevitably, the contractor calls when I am already committed elsewhere. On the occasions where the timing has worked, it has been a rewarding experience. I love learning how others run their business. The fun challenge is to keep my skills sharp so I can dance on a dime with you call with an opportunity. I decided a long time ago that I would not write 1099 forms for anyone and have NOT scaled my business beyond what I can manage on my own. Where a company offered me a larger job, I have been able to work with their HR function to put both of us on their contractor schedule.

Dear Grace - thank you for your comments on this topic.  I see from your profile you're quite accomplished. I'll connect with you off line; would love to learn more about your skills. Be well-Deb