Women in community associations face unique challenges such as difficulty advancing and pay gaps, according to a panel of women leaders during a recent CAI webinar. They share three solutions women can put to use today.
Expand your network
Lucy Robertson, a board member on the Artavia North Village Homeowners Association in Houston and a member of the CAI Homeowner Leaders Council and the CAI Board of Trustees, recommends that women in the workplace proactively pull others into their circle. “A network is a lifeline, and networking is a two-way street,” she says.
During the webinar, “Learn From Experience: Empowering Women in the Workplace,” Robertson shared one of her favorite network-building methods prior to an event like the CAI Annual Conference and Exposition: Community Now. She suggests finding out who’s going in advance, reaching out, and trying to create a network before you even walk in the room.
Lupe Mujica, chief people officer with FirstService Residential in Lake Forest, Calif., echoes this sentiment. “Looking beyond your immediate circle, there are good leaders in all types of businesses,” she says.
Mujica notes the difference between finding a mentor and finding a sponsor. “A mentor is someone who can provide you with advice, insight, and support,” she says. “A sponsor is someone who also can open doors of advancement for you, show you career opportunities you may not know about, and say your name for opportunities you may not be in the room for.”
Melissa Ramsey, CMCA, AMS, LSM, PCAM, president of the CAI Board of Trustees, emphasizes the value of CAI’s built-in network and recommends that women take advantage of it.
Helping others doesn’t take away from or hurt you, the panelists note.
Know your worth
When it comes to compensation, it can be hard to know your worth. Despite a significant amount of community association professionals being women, the industry still shows a gender wage gap that matches those in other professions. “Every woman in every field makes, on average, 80% of what men make,” says Dawn Bauman, CAE, CAI’s chief strategy officer.
“Gender pay gaps are an issue of transparency at this point in many corporate cultures,” says Bauman. “Share that information and be proud of (it). Self-advocacy is essential.” Bauman advises women professionals to know their worth through data, comparing their compensation to others in similar roles, and to be accurate and real about the value they bring to their organization.
Though experts often discuss the “glass ceiling,” a common metaphor for an invisible barrier that prevents qualified individuals, particularly from marginalized groups, from advancing to higher-level positions in their organizations, the panelists note that a more accurate metaphor would be a broken rung in the ladder. “The broken rung prevents women from ascending to top positions,” notes Mujica. “We want to attract the best talent, regardless of who that is.” To fix the rung, Mujica’s company has focused on educating employees and prospective talent about salary inequities and gender bias during regular women-led “circle groups.” FirstService also tracks employee promotions.
“A lot of times we forget our own dreams,” adds Ramsey. “If we believe in ourselves, and we put those dreams out there, we will achieve much more.”
Robertson recommends that those seeking advancement or raises make their case via their qualifications, rather than the duration of their experience. “Being able to articulate your self-worth is hard, but it’s really important, and practice makes perfect,” she says. “Instead of saying how long you’ve done something, say, ‘I have these qualifications because these are the things I’ve done.’ ” Robertson also recommends women utilize their emotional intelligence to read the room, know how the discussion is going, and know how to communicate with their boss.
“Women shouldn’t ask to sit at the table we helped build,” Bauman advocates. “We should require it. Be brave, be vulnerable, and continue to recognize the colleagues and mentors who inspire you.”
Prioritize wellness
Women prioritizing their career need to remember to prioritize their well-being, too. “Wellness is very important to me, but I was not in a very good work-life balance when I first started,” says Ramsey.
The panelists encourage women professionals to not be ashamed to take a vacation and to concentrate on the things that keep them healthy.
“We are much more creative and able to problem-solve when our minds are relaxed,” Mujica explains, noting that she needs to build her work life around also getting plenty of sleep and sunshine.
>> Read more about gender equity in community associations in Community Manager March/April.
