Celebrating Women's History Month

March is not just the herald of spring; it is also a time to commemorate and celebrate Women's History Month. This annual observance serves as a dedicated moment to recognize the remarkable contributions of women throughout history and to honor the achievements, struggles, and progress made by women across the globe.

Women’s History Month 2024 Theme

Each year, the National Women’s History Alliance chooses a theme to celebrate Women’s History Month.  This year, the National Women’s History Month theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”

According to the National Women’s History Alliance, the 2024 theme recognizes women throughout the country who believe a positive future can only be achieved by eliminating bias and discrimination “entirely from our lives and institutions.”

As equity, diversity and inclusion continue to be powerful forces of change, the alliance feels that reflecting on society and governing forces through this lens and educating youth about the importance of diversity will continue to uplift and support women of all ages, locations, and experiences.

Diversity in Women's History:

Acknowledging the varied achievements of women across different fields is crucial. Over the course of history, women have excelled in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, arts, literature, and beyond. From Marie Curie's groundbreaking research to Maya Angelou's influential poetry, women have consistently showcased brilliance and innovation in their respective domains. Their accomplishments challenge preconceived notions and serve as inspiration for progress.

Equity and Women Empowerment:

Equity is a fundamental aspect of any discussion on women's history. Women's History Month serves as a reminder that the journey towards equality is ongoing, and there is still work to be done. This includes addressing gender-based discrimination, advocating for equal opportunities, and dismantling systemic barriers that hinder the progress of women. By promoting equity, we empower women to reach their full potential in every aspect of life.

Inclusion for a Collective Narrative:

Inclusion emphasizes the importance of creating spaces where all women feel heard, seen, and valued. Women's History Month is an opportune time to reflect on whose stories are being told and whose voices are being uplifted. It is crucial to ensure that the narrative is inclusive, representing the diverse perspectives and experiences of women worldwide. In doing so, we contribute to a more accurate and empowering portrayal of women's history.

Women's History Month provides a moment to celebrate the achievements of women and to reflect on the ongoing journey towards a more equitable and inclusive world. By embracing the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we can collectively contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of women's history—one that recognizes and celebrates the strength, resilience, and diversity of women across the globe. As we honor the past, let us also recognize the importance of women's contributions, addressing challenges, and empowering future generations, society can move towards a more inclusive and equitable world for everyone.

Did You Know? Women’s History Month started as Women’s History Week . . .

Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978. The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year.

In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians—led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance)—successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th, 1980, as National Women’s History Week.

Subsequent Presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987 when Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, each president has issued an annual proclamation designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”

How To Be An Amazing Mentor

Throughout your life you have had someone that has been there for you, guided and supported you, whether that was your manager, a colleague, a parent, a friend, a coach, a college professor.  Then, you reach a point in your life where you have the chance to do the same for someone else. It can be both exciting, and a little confusing.

What is a mentor?

A mentor is a trusted, seasoned advisor who supports and guides someone through their personal and/or professional journey. They do so by getting to know their mentee, providing resources tailored to their specific needs, and brainstorming solutions to challenges.

Mentors become trusted advisers and role models – people who have "been there" and "done that." They support and encourage their mentees by offering suggestions and knowledge, both general and specific. The goal is to help mentees improve their skills and, hopefully, advance their careers.

What does it mean to be a mentor?

At its core, being a mentor is being a trusted advisor. It all boils down to making yourself available to support and advise someone when they need it, delivering that support in a way that makes sense to them, and always keeping that person's best interests in mind.

A mentoring partnership can be rewarding to both people, personally and professionally. It's an opportunity to develop communication skills, expand your viewpoints, and consider new ways of approaching situations. And both partners can advance their careers in the process.

10 Ways to Be an Amazing Mentor

When you break out the mentor’s responsibilities, they include:

• Understand what you want out of the relationship

• Set expectations together in the very beginning

• Take a genuine interest in your mentee as a person

• Build trust

• Know when to give advice

• Don’t assume anything about your mentee – ask

• Share your journey

• Celebrate their achievements

• Seek out resources to help your mentee grow

• Be sure you have the bandwidth

Mentees don’t learn by listening to your experience. They learn by putting ideas into practice, and having you dig into your experience to help them refine their approach, correct course when they’re wrong, and expand their idea of what’s possible. 

From a high level, a mentoring relationship is about helping someone develop toward certain goals or objectives. The mentor primarily serves as a sounding board for the mentee, offering guidance and direction, but not dictating the goal. This is why mentoring is typically unique from other types of learning engagements.

To learn more about mentoring, click on the link below.

Make Mentoring Count - BizLibrary LMS - Home

Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Generational diversity is a very important topic to cover in diversity training because your employees may span across multiple generations. There can be problems that arise if these generations don’t understand each other. Chances are that your employees will consist of up to four generations, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z.

If there isn’t adequate training and inclusive communication to help these generations coincide with each other, this could lead to stereotypes, unrealistic expectations, and an overall loss in production.

What problems stem from generational diversity in the workplace?

Because each generation has such unique characteristics, things will likely not always be smooth sailing when the age gap rears its ugly head. As an employer, it can be very challenging to manage the expectations of multigenerational employees—each one has completely different expectations and priorities.

However, understanding the potential challenges is the first step to solving them. Let’s elaborate on the problems that can stem from generational diversity in the workplace.

Risk of Conflicts

With each generation having such distinctive traits and characteristics, there is a potential risk of conflicts occurring due to clashing values and beliefs, work ethics, and communication styles.

Interpersonal issues are often one of the biggest problems that employers face when dealing with generational diversity. When employees who are decades apart in age work closely together, they can sometimes have trouble getting along—not to mention that conflict reduces employee engagement and decreases productivity.

Lack of Mutual Understanding

With multiple generations between them, it’s not surprising that a Boomer and a Gen Z employee might clash—they simply can’t relate.

This can cause a lack of mutual understanding, making it challenging for team members from different generations to communicate and collaborate effectively. Because the generations are each so distinct, stereotyping can be a significant issue that causes a divide among employees.

Different Working Styles

Each generation has a distinct working style, and they’re likely to clash now and again. While Baby Boomers are comfortable working long hours and prefer working on-site, Gen Y and Gen Z employees prefer more flexible hours and the option to work remotely.

As we highlighted above, employees across generations also have different preferences when it comes to how they receive feedback and collaborate with others in the workplace—meaning it’s not always easy to work together seamlessly.

Communication Gaps

These generations not only have different working styles, but also differing communication styles. This is in large part due to technology, as each generation uses it to communicate in very different ways. While Baby Boomers are willing to use technology for productivity purposes, they prefer to communicate face-to-face or over the phone.

On the flip side, the younger generations embrace digital communication through email and instant messaging. These different styles can lead to miscommunication or lack of communication at all—both of which pose an obvious problem.

Here are some tips on how to manage generational diversity in the workplace:

1.     Adapt your recruiting strategies

2.     Avoid making age-based assumptions & stereotyping

3.     Listen to your employees and find out what they want

4.     Customize your approach for each employee

5.     Adopt varying communication styles

6.     Refine your techniques for delivering feedback

7.     Assemble age-diverse teams for projects

8.     Establish employee retention practices

While generational diversity in the workplace can be challenging for both employers and employees to navigate, it can also be a strong competitive advantage for companies that embrace it.

By fostering a culture that celebrates collaboration, keeping the lines of communication open, and tailoring your approach to each individual, you can get ahead of any potential conflicts before they arise and reap all of the benefits of a multigenerational workforce. How amazing is that?

For additional training, please click on the link below.

Generations@Work: Bridging the Divide - BizLibrary LMS - Home