Girls In STEM

Forty percent of Black women are Onlys. The only woman in the room. The only Black person at the table. The only one who looks like them in the entire department. Double the rate of women overall. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐱™ Being the Only doesn't just feel isolating. It costs you money. Here's how: 51% of Black women who are Onlys report needing to provide more evidence of their competence than their colleagues. For men who are not Onlys? 13%. That's a 38-point gap in proof burden. Every time you re-explain your qualifications. Every time you over-document your decisions. Every time you CC three extra people to establish a paper trail because you know your word won't be enough. That's labor. Unpaid labor. 77% of Black women report "prove it again" bias — having to demonstrate competence over and over, while their white male counterparts get presumed capable from day one. And when you do succeed? They don't credit competence. They credit luck. Affirmative action. Help from someone else. Timing. Your wins don't compound in your file. They evaporate. So you prove it again. And again. And again. Meanwhile, Brad's first success is still paying dividends three promotions later. This is not a confidence gap. This is an extraction gap. The time you spend re-proving yourself is time you're not spending on visible, credited, compensated work. It's time stolen from the record that determines your raise. Your promotion. Your equity. They're not asking you to prove it again because they forgot. They're asking because the system is designed to make you work twice for half the credit. And half the credit means half the compensation. Document the proof burden. Track the hours. Name the pattern. Because the Only Tax isn't invisible. It's just unbilled. How many times have you had to prove something twice that Brad only had to prove once? Thank You; It's True™ #BlackWomensWealthLab #DocumentEverything #TheOnlyTax

As International Women’s Day nears, we’ll see the usual corporate gestures—empowerment panels, social media campaigns, and carefully curated success stories. But let’s be honest: these feel-good initiatives rarely change what actually holds women back at work on the daily basis. Instead, I suggest focusing on something concrete, something I’ve seen have the biggest impact in my work with teams: the unspoken dynamics that shape psychological safety. 🚨Because psychological safety is not the same for everyone. Psychological safety is often defined as a shared belief that one can take risks without fear of negative consequences. But let’s unpack that—who actually feels safe enough to take those risks? 🔹 Speaking up costs more for women Confidence isn’t the issue—consequences are. Women learn early that being too direct can backfire. Assertiveness can be read as aggression, while careful phrasing can make them seem uncertain. Over time, this calculation becomes second nature: Is this worth the risk? 🔹 Mistakes are stickier When men fail, it’s seen as part of leadership growth. When women fail, it often reinforces lingering doubts about their competence. This means that women aren’t more risk-averse by nature—they’re just more aware of the cost. 🔹 Inclusion isn’t just about presence Being at the table doesn’t mean having an equal voice. Women often find themselves in a credibility loop—having to repeatedly prove their expertise before their ideas carry weight. Meanwhile, those who fit the traditional leadership mold are often trusted by default. 🔹 Emotional labor is the silent career detour Women in teams do an extraordinary amount of behind-the-scenes work—mediating conflicts, softening feedback, ensuring inclusion. The problem? This work isn’t visible in performance reviews or leadership selection criteria. It’s expected, but not rewarded. What companies can do beyond IWD symbolism: ✅ Stop measuring "confidence"—start measuring credibility gaps If some team members always need to “prove it” while others are trusted instantly, you have a credibility gap, not a confidence issue. Fix how ideas get heard, not how women present them. ✅ Make failure a learning moment for everyone Audit how mistakes are handled in your team. Are men encouraged to take bold moves while women are advised to be more careful? Change the narrative around risk. ✅ Track & reward emotional labor If women are consistently mentoring, resolving conflicts, or ensuring inclusion, this isn’t just “being helpful”—it’s leadership. Make it visible, valued, and part of promotion criteria. 💥 This IWD, let’s skip the celebration and start the correction. If your company is serious about making psychological safety equal for everyone, let’s do the real work. 📅 I’m now booking IWD sessions focused on improving team dynamics and creating workplaces where women don’t just survive, but thrive. Book your spot and let’s turn good intentions into lasting impact.

𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 “𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲.” 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 “𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞” 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠. Every year, we applaud the small increase in women reaching the top. Every year, we expect real change. And yet, 10.4%? That’s not transformation—that’s stagnation. 𝐘𝐞𝐬, 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 10.4% 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 500 𝐂𝐄𝐎𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 2025. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰? Because let’s be honest—this isn’t about competence, ambition, or a lack of qualified women. The real issue? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. Here’s what’s really happening: 🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 “𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭”: Bias Companies don’t just promote the best—they promote who feels right in the role. And too often, that “right” looks like every CEO before them—male. 🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐭”: Women are expected to check every single box before being considered. Men? They’re promoted on potential, not perfection. 🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐩: A woman in the C-suite often stands alone. No peer network, no old boys' club, no ready-made allies. Leadership can be isolating when you’re the only one like you in the room. 🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝—They Just Look Different Assertive men are seen as confident. Assertive women? “Difficult.” A decisive male leader is strong. A decisive female leader is “cold.” Men can “focus on strategy.” Women still have to “prove” they belong. And even when they break through? - More scrutiny—one mistake defines her. - More resistance—team members hesitate to follow. - More pressure—because failure is seen as a sign that “women weren’t ready.” We are being judged at every step, for every decision we make. If not internally, then externally, in every social setup. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 "𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟" 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 "𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠" The System Isn’t Just Slow—It’s Flawed. We don’t need to “fix” women. We need to fix the biases, structures, and outdated leadership models that are still holding them back. So what needs to change? ✅ Promote women based on potential—just like men. ✅ Trust women leadership capabilities at work ✅ Build real support systems. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 8𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭.

I've often been the only stiletto in a room full of flats. Literally. And metaphorically. Cutting my teeth in engineering, mining and energy was both isolating and polarising. With 11 February marking the United Nations International Day of Women and Girls in Science, it really is time to break the mould. Despite progress, barriers persist, hindering women's full participation in STEM. Here's my recommendations to flip the script and ignite REAL change: 1️⃣ Reverse Mentoring: Pair seasoned pros with emerging talents for a fresh perspective exchange. Watch innovation soar as insights flow both ways. 2️⃣ Hackathons for Change: Empower women to lead hackathons tackling real-world challenges. Repeat after me: diverse viewpoints drive better solutions. 3️⃣ Storytelling Showcases: Spotlight female trailblazers in STEM through vibrant storytelling events. No boring write ups please. From podcast series to TED-style talks, we can creatively amplify voices and inspire the next generation. 4️⃣ Intersectional Insights: Embrace intersectionality in STEM initiatives. Let's celebrate diverse identities, experiences, and talents, fostering a richer, more inclusive STEM community. 5️⃣ Pay Parity Parties: Host pay equity celebrations! Shine a spotlight on those championing equal pay, inspiring others to do their part in closing the gender pay gap. 💡 It's time to disrupt the status quo and pave new paths for women and girls in STEM. What's your ideas to spark innovation, foster inclusivity, and propel progress to increase #womeninstem? #BreakTheMould #InnovationInspiration #linkedinnewsaustralia #changemangement

To the woman starting in cybersecurity,  I write … Not as someone who has everything figured out, but as someone who understands that this field can sometimes feel different to navigate as a woman. Cybersecurity is exciting, challenging, and constantly evolving. But it is also a space where women are still under-represented. There are moments that many people outside the industry may never notice. Things that quietly shape your experience as you build your career. You may find yourself walking into spaces where you are the only woman in the room, and suddenly you’re very aware of it.  Sometimes that can bring a quiet pressure. The feeling that you need to prove you belong there.  That you have to be extra prepared before speaking up.  That asking a question might be judged more harshly than it would be for others. In those moments, it’s easy to become more aware of yourself…   And that can make it tempting to stay quiet. But here’s something important to remember… your presence in that room matters. There will also be moments where your confidence feels shaken.  Those moments happen to more people than you realise. Remember, confidence in cybersecurity isn’t something most people walk in with.  It is built gradually through learning, experimenting, solving problems, and finding your voice in conversations. You don’t need to have all the answers. What matters is curiosity, persistence, and the willingness to keep showing up. And each time you do, you make the path a little clearer for the women who will follow. So if you are thinking about starting a journey in cybersecurity, take that first step. And if you have already started, keep going even on days when it feels the hardest. The industry needs you… and there is absolutely a place for you in it. And one day, without even realising it, you become the woman another woman is looking up to in the room. I am rooting for you. Happy International Women’s Day.

The reality of being a woman in STEM in Hong Kong. Recently, my private Threads account was shared on Telegram here in Hong Kong, and I was doxxed. It happened after someone found out I was the only Hongkonger accepted by Google DeepMind through Google Summer of Code. After I confirmed the account was mine, the comments started pouring in. I got messages like: “Bitch, 1/4 of your achievements are because of your looks.” “Your research career is easier because you’re pretty. (So the PI treats you better.)” “Are you just trying to flex so people praise you?” “This isn’t impressive, you still work for someone and don’t even make much money.” This isn’t just about me, it reflects a bigger problem. It’s unfair to downplay someone’s work just because they’re a woman, or because they don’t match some narrow idea of success. In Hong Kong, where finance is often seen as the gold standard, people frequently judge worth by income or job title. If you're not rich or in a "powerful" position, they think your achievements don’t count. And as a woman in STEM, it’s especially frustrating. These comments ignore the time, effort, and dedication behind our work, and reduce it all to looks. This mindset is sadly common here. And honestly, it’s exhausting.

Jennifer Black’s path into engineering started in childhood, driven by curiosity and a love of taking things apart to see how they worked. Today, after more than three decades at Trane Technologies, she’s helping shape a more inclusive future for the field. 👩🔧✨ Some insights from her story that stood out: 🔹 The early days were isolating: She began her career in the early 1990s, when women in engineering were extremely rare. Being one of the only women in the room was normal — and it shaped her commitment to making things different for those coming after her. 🔹 The pipeline is finally growing: At recent industry conferences, she sees women represented at nearly every table. And at university career fairs, young women are showing up in large numbers, forming long lines for engineering roles. To her, it’s a clear sign of cultural shift and growing confidence. 🎓💫 🔹 STEM careers don’t have to be linear. Her own journey moved across engineering, marketing, software, recruiting, pricing and finance before she stepped into program-management. Each role added new skills and broadened her understanding of how the business works. 🌱 🔹 Stepping away and returning is possible with the right support. She paused her career to focus on raising her children, then re-entered the workforce with the help of mentors who valued her contributions. Now she advocates for flexibility and support so other women can make similar choices without losing momentum. 🤝💛 🔹 Sustainability and people development go hand in hand. In her current role, she leads projects focused on efficiency, emissions and refrigerant innovation — but she also dedicates energy to mentoring early-career engineers and building environments where diverse voices are included from the start. 🌍💡 Jennifer’s story reflects a broader shift: more representation, more pathways into engineering, and more women seeing STEM as a place where they can build long, meaningful careers. Read the full article to dive deeper into her journey! 👉 https://lnkd.in/esT8FUUM #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #STEMGems #GiveGirlsRoleModels

Most women in STEM aren’t underperforming. They’re under-regulated. But here's the truth Ashley and I keep seeing across engineering, leadership, and neuroscience: Your work doesn't speak. → Your nervous system does. Before you say a word, people read your state, your presence, and your biology. Your brain runs two major networks that compete for control: 1️⃣ Task-Positive Network (TPN) → logic → precision → execution ↳ engineering rewards this 2️⃣ Default Mode Network (DMN) → narrative → leadership presence → context ↳ influence requires this Here's the catch: they can't run at the same time. So under pressure (scrutiny, complexity, male-dominated rooms) TPN hijacks your system and DMN goes offline. And predictable patterns show up: → ideas delivered without presence → expertise without influence → tightening when challenged → overexplaining instead of leading → sounding competent, but not felt as a leader This isn't insecurity. It's a neural protection pattern. Because your nervous system is still loyal to an older version of you, the one who survived urgency, pressure, or proving herself. That's why so many women feel: a bracing before speaking a rushing to fill silence a self-monitoring in high-stakes rooms Not from doubt, but from protection. Here's what most women in STEM are never told: Influence isn't a personality trait. It's a regulated neural state. When your system feels safe, DMN comes online: → your voice lands → your ideas carry weight → your presence fills the room If this resonates, practice: ✔️ 3-second pause before speaking ✔️ Ask: "Clarity or protection?" ✔️ Slow your pace ✔️ Breathe before words Your expertise built your career. Your nervous system will determine your influence. ❤️ Repost to lift someone who needs this 🔔 Follow Dima Abu-Khaled and Ashley Douglas for more evidence based personal and career growth tips

The excellence that got you promoted is now the cage that’s keeping you stuck. Most women in healthcare leadership don’t have a capability problem. They have an excellence addiction. From day one in medicine, you were taught something very clear: Excellence is survival. Excellence is credibility. Excellence is how you earn your seat at the table. So you made excellence your baseline. Not your edge. Your baseline. You stayed late. You double-checked everything. You over-prepared. You made sure no one could question your competence. And it worked. It got you through training. It got you respect. It got you promoted. But here’s the shift no one prepares you for: The behaviours that make an exceptional clinician are not the same behaviours that make an exceptional leader. Now excellence looks like: Redoing work your team already completed. Writing long emails instead of having short conversations. Preparing for meetings like you’re defending a thesis. Holding onto decisions because “it’s quicker if I just do it.” This isn’t about standards. It’s about identity. Medicine rewards perfection because lives depend on it. But somewhere along the way, you internalised a bigger story: “I have to be twice as good to be taken seriously.” Excellence became your armour. Your safety. Your proof. And now it’s costing you. You’re exhausted. Your team is cautious around you. High performers don’t stretch because they know you’ll step in. Your impact plateaus because you are still operating like the most senior individual contributor in the room. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: If you still feel the need to prove yourself, you cannot fully lead others. Leadership is not about being the most capable person in the system. It’s about building a system that works without you at the centre of it. The excellence trap isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about deciding where your perfection actually matters. Patients? Yes. Strategic direction? Yes. Every email? No. Every slide? No. Every minor operational decision? Definitely not. Your value is no longer in being flawless. Your value is in creating capacity. The women who scale in healthcare leadership are not the most perfect. They are the ones who learn to shift from: Proving to positioning. From controlling to enabling. From being the standard to setting the standard. Excellence built your career. But leadership requires something braver. Restraint. And the courage to let others grow in the space you stop filling.

Men are assumed to be competent until proven otherwise. Women have to prove competence over and over. Women are constantly told they need to be more confident. Speak up more. Sit at the table. Be bolder. But confidence isn’t the problem. Perception is. Studies show that when women are assertive, they’re seen as “too aggressive.” When they’re careful, they’re seen as “not leader material.” The issue isn’t that women need to change how they show up. It’s that the rules keep shifting to make them doubt themselves. Instead of telling women to be more confident, we should be asking: 💡 Why do we question women’s authority in the first place? You don’t need to perform confidently. You need a workplace that values your expertise as it is.