Through high school and college, I was a science junkie. I loved chemistry and biology, and because my father was my math teacher, I loved math. I enjoyed science because of the dynamic teachers I had and because they reinforced that I could master these subjects with ease. My goal was to become a dentist. I ended up earning my degree in chemistry and biology from Iowa State University, but before I took the plunge into four years of dental school, I decided to explore other opportunities.
It just so happened a global management and technology consulting firm was hiring people like me. I decided to give it a try and so began my professional journey in technology. I really enjoyed the challenge, the people I met, and the customers I worked for. I never looked back.
In the first few years of my career, I learned a lot about myself. I worked for some great managers and some not so great managers. I continue to shape that view and believe that great leadership is an evolution.
Fortunately, I have worked in some high-performing technology organizations, with leaders who believe in the correlation between a great place to work and high customer satisfaction. I realize not everyone’s experience is similar to mine. A Harvard Business Review study indicated that nearly half of all women working in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) roles will eventually leave the industry due to poor work environments.
Women make up only 25 percent of the STEM workforce, a rate that has remained flat during the past decade, according to a recent article in Emory Business. Although Atlanta ranks third in the nation for STEM jobs growth, the fact remains of a lack of women in executive positions.
What can be done to ensure more women pursue and remain in STEM careers, especially here in Atlanta?
There are some fabulous associations and companies in Atlanta — WIT (Women in Technology) and Pathbuilders — that focus on mentoring, developing and recognizing women leaders. It would be great if more organizations could emerge with that focus. I also believe progress can be made if male and female leaders spend more time mentoring and sharing their positive experiences with young women.
There is a lot of talk about mentoring. We discuss it all the time at Aptean. Should we formalize a program, or should we allow people to more informally find people they connect with? Ironically, several of us look back on our early experiences and believe we ended up where we are because of great teachers/mentors/youth ministers we had in high school and college. It reinforces the importance of the relationships we build around us. Our executive team has agreed we need to provide the opportunity for people to mentor each other, and to enable those relationships to be built naturally.
These personal relationships will help leaders keep perspective and inspire them to help build a great environment to work in. We all want to work somewhere that allows us to make an impact and be inspired and recognized. We can make that happen as a community and as a team by sharing and networking, teaching and mentoring each other.
Attracting and retaining passionate and driven leaders, especially women, is done by reinforcing a culture of collaboration. From my experience, the best leaders we know are approachable and, by example, are champions of teamwork and collaboration. These characteristics allow everyone to bring personal strengths to the table and enable each of us to experience success as a team and as individuals.
I truly believe this is at the heart of what will help us attract and retain the best women (and men) in the STEM industries. Take the time to mentor someone, collaborate and really take advantage of your team’s strengths.
We can make a difference.
Kim Eaton is chief executive officer for Aptean, a global applications software provider.
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