https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Master Agents
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • MSSP Insider
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Apply Now
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Channel Educational Series
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
    • Channel Convergence
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Content Resources
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Master Agents
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • MSSP Insider
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Apply Now
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Channel Educational Series
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
    • Channel Convergence
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Content Resources
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Cloud


Gender Inequality in Telecom: What Can You Do?

  • Written by Channel
  • August 8, 2016
The number of women in the telecom and cloud channels is going up, but still more are needed. What’s holding them back — and what can be done about it?

Tina GravelBy Tina Gravel

Telecom is no longer a bastion of men willing and able to climb poles. Though many agree that the telecom, and cloud, channels started late in adding women at the top ranks, today our sector compares favorably with other technology segments when it comes to women in leadership positions.

How we got here is instructive. Programs fostering female engineers at Cisco, AT&T and other large suppliers mean we have more technical women to promote. In telecommunications firms, many women started in customer service and sales and came up through the ranks that way. Male business leaders play a role.

Regardless, while we can all agree that the glass house has cracks, there’s still room for improvement. The Channel Partners 2016 Compensation Survey was eye-opening. A Columbia Business School article says that the percentage of women in top management positions in all firms is still under 9 percent, while Fortune says just 30 percent of employees at tech companies are female, even as they make up nearly half of the workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Join us for a discussion about our Compensation Survey – including the gender gap – at Channel Partners Evolution. Not yet registered?

I am glad that we’re talking about the discrepancy. But what I really want to know is: What can those of us in the indirect channel do about it?

To get better, we have to understand the problem. Industry leaders largely agree on a stack of reasons for a lack of women in technology.

Gender Stereotypes Still Exist …

Even given so many programs, young women still study science, technology, engineering and math in lower numbers than men. At an April 2016 gathering at Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering, the Illinois Technology Association reported that being in a STEM field was the result of parents and family inspiring girls at a young age to reject the “girl” stereotypes that discourage pursuit of STEM topics. That’s one place we can help as parents and mentors.{ad}

Some schools are trying to work through this issue by cross training. The University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab, for example, encourages non-STEM majors to apply for their positions.

Still, if you work in a field, like cybersecurity, that has not been welcoming …

{vpipagebreak}

… to women in the past and your pool of able candidates is small, even though you might be strongly encouraged to hire and promote women in your firm, the diversity of candidates is just not there.

… Which Then Result in a ‘Birds of a Feather’ Situation

If you are leading a company, you need to be confident that those you put in other leadership positions will be successful. That drives hiring of known people. But what if they all happen to look, sound, act and operate just like you? This provides a comfort level in stressful situation. But how do you become familiar with women at your company when you have only a few?

There are other issues, too. New research by the University of Maryland and Columbia Business School shows that, in firms that already have a women in a top management, the odds that another women will also have a top position are actually lower. A company under pressure to promote women may think the problem is “solved” once they have one female executive.{ad}

Working to change things isn’t just altruistic. Women-led firms do better. A Kauffman Foundation study shows that tech companies led by women are more capital-efficient and achieve, on average, a 35 percent higher return on investment than firms led by men.

Next Generation Recruitment reports that businesses with a woman on the executive team are more likely to have higher valuations at first and last funding. At first funding they report 64 percent larger valuations, and at last funding, 49 percent higher.

Despite those statistics, Alison Wood Brooks, a professor at Harvard Business School, discovered that 60 percent of the time venture capital firms favored investing in companies led by men — even when a woman pitched the same idea.

And, emotional intelligence, a touted advantage of women in business, can backfire. Many women will put their egos aside to get their dreams fulfilled. “Women more often will sublimate to the good of the company or the bigger idea,” says Pam Casale, managing partner of ASAP Marketing. “They can see the bigger picture. By detaching emotionally to the goal of being CEO and putting a man in their place, their company or idea will get funded sooner.”

To make a difference, let’s let people know that technology is a great way to earn a living. Discuss the creative aspects of systems design and how STEM fields can be rewarding. Dads and moms, tell your daughters about the exciting projects that we get involved in. Let’s knock those stereotypes on their …

{vpipagebreak}

… sides and encourage girls to do anything they want.

Mentorship programs can help enormously with the “birds of a feather” issue. Jennifer Pinson, director of North American partner sales and alliances at Rackspace, described being part of her company’s Mentor Circle, where each mentor is given 10 mentees and provided tool kits to help. Mentoring is often done virtually, and nearly 140 people are enrolled in the program globally. Can you do something similar?

Lisa Miller, senior vice president of wholesale, indirect, inside and content sales channels at Level 3, says it helps to just be mindful about treating all employees equally. “I strive to do that today when I look at a team and foster equality across its members with regard to fairness and equal pay,” says Miller.{ad}

Encourage employees to join groups, like Women in the Channel and Cloud Girls, an organization whose mission statement includes “fostering the next wave of women in technology.” And do business with partners that are inclusive.

 “At Avant, we hire those that are not just the same people in similar roles throughout the telecom channel,” says Drew Lydecker, president of Avant. “We have been focused on hiring candidates that are smart and knowledgeable about business and training them on technology. That is working for us and at present we have more women than men in our company.”

Tina Gravel is senior vice president of strategic alliances for Cryptzone, a provider of dynamic, context-aware network, application and content security solutions. She has more than 25 years of IT experience, with expertise in security, outsourcing and cloud. Prior to Cryptzone, she held positions with Dimension Data, Nirvanix and Terremark. Gravel is a member of the Channel Partners Business Advisory Board.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tinagravel
Twitter: @tgravel

Tags: Agents Business Models Channel Partners Event Coverage Cloud

Related


  • Business handshake
    Ujet, Peerless Network Enter Master Agent Agreements with PlanetOne, Intelisys
    Ujet’s channel partner program supports strategic business partnerships, master agents and integrators.
  • Merge road sign
    Agents Voice Concerns, Hopes for Master Agent Consolidation
    Subagents weigh in on how mergers and acquisitions could impact them long-term.
  • Advantage
    TBI Adds Rival Intelisys Alum, Tech Data, 8x8 Vets
    The new leadership members are already making improvements at TBI.
  • Convergence
    Convergence in the Channel: Is It Happening, and What Does This Mean for MSPs?
    Is IT-telecom channel convergence already happening? Do the two speak the same language? We explore the different sides.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • The CF List: 20 Top UCaaS Providers You Should Know
  • SMBs Weigh 5G Impact as Verizon, AWS Launch New Use Cases
  • Top 20 Channel Stories in March: Telarus, Synnex-Tech Data, Microsoft Hack
  • Flashback Friday: Images from the Last 20 Years in the Channel

Galleries

View all

Biden Administration Issues Russian Sanctions in Response to SolarWinds Hack, Election Interference

April 16, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

Why Digital Transformation Is the ‘Invisible Hand’ of Our Time

April 19, 2021

SD-WAN Supports More Purposeful Shift to Cloud

April 16, 2021

How Tech Is Transforming Public Safety–and the Implications for Channel Partners

April 15, 2021

Webinars

View all

What to Look For: 2021 Threat Report

April 22, 2021

Health Care and SD-WAN: A Seller’s Guide

April 27, 2021

How MSPs Can Leverage SOCaaS to Improve Security & Grow Revenue

May 4, 2021

White Papers

View all

Carbonite Data Protection and Cyber Resilience

April 15, 2021

Top Tips: How Resellers Can Leverage Rackspace to Enhance Customer’s Cyber Security Protection with Microsoft 365 Security

March 30, 2021

Top Tips: Optimize Your Microsoft 365 Investment with Rackspace Technology

March 30, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

MSP Summit

November 1, 2021 - November 2, 2021

Channel Evolution Europe

November 30, 2021 - December 1, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

5 Reasons Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Is Important

Five9 Shares Insights on Implementing a DE&I Strategy

April 13, 2021

FASTCHAT: How Fortinet Reduces Complexity Through Networking, Security

March 31, 2021

Strong Customer Experience Needs Strong Partner Experience

December 22, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@Avaya Cloud Office by @RingCentral further expands globally, includes new features. #UCaaS dlvr.it/Ry1QMg https://t.co/sVTkX6u4SO

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@attcyber and @SentinelOne teamed up around endpoint #security. dlvr.it/Ry1GMh https://t.co/LGV3RjpUBK

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

#Kubernetes expertise will help #channelpartners win big in move to cloud, says @Infoblox. dlvr.it/Ry16sP https://t.co/8lB4T93fuN

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@CambiumNetworks unveils new #partnerprogram focused on health care. dlvr.it/Ry12RG https://t.co/uGNMBQyQUa

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@solarwinds pays top executives more than $65 million despite massive hack. #cybersecurity dlvr.it/Ry0tXf https://t.co/1XjFpk7WMl

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@DruvaInc now valued at $2 billion. What does this mean for #Compass channel partners? Find out what we know.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

Learn how you can make apps and #cloud work for you. @VMware #appmodernization #digitaltransformation… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 19, 2021
ChannelFutures

We're dedicated to bringing important ideas & perspectives that will enlighten & empower our audience at #CPExpo an… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 19, 2021

MSSP Insider

Business advice for MSSPs and news from the broader security channel.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X