On Tuesday, women and men around the world will celebrate “the first computer programmer,” Ada Lovelace—the British mathematician known for her pioneering work in technology in the nineteenth century.
In her honor, Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women breaking new ground across the male-dominated STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), industries in which female leaders are often overlooked and have even been written out of history.
This year Forbes is proud to mark Ada Lovelace Day by announcing its debut Top Women In Tech list. This shines a light on 50 incredible women from across Europe who are putting technology at the heart of their rising businesses. It will be followed by lists honoring female tech leaders in the U.S and the world.
There are many reasons for the disproportionate number of female tech founders today, ranging from how STEM education has been presented in schools, to how some work environments have proven hostile to women and the fact that there is a lack of female decision makers within VC firms. Yet, as consulting firm McKinsey has repeatedly confirmed, gender-diverse teams outperform their all-male peers and have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line.
By: Kitty Knowles
Source: Forbes
At a recent training I was facilitating, I invited people to ask me anything anonymously using polling technology. While the questions always give me great insight into where people are struggling with issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), this question seemed more universal: “What do I do if my manager is not inclusive?”
Our society’s tendency to look to men for expertise is one of the things that holds women back in our careers. But we can all help give women’s knowledge and accomplishments greater visibility, which will cause people of all genders to view women as experts and turn to women for expertise more.
Right now, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are under growing scrutiny. Some companies are pulling back from DEI initiatives amid nervousness around shareholder activism and possible investor or customer pushback. Highlighting the benefits of DEI to an organization’s performance and the wellbeing of employees is the best way to address this negativity.
