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Breaking Through Glass Ceilings and Other Takeaways from Rise to the Top

Published Mar 06, 2020 by Maggie Martin

rise to the top photo op

The Partnership's 9th Annual Rise to the Top event brought together nearly 900 attendees to hear advice from exceptional female leaders. Hosted by the Partnership's Women's Business Alliance, the event is a celebration of International Women's Day (March 8). This year is particularly remarkable since 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting a woman's constitutional right to vote.

Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell Oil Company and Executive Vice President for Shell's UpStream Unconventionals business, delivered the keynote address. She said, for women,  breaking through the proverbial "glass ceiling" is crucial, but the next steps are just as important. That includes ensuring the next generation of women don't have to break that glass ceiling themselves. 

And those who have broken through, said Watkins, are allowed to make mistakes.

"You may want to be perfect because you want to prove you should be there," she said, "but none of us carry the entire weight of womankind. None of us should feel the pressure to have it all all the time. Sometimes achieving a work-life balance means putting life first, and we shouldn’t feel guilty about that.”

Rise to the Top included a panel discussion, moderated by Darcie Durham, Senior Regional Director for National Strategy and Engagement for The Boeing Company and chair of the Partnership’s Executive Women’s Partnership.

The panelists were:

  • Leslie Duke, President, Burns & McDonnell, Inc. 
  • Carol Hess, Vice President, Workstations Product Management, HP Inc.
  • Gaby Rowe, Executive Director, The Ion

On what Houston can do to recruit more female talent into technology jobs

Hess said HP is very deliberate with recruiting. The company makes sure it's recruiting young talent at the right type of universities and colleges. Hess said in 2019, over 60% of new U.S. hires were from underrepresented groups including women, U.S. ethnicities, veterans and Persons with disabilities. 

Rowe noted a lot of girls drop out of STEM classes around 7th grade. Whether it's families or peer pressure, said Rowe, girls are being convinced these jobs are not for them. She emphasized the need to reach these students early to keep them engaged. 

On closing the gender gap

Duke said women tend to get "softer" reviews compared to their male counterparts, who are more likely to receive honest feedback from their managers. She encouraged women in the audience to insist on diving deeper in their performance reviews. 

Rowe echoed that advice, adding that having those hard conversations shouldn't be limited to performance reviews, but should be happening throughout a woman's career. 

On advice for young female professionals

Duke said women should get involved in business management and learn what drives growth within their company. She added that by doing so, women round out their development as leaders. 

Hess encouraged women to try lots of different jobs and experiences to better understand their interests and passion. She added: "As you grow in you career, take other women with you and show them the way."

Learn more about the Women's Business Alliance and the Executive Women's Partnership

 

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Texas Lawmakers Prioritize Economic Growth with New Committees

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Every Texas legislative session brings something new: bold policies, fresh faces on the chamber floor, or, in this case, a new focus on making the Texas economy bigger and better. This year, the Texas House and Senate have restructured their standing committees, creating stand-alone panels to emphasize economic development and other key drivers of the state’s economy. In the Texas Senate, returning Senator Phil King will chair the newly formed Committee on Economic Development. Previously, the committee was a policy-combination focusing on Natural Resources and Economic Development. King, who previously served as Vice-Chair for the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, said he is excited to take on the leadership position in the upper chamber. “I am honored that Lt. Gov. Patrick has entrusted me to lead the Economic Development Committee in Texas, which has the eighth largest economy in the world,” Senator King said in a statement to the Partnership. “We will use this session to discuss policy solutions that can continue to drive our state's economic growth and prosperity over the next two years and beyond. I look forward to hearing from business leaders and local officials from across the state on how we can build upon the Texas Miracle in their communities.” The Texas House created the Committee on Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development. Under first-term Speaker Dustin Burrows, the House will have a committee focused on the workforce and expanding the talent pipeline for the first time. Committee assignments for the Texas House have yet to be released.  Burrows told the Partnership he is committed to seeing Texas build a bigger and better economic engine for future generations.  "The Texas House remains focused on delivering legislative solutions that will strengthen our state's mighty economy and provide more economic opportunities for hardworking Texans," said Speaker Dustin Burrows. "This session, the House's new Committee on Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development will take a comprehensive approach to ensuring businesses have the freedom and tools to thrive in our state, with a newly created subcommittee concentrating on policies to bolster the Texas workforce. The House will also prioritize support for small businesses through legislation that aims to unleash the power of Texas entrepreneurship in communities across the state by cutting taxes and reforming the regulatory process." It’s too soon to say which bills will go to these committees. For now, a review of the interim reports from the previous committees points to support of key policy priorities for the Partnership: Early Childhood Education: the House and Senate both recognized a statewide need for expanding programs that support families and young children in education/developmental programs The successful implementation of the Lone Star Workforce of the Future Fund [HB 1755 - 89(R)] is compelling lawmakers to invest further in innovation and growth for apprenticeship and training programs. Expanding the available workforce talent pool will remain a priority for the 89th Texas Legislature. Click below to read the full interim reports from the following committees: Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development House Committee on International Relations and Economic Development To learn more about the Partnership's Legislative Priorities, click here. For more updates and alerts on the Texas Legislature, click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
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