Written by By: Stephanie Diana Eubank (AKA Dr. Bear)
This is my first article since getting married to my wonderful husband David last August. So, I am excited to write this article.
While celebrating our first Married Christmas together my husband and I were discussing the things we are grateful for in our relationship especially during this pandemic. One thing that was brought up is the fact that my husband values that I am working on my doctorate. I am thankful he loves me but; respects and supports my research. When I was dating prior to meeting my now husband many of the men I met would comment to me about how my work towards earning a doctorate is a minus against me. When I asked why I was told, “Dating a doctoral candidate is not the bragging right that it is for women”. Which is interesting to me because, my husband always tells me how proud he is of my hard work for my educational goals and brags to everyone about how I am a doctoral candidate.
This got me thinking about how women throughout history or at least in my family’s history tone down their accomplishments for the sake of not overshadowing their husbands. An example being my father’s mother gave up her pursuit to become an attorney to be a house wife. My mother had to put her academic career on hold when she had me and my siblings to work part time as a one on one aid in special education. She had to put off her goals of earning her four year degree till she was in her fifties.
The list of woman I know who have put off their education or other work goals for family. Which got me thinking about how often are women suppressing or toning down our achievements in the workplace?
There are a number of articles on the fact women are having to down play achievements to move forward. Here is a list of some good articles to read on this topic. You can find citations on these articles in
- https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/03/21/study-finds-female-college-graduates-newly-job-market-are-punished-having-good
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2019/03/08/four-universal-career-challenges-holding-women-back/?sh=5a5110464396
- https://hbr.org/2020/03/whats-really-holding-women-back
- https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/09/04/7-steps-to-success-and-what-s-holding-women-back–study.html
- https://ideas.ted.com/one-invisible-barrier-holding-back-women-at-work-the-conformity-bind/4
The lists of articles on this topic go on and on. Showing this is a systemic issue of women having to tone down our achievements and suffering a bit of imposter syndrome. Which, is where the research into remote employment comes in as a solution to many of the issues listed as reasons women are held back or are holding back. Remote teams’ pre pandemic often are designed as what are called. “Dream teams”. Which is where management designs the teams as the best of the best forgoing team dynamics concepts. So, how people interact is less important than working with the best of the best. Which leaves room for those who are high achieving to stand out rather than being named, “Over Qualified”.
I can speak from experience having companies turn me down for being too qualified. During the recovery from the last recession I had a manager tell me the reason I was let go versus lower performing co-workers was that I was starting my path towards my doctorate and they knew about it. As he had said to me, “I am laying you off because you are smart and will land on your feet the others don’t have the education you have to do the same”. It was a hard lesson to learn to keep my academic goals to myself until I have staying power and let management know from there. Now being experienced working from home while working on a doctorate is a more desirable trait. For a man or woman.
As observed by my friends both men and women and my own experience during this pandemic I have had to be caring for my children while working and balancing other goals and life in general. Productivity has been maintained, work has been stressful, but all the while surviving. Remote employment has made more opportunities we just need to learn to adapt. As we are isolating to protect each other from this pandemic we learn to show ourselves in the truest ways and go for what we want in this world.
Work Cited
Ali, H. (2019, March 08). Four Universal Career Challenges Holding Women Back. Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2019/03/08/four-universal-career-challenges-holding-women-back/?sh=5a5110464396
Jaschik, S. (2018, March 21). Study finds female college graduates newly on the job market are punished for having good grades. Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/03/21/study-finds-female-college-graduates-newly-job-market-are-punished-having-good
King, M., & Bell, G. (2020, March 24). One invisible barrier holding back women at work: The conformity bind. Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https://ideas.ted.com/one-invisible-barrier-holding-back-women-at-work-the-conformity-bind/
Padavic, I., & Ely, R. J. (2020, February 19). What’s Really Holding Women Back? Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https://hbr.org/2020/03/whats-really-holding-women-back
Vila-Concejo, A. (2018, September 4). 7 steps to success and what’s holding women back: Study. Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/09/04/7-steps-to-success-and-what-s-holding-women-back–study.html
Dr. Stephanie Diana Eubank DBA Remote Team Research (AKA Dr. Bear) 