The tone is set at the top when it comes to moving women forward; that means that as a C-level leader you simply must be able to talk about this subject in a comfortable and authentic way. Now, for some that may seem daunting—many well-intentioned leaders over-index on getting it “right,” when in reality the effort should be spent on making it “real.”

Worrying less about getting it “right” doesn’t mean winging it; it means bringing some vulnerability to your conversations AND being willing to express your intentions around moving women forward. Leaders are judged by their actions—largely because their people are left to infer their intentions—so, share your intentions!

 Three thoughts for CxO’s:

• Speak of women in leadership as a business issue—share that you are committed to building diverse decision-making teams, and that you know that key decisions must leverage the insights of both women and men for you to beat the competition.
• Share that you’re personally on a journey of learning (especially if you’re not a woman yourself), and that you don’t know what it’s like to be a woman, a mom, or the only person who looks like you in the room, but that you’re committed to increasing your understanding.
• And most importantly—have a GREAT answer to the question, “What advice would you give your daughter about building her career?” Make your advice real—note that she will encounter people who don’t immediately see her value but that it should be her goal to own her career, set her boundaries, and ask for what she wants.

When you demonstrate that you understand the path is different for women and men, and that you connect with that idea personally, that’s when the women in your organization will begin to believe your commitment for change. While it might feel “right” to say that you give your sons and daughters the same advice, that’s actually not “real,” and your people need to see the real you to know that your intentions are on point.

So, think about it—what advice would you give your daughter about building her career?

Helene