By Sue McLaughlin, County Administrator – County of Bureau, IL
Ok. I admit it. Back in the 80’s, I used to wear those suits with the scarf bowties so that I could look professional in the working world thinking that would cover up my lack of confidence. And then as I grew older and more self-assured (and the styles changed with the world), I started to find my own style and poise. The point is that times have changed and I’ve learned we don’t we need to dress the same or even necessarily act the same except as ourselves, to compete in a professional capacity.
Thankfully, in the 21st century, more and more articles are being written and movements gaining traction that embrace female leaders. In Illinois, the Legacy Project is a group affiliated with the state’s City/County Manager’s Association trying to educate and change the #13Percent factor. If you haven’t heard about #13percent, I recommend you check it out on Twitter via #13percent, ELGL or the blog posts on this website. The basic tenet is that only 13 percent of all professional city/county managers were women back in the 1980’s. Some 30 odd years later, that percentage has risen a little to about 21 percent today, but remains way below 50 percent – the percentage of female employees in state and local government. Here in Illinois, the Legacy Project is one way we’re working to make diversity in leadership a reality.
As a City/County Administrator for more than 12 years, to me, succeeding as a female manager is all about Confidence. What is confidence? Well, we all know the definition, but to me, it’s not just standing tall but adopting the attitude. Believing in yourself. Believing in your abilities.
Act like a leader. Set expectations. Have integrity and hold onto it. Stand out. Advocate for yourself.
This last point is especially important when a candidate for a position. I recently was 1 of 4 candidates for a City Administrator position in a nearby community. There were 2 male and 2 female candidates and we had to have dinner and tour the town all together as a group – not unheard of these days. Our spouses were welcome as well so my husband came with me. When we entered city hall that first night for dinner, the Mayor was in the lobby to greet everyone. One person preceded me into the door, then my husband and me. What happened? You guessed it – the Mayor assumed my husband was one of the male candidates. Of course, I quickly corrected him, but that’s one example of the stereotypes we face. Throughout the rest of the interview, I made sure I stood tall, I wore red and I exuded confidence. There was no mistake after that.
When I was offered the position, the negotiations began. After the first offer, I of course wanted to counter, but as soon as I did, I felt guilty. I’ve heard this story before – men don’t hesitate to ask for more, but women are more likely to accept the first offer. We settled on a higher middle ground and I was thankful that I, at least, asked – and it was pretty painless. After all, all they can do is say no. I also think this set the tone with the Mayor for our working relationship moving forward as partners. Again, be confident and advocate for yourself.
Times are changing, but not fast enough. Don’t lose your femininity, just recognize the difference and have confidence!”
