Achieving the Possible Ambition and the under-representation of women surgeons

1. Achieving the PossibleAmbition and the under-representation of women surgeons Dr Kim Peters Dr Michelle Ryan Prof Alex Haslam

2. 100 90 80 70 60 Men 50 Women 40 30 20 10 0 Degrees Employed Managers Directors CEOs The Problem…

3. The Problem…

4. The Problem…

5. The Glass Ceiling

6. Past Explanations • Barriers that women face • Sexism • Stereotypes • Childcare responsibilities • Work-life balance • Gender pay gap

7. One Recent Explanation…. Focuses on the choices women make themselves

8. The Opt-Out Revolution I don’t want to be on the fast track… some people define that as success. I don’t. I don’t want to conquer the world. I don’t want that kind of life… a baby provides a graceful exit.

9. The Opt-Out Revolution Women lack the ambition necessary to make it to the top

10. Our Questions… • Do women lack ambition? • Can ambition explain the glass ceiling? • Are there other explanations? • Surgeons • Police

11. Are There Differences in Ambition? Surgical Trainees

12. Are There Differences in Ambition? The Police service

13. The Importance of Context

14. Fitting In with Those Up Top Fit: The presence of others like you further up the career ladder “Nothing succeeds like (expectations of) success”

17. Fitting In with Those Up Top Fit = Success = Ambition

18. Do Female Surgeons Fit In? 367 female members of the Royal College of Surgeons

19. Do Female Surgeons Fit In?

20. Does fit affect ambition? • Perceived fit I have a lot in common with successful surgeons • Predicted Success My future career in surgery looks bright • Ambition I am aiming high in my career in surgery • Psychological Exit I often think about leaving surgery • Perceived Gender Discrimination I think that gender discrimination is a problem in surgery

21. NO SUCCESS GENDER DISCRIM REDUCED AMBITION LACK of FIT LOWER IDENTITY EXIT UNWILLING to SACRIFICE NO ROLE MODELS BURNOUT Does fit affect ambition?

22. Are there gender differences? 380 male and female members of the Royal College of Surgeons in training years 1, 2 and 3. • Actual fit • Perceived fit • Authenticity • Ambition • Burnout

23. Actual fit

24. Perceived fit

25. Authenticity

26. Burnout

27. Can We Improve Fit? 253 UK Policewomen Questionnaire 1 – manipulated fit • Completed leadership inventory • Informed either transformational or transactional • Informed majority of leaders in police force either the same or different Questionnaire 2 • Career ambition • Career commitment

28. Ambition

29. Commitment

30. Can We Improve Fit? The Royal College of Surgeons has a well-established women’s network…

31. Can We Improve Fit?

32. Practical Implications How do we get women to fit in? • Leadership training • But does this expect women to be like men? • Rethinking leadership – transformational leaders • Runs the risk of alienating men • Expanding notions of leadership • Inclusive of both men and women

33. Conclusions Questions innate gender differences in ambition Ambition is a product of context and experience • Having role models • Gender discrimination Gender equality is not simply about recruiting equal numbers of men and women If professions want to retain talented women they must ensure their experiences are equal to that of men.