Talentnomics

A Black Woman is on the cusp of shattering another glass ceiling and making history – again

By Hemal K. Vaidya, TalentNomics Board Member

With Justice Stephen G. Breyer’s retirement announcement from the US Supreme Court, the Washington establishment, the legal community, women’s advocacy groups, and even girls’ clubs of every sort are on pins and needles to witness history. While we do not yet know the nominee, we do know this important, unique, and seminal point: the next Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court will be a black woman, the first in America. Alongside the achievements of becoming US Vice President, a Member of Congress, NASA astronaut, corporate CEO (and the list goes on infinitely…), we are on the cusp of adding to this list the pinnacle of American law and jurisprudence.

Over the past several weeks, I have been discussing this moment with my daughter — a teenager, an 8th grader, and while not yet a lawyer, a young woman with her own convictions, her own view of the world, and the confidence to share them (often unfiltered and unsolicited with her Dad…). In this blog, I’d like to share a few thoughts from these conversations — as this moment is important not only for the US but for the world and the mission of Talentnomics.

While I am neither a woman nor black, I am a proud first-generation Indian American. I view this moment from the lenses of a minority, a citizen concerned about the deep divisions in the country and world — and what it means for future generations, and a father to a young woman. With my daughter, I discussed whether we can share in the joy of this moment nonetheless and share meaningful observations to capture the excitement of this time. In short order, we concluded that the answer is “Yes,” and there are three main themes that we see in the pending nomination: (1) Critical, sorely-needed representation in the adjudication of the country’s most important constitutional issues; (2) A concrete example of promise and hope to girls of all colors and races; (3) An aspiration that public discourse returns to a semblance of civility, respect, and sympathy.

These three themes relate directly to Talentnomics’ mission — for we need women’s leadership and stories of perseverance to remain at the forefront of our public discourse. And while Talentnomics is not expressly geared toward advancing the next generation of female lawyers per se, its primary mission is to harness the power of “influential change agents.” The pending Supreme Court nomination reminds me that “influential change agents” must come from all sectors and disciplines of our society — including the corporate world, nonprofits & NGOs, education, the arts, and shorlty — the law and highest court in the United States. As we soon witness the nomination announcement, confirmation hearings, and battles in the media and society (and, yes, let’s be cleareyed — there will be battles), let’s keep as our “north star” what this moment represents: the first time in the nation’s history that a black woman will have an indispensable role in deciding and writing the jurisprudence underlying American’s constitutional design. Let’s do right by her, and perhaps more importantly, by the millions of people — especially American black women — whose sacrifice and toil have made this milestone possible.

President Biden has promised to announce his nominee toward the end of February, and Senate Democrats have committed to an efficient, timely confirmation process shortly thereafter. By all expectations, the new nominee will be confirmed and sworn in well before the beginning of the Supreme Court’s next term in October. What that means for all of us is that the next several months will be intense. Out of respect for the nominee, and for all that she represents, let’s do all we can to make this experience one we can be proud of — and ensure that she while she is the first, she is not the last.

DEI in the workplace

By Trisha Pray, TalentNomics

What is DEI and why does it matter?

DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diversity is the presence of differences in any given setting. In a workplace, it can mean differences in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, and nationality, to name a few. Equity ensures proceedings that are impartial, fair, and allow for equal potential outcomes for each individual. Inclusion establishes a sense of belonging for the employees in a workplace. DEI is central in creating and sustaining a successful workplace driven by an ethos that encourages every individual to thrive; personally and professionally. It allows innovation and talent to shine without discriminatory hindrances.

Purely from a business standpoint, diversity directly contributes to a higher level of innovation, in thinking and practice, and thereby, greater outcomes. Equity is essential to building diversity. It levels the playing field and ensures that requirements to entry are the same for each individual, opening up the talent pool to qualified applicants. Inclusion is key for the maintenance of diversity, working to prevent othering, tokenism, and code-switching.

According to a CNBC survey, nearly 80% of employees want to work at an organization where DEI is prioritized. Employees who believe their company is not doing enough to further diversity and inclusion have a Workforce Happiness Index score of 63, distinctly lower than the average score of 72. Josh Bersin, a well-respected HR professional, conducted a research study that showed only 32% of organizations have mandatory DEI training for employees. Given the gap between the aforementioned 80% and this number, this is an issue that needs to be actively tackled.

McKinsey’s 2019 analysis found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to make above-average profit gains than companies in the fourth quartile. On looking at ethnic and cultural diversity, the data is equally compelling.

The importance of gender-based equality in the workplace

After a year and a half of living and working through the pandemic, women are increasingly more burned out at higher rates than men. Job satisfaction is low, with promotions consistently harder to reach for women. In line with The Great Resignation, women are leaving the workforce in record numbers. A McKinsey report on ‘Women in the Workplace states that one in three women have considered downshifting their careers or simply leaving the workforce for the year.

Despite this, women are at the fore of DEI efforts in the workplace. According to the report mentioned above, senior-level women are twice as likely to take on DEI work that falls outside their formal job responsibilities than senior-level men. They take more initiative than men in similar positions to create supportive environments. They also consistently show up as ‘active allies’ to women of color. If women continue to leave the workplace, companies could lose their greatest DEI allies.

A top-down approach is one solution to bring DEI to the fore of an organization’s agenda. Here, social responsibility initiatives, zero-tolerance policies, culture-change mindsets, and leadership training can be utilized to create a better workplace. Tying diversity to business goals is another part of this approach. Companies like American Express, Microsoft, Intel, and Verizon have tied bonuses and compensation to diversity-driven goals. Certain metrics need to be put in place to measure the progress made and support of DEI goals must be recognized and rewarded.

TalentNomics

TalentNomics is an organization that closely aligns with these priorities. It focuses on the expansion of women’s roles in leadership. This nonprofit is geared towards developing and strengthening the talent of working women while doing away with the gender gap in leadership and compensation.

Emphasis is placed on comprehensive training and education to women in business to give them all the skills to succeed. Multi-faceted resources and leadership tools are provided to connect talented women across organizations worldwide. Through extensive analysis, TalentNomics works to create inclusive workplace cultures where ‘gender-balanced leadership’ thrives. In addition, the nonprofit also hosts a global awards program that celebrates champions of women’s leadership across the world.

With the benefits of DEI, both at the employee and business level, and the emerging demand for inclusivity in the workforce, it seems inevitable and important for organizations to adopt long-term.

By Neeti Banerjee, Founder of TalentNomics Inc.

We may disagree on many issues. We may have differences in who we choose to trust. However, as members of the human race, I hope we can agree on one thing — the moral responsibility we hold to help other human beings in times of crisis. A humanitarian crisis is unfolding and now is the time to act. Now is the time to use our individual voices clearly, and our collective resources strategically, to help the people of Afghanistan — many of whom are at immediate and grave risk of losing their lives, liberty and the basic freedoms that most of us take for granted in other parts of the world today.

This crisis has been triggered by political decisions made by two U.S. Presidents. Former President Donald Trump signed the DOHA peace agreement to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 (without any safeguards for women and their rights). President Biden then decided to implement that decision and withdraw US forces from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. This decision further led to a hasty and chaotic withdrawal of international military forces and closure of diplomatic embassies in Afghanistan. It took only a few weeks to reverse the hard work done by the Afghans, the Americans, NATO, and other global allies over the last 20 years. The undesired outcome: a takeover by the Taliban of most of the country and the capital, Kabul, by August 16. The Afghan President and his inner circle abdicated and escaped to the UAE, abandoning their country. The Taliban is back in control of Afghanistan and has declared it to be the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”. It is the same name the same group used for the country when it ruled in the 1990s until it was overthrown by U.S led allied forces after the horrific 9/11 attacks on America.

I am deeply fearful for the women and girls in Afghanistan. These women and girls are on the brink of losing not just their human rights, but also their lives if they dare to speak, write, study, work, visit a public space without a male guardian, or even listen to music of their choice. They may be killed if they choose to stay single. Many more will be forced to marry against their wishes, or forced to become a sex slave to a Taliban or an ISIS fighter.

I have nightmares… it could have easily been me. It could have been you. It could have been any of us. What saved you or me? Was it Kismet? Luck? Destiny? The choices we have made in our lives and the choices we are able to exercise are determined by our environment — the place we are born, the political regime in the country we are born in and where we live today, the choices our parents and our families were able to courageously support.

My parents and grandparents were from Multan, the seventh largest city in Pakistan, in the state of Punjab. In September 2008, a medical college in Multan received bomb threats from the Pakistani Taliban demanding the end of co-ed education. In a nearby city of Kot Addu, the Tehreek-e-Islami Taliban warned women to wear the burqa and threatened them with acid attacks, if they did not comply. In Lahore, the city where my father went to college, cafés popular amongst young couples, were bombed repeatedly. I could have easily been one of the victims had my family not migrated from Multan to India before Pakistan was created. Women’s lives and rights are not safe in any country where the Taliban is active and the government is not able to control their activities.

Call it Kismet. I was born in India. The political regime in India at the time of my birth did not constrain my freedom to choose my path or live my life as I saw fit. I was fortunate my parents were attentive and caring of my health and safety, both psychological and physical. They fully supported my choices regarding education, work and marriage. I could travel without a male guardian. My country today, the United States, continues to guarantee all Americans similar choices and supports our fundamental human rights.

That is regrettably not the situation today for 14.2 million Afghan women and girls who are vulnerable and at risk of losing their lives and their rights. Those most at risk are the women who work, who are educated, who are courageous and willing to speak up for their rights. And ALL those women and girls who do not have powerful and supportive male family members to protect their lives and their human rights.

Take for example an Afghan-based start-up “Ehtesab” founded by a young Afghan woman, Sara Wahedi, which aims to create stronger and safer communities by sending real time alerts on security and traffic updates to users. Sara’s team of 20 is currently working around the clock, some remotely, to keep Afghans safe. They are, however, at risk and fearful for their own lives.

Why should we trust that the Taliban — a regime that practices a 7th century version of Islamic law and that enforced one of the most repressive environments for women and girls in Afghanistan — is going to suddenly change its stance? There is no evidence nor any history that reassures me. And why should Afghan women who have experienced untold horrors under Taliban version 1.0 believe that the Taliban version 2.0 will be a softer, gentler, more tolerant regime that will protect their lives and their rights?

The recent evidence points in the reverse direction. Three Afghan women who worked in media were gunned down in Jalalabad in March this year. In January, two female Supreme Court judges were murdered by unidentified gunmen. An influential woman MP and activist was shot and injured to send a chilling signal to other women activists. On May 8, there was a terrorist bombing outside a girl’s high school in Kabul. Over ninety were killed and hundreds injured with the majority of casualties being adolescent girls. There are credible reports that Taliban commanders have demanded that communities submit lists of unmarried girls of ages 15 and older and widows below the age of 40 so that they can be married to Taliban fighters. Being forced to marry a Taliban fighter is not very different from being sold into slavery. It is sexual abuse hidden under the layer of a forced marriage. In times of war, it is a war crime.

I urge all countries to give safe refuge to Afghans who are vulnerable and at risk including women, children and religious minorities. Preferably while international rescue missions are being mounted. Only a few countries so far have opened their borders to evacuees and refugees and announced special visa programs.

Governments must establish emergency visas and accelerate the process so these vulnerable and at risk persons can be moved quickly out of Afghanistan to a safe location. After this, the policies and arrangements for longer term visas and resettlement can be thoughtfully negotiated and developed.

Canada has announced emergency visas for 20,000 Afghans and evacuated close to that number already. India had established a 6- month emergency visa for any Afghan (irrespective of religious or ethnic background) who wishes to move to India for 6 months. India will also resettle any Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who wish to live in India. The UK will resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees, beginning with 5000 this year. Germany may take 10,000 refugees. It is unclear how many refugees the U.S will resettle. Experts suggest 10,000 by the end September. Other countries need to consider introducing similar options and temporary safe havens for evacuees. Speedy action is crucial.

The global community must also freeze the flow of money to the new Taliban-led Afghanistan. Money, economic and development aid, is the ONLY leverage that governments have in nudging the Taliban Version 2.0 to be kinder, gentler, more humane than Taliban Version 1.0. By using this financial leverage, we may be able to prevent the massacre of Afghan allies who remain in Afghanistan, and negotiate to ensure the safety of women and girls who wish to preserve their fundamental rights and choices.

Germany, one of the largest donors, has already suspended all economic and development aid ($506 million annually). Finland ($30 million) and Sweden ($115 million) have suspended their annual development aid. Other donor countries need to do the same. Afghanistan’s Central Bank’s foreign reserves of $9 billion have been frozen by the U.S and is not accessible to the Taliban. The I.M.F. is delaying the $450 million loan it was planning to give the Afghan government. The Afghan population will be devastated economically by these measures so it is imperative to establish alternative ways of providing humanitarian aid and economic support to civilians, local and international non-profit organizations, hospitals, and independent media and journalists.

In times of a crises, all of us have to come together to find solutions: some interim to stop the bleeding wounds, some to alleviate the pain, and other salves that are more holistic and longer term.

So what can we, as concerned individuals, do? Let me suggest a few options:

1. Contact one of the many credible NGOs working to support Afghan refugees in your country or internationally, and offer your assistance. Inquire about what is needed in your country or in Afghanistan to support women and children. UNHCR, the UN’s Refugee Agency, is one of several international aid agencies that continues to be currently active in Afghanistan.

2. Offer to support one or more women/ girls who have been evacuated or received refuge in your country. Help with information, food, transportation, housing, clothing (business clothing, in particular). Mentor, guide, and connect these individuals. Help them find employment, paid internship, or a suitable school for their children. Accelerate their understanding of the health-care system, the transportation system, and the education system, so they can access the available resources. Help them strengthen their local language skills. Share information on the cultural norms and business practices of the country. Help them adapt to life in the new country.

3. Welcome them as part of your inner circle and help them succeed in their new life.

4. Use your voice with your elected representatives and community leaders to strengthen awareness and build support.

5. Donate generously whatever you can. Although governments can provide visas and financial resources to help support refugees, and the U.S. has just approved a $500 million budget for Afghan refugees, I can assure you that governmental resources will not be adequate. Direct assistance — both in kind as well as financial support — from the people in every country will be needed to fill in the funding gaps.

I hope and trust that our political leaders will now do what they have to do, thoughtfully and inclusively, to manage and mitigate the political, economic and humanitarian crisis as it further unfolds. For the rest of us, it is time to show our humanity.

In the midst of this gloom, I see a few sparks of light. A few lotuses still blooming in a fetid swamp. Let us ensure that they thrive and more bloom. Most Afghanis are currently operating at great personal risk. They need our support. Let us find them and fund them. They should be assured that many of us are behind them and support them.

It is time to act. We need to do whatever we can to help our Afghan sisters. Let our hearts lead our actions.

A New Focus on Growth is Underway…Do I have Mentors and Sponsors in Place?

By Linda Keene Solomon, TalentNomics Inc. Board Member

Organizations have launched their plans to accelerate recovery from the pandemic and exploit new growth opportunities. With light beginning to shine, what can we do now to strengthen our relationships or build new ones with mentors and sponsors? Beyond daily work assignments and staying relevant in an unpredictable environment, is there more to do? Do professionals and entrepreneurs need to take networking seriously when non-essential interactions are discouraged or not allowed? These are questions most of us ask ourselves as we continue to navigate our new normal work environment. Upon interviewing 20 female professionals and entrepreneurs, all of them agreed mentoring relationships have continued to be necessary during the past year. Still, most have not invested the time to maintain them. “Aren’t my mentors just as, if not more, stressed and consumed as I am in terms of keeping their business or practice above water and thriving” is what I heard most often! Many interviewees do not think they currently have a career “sponsor” and questioned whether this is the right time to be concerned. The overwhelming response, “my organization is simply trying to make its plan.” Networking and visibility have dramatically changed during the past year. However, did we allow the pandemic to create a new limiting belief that one can’t effectively connect with mentors and sponsors? If you have not already abandoned this limiting belief, it is time to do so because the Post-Vaccination era has started!

The distinction between mentors and sponsors is often overlooked. A mentor typically engages with a mentee one on one, providing honest feedback, understanding of “unwritten rules”, and actionable guidance. A sponsor, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily interact often or provide ongoing coaching. Instead, their focus is on advocating on your behalf when decisions are being made. These decisions can positively impact your career and provide opportunities for development and advancement. Sponsors advocate when selection decisions are being made regarding promotions, new assignments, leadership roles, and other enriching experiences.

Mentoring relationships are just as meaningful; regardless of whether you or your entire organization are currently operating in an essential services, virtual or hybrid environment. Why? If we consider the purpose of mentoring, therein lies the answer. Mentors don’t deliver a roadmap on a silver platter, but they do provide critical coaching and advice along the way so that one can make thoughtful decisions. They encourage us to concentrate on our strengths and identify ways to harness these strengths. Mentors point us towards facing our challenges and limiting beliefs and lend valuable coaching to help us overcome them. Mentors are great listeners, and during these unprecedented times, each of us has needed great listeners! So, what are some practical actions one can take to maintain and benefit from mentoring relationships during the pandemic and as we enter the Post Vaccination era?

• Schedule Audio, Video, our Safe “Outdoor” Mentor “Check-ins”;
• Engage Mentors in a “Recovery Priorities and New Opportunities Discussion”; ObtainUpdates from your Mentors and be Prepared to Share your Ideas;
• Identify Mentor Interest Areas and Select those that you might Engage in or Support.

Beyond cultivating mentoring relationships, attracting and checking in with “sponsors’ is essential for professionals and entrepreneurs at all levels. In the pandemic environment, many of us are under the false impression that organization decision-makers are not focusing on promotions and selecting individuals for new positions and opportunities. This impression is absolutely false! Navigating an unpredictable external environment with evolving and changing needs demands that management constantly thinks about new roles and positions. As professionals and entrepreneurs, we want to be “top of mind” for opportunities as they arise; some are visible, and others will remain invisible to us, but not to sponsors! Sponsors are sometimes known, and in many cases, unknown. They do share a common characteristic – applying their influence and personal credibility within their decision-making circles to position those they are endorsing successfully.

How does one attract a sponsor when it is not clear who might be an able and willing advocate? Initially, it is important to recognize that your manager or supervisor may or may not be a potential sponsor. As described earlier, a sponsor must be a credible influencer within the organization’s decision-making group – often a very tightly defined group of individuals. Each of us must make an effort to understand how decisions are made within our organizations and the organizations that support us if we are entrepreneurs. This understanding will help us identify potential sponsors. Next, recognize that in many organizations COVID has presented a silver lining opportunity as far as “sponsorship” is concerned. Not only are there new opportunities on the horizon originating from the focus on business recovery, but during the past year, the sponsorship playing field has been leveled. Attracting sponsors through more traditional interactions has not always been possible. Interactions at sporting events, after work, happy hours, or conversations in the men’s room were few and far between, if at all, creating more of an equal opportunity for men and women to attract sponsors! It is not too late to take action! However, the time is now to focus on developing and executing one’s personal plan to build sponsorship support. So what are the magical steps to having a key decision-maker in your organization advocate for you at the right time for the right opportunity? Yes, it sounds complicated and next to impossible to orchestrate or make happen. After all, isn’t the fact that someone believes in you and your potential a personal choice? The answer is an unequivocal “yes.” However, each of us has the opportunity to influence the heart and minds of others. If we don’t, then we don’t exist to potential sponsors, or their perceptions are influenced by others – not us.

So, once we accept that the playing field has been leveled, what’s next? In an extremely small organization, the only actual available sponsor might be the Executive Director, CEO, or Owner! In this case, you can execute actionable steps to ensure your potential sponsor better understands your strengths. In a mid-size to large organization, potential sponsors can exist in many different areas and levels of the organization – this is good news! For entrepreneurs, sponsors are likely individuals in organizations that can provide network and resource access. If you do not believe you have someone advocating for you who has “a seat” at the decision-making table, mentors can provide great coaching on how you “attract” a sponsor. Often, sponsors believe in your potential. Why? Because they have typically had an up-close and personal experience with you that won them over. They are “believers” in your abilities and skills and the impact you can make. They may have observed you in action, or maybe something you communicated or demonstrated led them to believe you have a quality the organization needs to be successful. Hopefully, you are getting the picture.

Beyond a heads-down get the job done approach, you must let potential sponsors periodically experience you in some meaningful way. Therefore networking remains a core priority to focus on even now before returning to the office—network with those who can help you identify your organization’s recovery priorities. Discuss the types of programs and initiatives that will likely be underway during the coming months. Beyond networking, design your plan to contribute to one or more of these priority areas. Reflect on your strengths and how you can best make a measurable impact, demonstrating your personal brand to potential sponsors. Whether they read or hear your words, observe you interacting with customers or employees, see you in action during a meeting, or interact with you one-on-one or in a group setting. Your best chance of attracting a sponsor is for them to experience you. Think and act beyond your daily routine!

In the Post-Vaccination environment, organizations are focused on accelerating their recovery as well as exploiting new opportunities. In this way, COVID has provided new opportunities to attract sponsors. However, one must recognize every opportunity has a window, and it is essential to act while the window is opening up. As the new Post-Vaccination era ramps up and previous sponsorship opportunities have been disrupted by our virtual environment, there are new emerging opportunities to demonstrate your talents to rising new and existing sponsors. Activate your networking plans, demonstrate your brand in new priority areas, and refresh your mentoring relationships to ensure you are fully aware of the emerging environment, any unwritten rules, and how to best position yourself for success!

A Call to Action: Regaining Ground Lost to the Pandemic’s Gender Effect

By Tamera Fillinger, Executive Advisor to TalentNomics Inc.

Women in the US, especially women of color, have left the workplace or been laid off in unprecedented numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, jeopardizing their financial security and reversing the gender diversity and equity gains of recent decades. By January 2019 women had achieved their highest level of participation in the workforce in US history. Today only 56% of US women are working for pay, the lowest level since 1986. LinkedIn data further shows a marked decline of women’s hiring into leadership roles during the pandemic, reversing progress across multiple industries. A 2021 World Economic Forum report warns that the pandemic has set women’s gender parity back a generation.

But there is opportunity in crisis. Organizations can regain ground, attract and retain female employees, and support their advancement to leadership by adapting their workplaces to be more flexible and inclusive in the post-pandemic era. They can create an organizational culture that supports all employees and provides equal opportunities for women to achieve their potential.

What are the best practices for achieving this?

1. Mentor women

Along with invading our personal space at home, working remotely has created a sense of isolation and separation from normal interactions and networking opportunities. Mentoring programs like those of TalentNomics pair early- to mid- career women with senior women who share their experience, help to build

connections and networks, and provide guidance on their journey to leadership. Mentoring creates and strengthens emotional as well as professional connections, which is especially important during remote work, which will be a lasting legacy of the pandemic.

2. Utilize remote work to attract and retain women in the workforce

Remote work allows employers to diversify their hiring by removing physical location as a job requirement. Remote work can create opportunities for women – particularly mothers, caregivers, and those with disabilities – who will be able to take on or move into jobs that previously would have required them to relocate, travel extensively, or manage a long commute. Organizations should seize this opportunity.

3. Communicate resources and de-stigmatize flexibility

Organizations should communicate the resources they offer, particularly paid sick leave and family leave programs. For example, a recent McKinsey study on Women in the Workplace reports that while most companies offer mental health counselling, parenting resources, health checks, and bereavement counselling, only about half of employees know that these benefits are available. Leaders should encourage employees to access flexible leave programs and mental health resources without stigma.

4. Recognize and minimize gender bias

COVID-19 has amplified the implicit biases women face, such as higher performance expectations, harsher judgment for mistakes, and the perception that their attention is split between work and home. The increased demands of caregiving during the pandemic, sometimes manifested as views of children in the background during video calls, can lead managers to assume, consciously or unconsciously, that women are less committed to their jobs than their male counterparts and employees without children. Organizations need to ensure that managers and all employees are aware of these potential biases in order to counteract their impact, especially during the disconnected nature of remote work.

5. Recognize and equitize caretaking

No conversation about women’s equality in the workplace is complete without a discussion of affordable childcare. For US dual-earner families, pre-kindergarten childcare is already the most expensive part of monthly budgets, even ahead of housing. When schools and childcare facilities closed during the pandemic, mothers, who on average earn less than fathers, became the default childcare provider. Organizations can help fill the gap created by the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women without access to affordable childcare by making work flexible for fathers and mothers alike, with equal access to paid leave for anyone with caretaking duties.

Now is the time

In recent years, organizations had grown the ranks of women leaders and those being readied for leadership and they can continue to build upon, rather than lose, this foundation. If organizations rise to meet the challenges working women face, they can protect hard-won gains in gender diversity and create more equitable workplaces in the post-pandemic era. The World Economic Forum report concludes that today:

“Leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to build more resilient and gender-equal economies by investing in inclusive workplaces, creating more equitable care systems, advancing women’s rise to leadership positions, applying a gender lens to reskilling and redeployment and embedding gender parity into the future of work.”

Now is the time for organizations to take the lead in creating a more equitable future.

Shrinking the gender promotion gap:

Where there is a will, there is a way ¹

Our mission at TalentNomics is to achieve gender balance in leadership positions. While there has been much progress in educational attainment of women, there is still a large gender gap in career outcomes between men and women in many professions.

¹By Luc Laeven, a member of the board of TalenNomics Inc. The views expressed are my own and do not reflect those of the European Central Bank.

 Why the gap? 

Several explanations may account for the lack of women in leadership positions. One possibility is that the pool of potential candidates is male dominated. An alternative explanation is that women are less likely to seek leadership positions because of family considerations or different job preferences. The imbalance may also be reinforced by self-fulfilling expectations, whereby the low representation of women at the top of the field discourages others to pursue careers in these fields. Finally, there may be gender-based discrimination in promotion decisions and the selection among potential candidates. 

 Which of these explanations is more relevant? And can corporate diversity policies foster a change in outcomes? 

 To answer these questions, I launched a major research initiative at my current employer, the European Central Bank (ECB), to analyze the career progression of men and women. The ECB is the central bank of the euro area, and it employs many economists among its professional staff. As in other major central banks its cadre of professional staff is dominated by men and the gender imbalance increases at more senior levels. This “leaky pipeline” of women is a general feature of the economics profession. According to data from the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession, women account for 28.8 percent of PhD graduates but only a mere 13.9 percent of full professors in economics in the United States. The picture is similar in the rest of the world. The underrepresentation of women is perhaps nowhere as visible as at central banks, the recent appointment of Christine Lagarde as President of the ECB being a welcome but rare exception to what is very much a male-dominated field.  

Female Professionals at the ECB 

The research, conducted jointly with Laura Hospido and Ana Lamo, analyses the career progression of men and women at the ECB, using confidential anonymized personnel data from its professional staff during the period 2003-2017. Our analysis focuses on expert staff across four different salary bands representing different levels of seniority (expert, senior expert, principal expert and advisor) in those departments of the ECB that employ economists. With this selected group, we focus on a broadly homogeneous pool of workers in terms of educational attainment and work experience, ensuring comparability across individuals. Moving up to a higher salary band requires a promotion. 

We find that a wage gap emerges between men and women within a few years of hiring, despite broadly similar entry conditions in terms of salary levels and other observables. One important driver of this wage differential is the lack of promotion of women. We also find that the wage gap shrinks after the ECB issues a public statement in 2010 supporting gender diversity and takes several measures to support gender balance. These concrete measures included expanded mentorship programmes, enhanced childcare benefits and more flexible work arrangements, and the introduction of gender quota. Following this change, the promotion gap disappears. 

 

Using 2012-2017 data on promotion applications and decisions, we explore the promotion process following the new diversity strategy in depth, and confirm that during this most recent period women are as likely to be promoted as men. This results from a lower probability of women to apply for promotion, combined with a higher probability of women to be selected conditional on having applied. We coin this reluctance to apply for promotions the gender applications gap. Following promotion, women perform better in terms of salary progression, suggesting that the higher probability to be selected is based on merit, not positive discrimination. We do not find evidence that the composition of the selection committee, including the fraction of women on the panel, alters these results. Taken together, these results show that corporate diversity policies can effectively reduce gender bias in promotions. 

Conclusions 

Understanding the main drivers of the observed gender promotion gap is critically important to improve our understanding of how we can close the gender gap and ensure that women are adequately represented. The ECB experience shows that a well-designed gender strategy that includes concrete measures can improve the gender balance and foster a more inclusive environment. Our research findings suggest that a key measure of success is an environment in which women seek promotions at the same rate as men. This requires removing any institutional barriers that prevent women to seek promotions while steering outcomes toward a better equilibrium where there is no place for selection biases and self-fulfilling expectations. Much of this needed change can come from within, and companies should embrace and rise to this challenge. 

Giving Forward – The Rewarding Experience of Nurturing Hidden Talent

By Ipsita Kathuria, Founder & CEO of TalentNomics India

When Neeti and I started conceptualizing TalentNomics after working together at the IMF for close to a decade, we both were very clear about two things:  1) the “what” – we wanted to devote ourselves to empowering girls and women and 2) the “where” – Neeti wanted to focus her energy globally while my passion was India and South Asia. We had healthy debates about which segment of women to target.  Professional women who work in the organized sector who struggle to become leaders? Or less privileged women who struggle to get and retain earning capacity? After much discussion we agreed to start with women in the organized sector. Neeti convinced me that this was the right decision because expanding the ranks of women leaders creates role models who inspire other women to join them, and because our experience, skills, and connections lay in the corporate world.

Five years later, I know it was the right decision for us. We have invested our time, resources, and energy strengthening the pipeline of women leaders through our CruciBOLD program, both globally and in India. We have worked with women across sectors, including steel, oil, power, pharma, IT, banking, finance, infrastructure, and the garment industry, representing over 25 organizations. In all, we have strengthened the capacity of over 80 women to become leaders in their sector.

However, my inner calling to also help far less privileged women was strong. In 2017 I discovered we could leverage our programs to impact these women too by working with a trusted partner educating young women in in one of India’s poorest states, Andhra Pradesh.  The Rural Development Trust (RDT), run by the Vicente Ferrer Foundation (VFF), has a 40-year track record of impactful work with poor and marginalized communities in India. RDT offers a one-year residential Professional Language Program in Anantapur for recently graduated women to hone their language and computer skills and build bridges to hard-to-find jobs in the organized sector. The Program offers business English, basic computer skills, and one foreign language (French, German or Spanish).

On a visit to the RDT Anantapur campus in 2017 I met these girls, each eager to speak and share their dreams with me. Their elementary English was not a constraint to expressing their eagerness to soar! While none had travelled beyond Andhra Pradesh, many had dreams of work in Paris, Berlin, Barcelona – depending on the language they were learning. In addition, one girl told me that instead of working abroad, “I want to become the District Magistrate so that I can help lift my community out of perpetual poverty.” They shared their dreams with confidence and optimism. I was inspired to help enable these rural girls to spread their wings and break barriers.

A key part of TalentNomics India’s CruciBOLD program is giving forward, called CruciBOLD Ripple, through which CruciBOLD participants agree to mentor other junior professionals from a different organization. Inspired by the aspirations of students at the RDT Professional Language School, we opened up our mentorship program to include them. Women professionals from CruciBOLD were thus given the chance to expand opportunities for young women in rural India, many of whom are the first in their families to go to college, further enhancing their potential to be leaders of tomorrow.

The Covid-19 Pandemic Worsened Mental Health:
How We Can Better Address Mental Health Needs in the Future

By Zoe Verma, Associate with TalentNomics Inc.

Like everyone, the Covid-19 global pandemic changed my life in countless ways. As a high school student, the first thing I think of is school. Overnight, my normally rigorous, busy schedule changed to waking up fifteen minutes before class and walking over to my desk to get on Zoom. And although I never thought I would say this, I really missed being at school. Along with so much we found enjoyable, many of us also saw the disappearance of our support systems. The increased focus on physical health during the pandemic, while understandable, took the spotlight away from mental health. To me, it seemed that the emphasis on mental health was just starting to grow before the pandemic, but with the onset of the deadly virus, physical symptoms became the main focus. It felt like we had forgotten about the importance of mental health during the crisis. At school, students and teachers had contact with their peers, schools’ mental health professionals, and others to talk to whenever there was a pressing worry. But during Covid, Zoom and FaceTime completely changed the personal connection that was achieved in face-to-face interactions, a change that affected me in many ways. And while this change has been hard for every teacher, student, and parent, I have faith that as a community we will learn from the pandemic to see the equal importance of mental health, and we will learn ways to check in with each other.

During the pandemic, data collected showed that mental health in the U.S. declined. Even as someone who hadn’t previously faced mental health issues, I experienced a downturn in my mental health and overall mood. And while these declines and swings are not abnormal, two events that happened in the past year were especially hard to cope with because of the isolation I was feeling.

In March 2020, my beloved grandmother passed away. I loved her and was severely affected by her death. She was a truly incredible woman: a Pulitzer Prize nominee (though she would not want me writing that!), the daughter of Armenian Genocide survivors, an Armenian translator at the United Nations, and a loving mother and grandmother. Her death was especially difficult because it coincided with the very beginning of the pandemic. My father and I flew to her funeral on March 5, which was exactly eight days before my school was closed. In these early days of the pandemic, we did not understand the importance of masks. Before my dad and I left, my mom, who drove down earlier with my younger siblings, told us to bring masks “just in case.” She highly recommended that we wear them, but my dad and I were reluctant. When we got to the airport, only a few people were wearing masks, and I remember staring at them, thinking how strange they looked. Once on the plane, I wore my mask for the short flight, but I felt strange doing so. I still remember wondering what was happening to the world.

After her funeral, I returned to school, ready to be around my friends to help me process her death. Little did I know, I would have only five days with them before being confined to my house. And in my house, I was alone with my thoughts. I had no friends, no interactions, no greetings in the hallway to distract me from what I was feeling. I knew how much easier it would have been to be at school; in fact, the days I spent at school after her death had helped me process my grief. I talked to teachers and friends about her, and it truly did make me feel better. I remember sharing that I was nervous because it was my first funeral, and I didn’t want to see any of my family members upset. My friends reassured me that everything was going to be okay, and I believed them. They helped me, and looking back on it, I took such simple interactions for granted. And then I went through this whole process all over again just six months later. Instead of being able to easily talk to my friends in the hallway, I again found myself alone in my room with my thoughts and immense sadness.

In September 2020 my Uncle Britt passed away very suddenly. He was a second father to me. He taught me how to drive, and every time we visited him in South Carolina he would take me out to practice, unfazed by my extremely subpar skills. I have so many funny memories of him and the things we used to do together, and I miss him dearly every day. The first month after his death was one of the hardest months I have ever experienced. I felt hopeless and alone knowing that I couldn’t go to school to distract myself and seek comfort. I was, yet again, alone in my room with my thoughts and my incredibly overwhelming sadness. I felt constantly sad with no escape. Now that I am on the other side of that experience, I am proud to say that I made it through. But many others who faced challenges along with mental health conditions, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, feel they have not yet made it to the other side, and many may feel like they never will.

Increased ER Visits

Studies show that mental health in the U.S. declined during the pandemic, leading to a record increase in mental-health-related emergency room (ER) visits. A study conducted of 190 million ER visits for “mental health conditions, suicide attempts, all drug and opioid overdoses, intimate partner violence, and child abuse and neglect,” showed that visit rates were much higher in mid-March through October 2020, during the COVID pandemic, compared with the same period in 2019.(Read More) ER visits due to other mental health conditions (MHCs), defined as any condition that could be worsened by the pandemic, “such as stress, anxiety, symptoms consistent with acute stress disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder, and panic” also increased significantly, with 41,075 MHC-related visits in 2020, versus 39,366 visits in 2019. In addition to this rise of over 1,700, the rate of MHC-related visits also increased drastically: in 2019, there were 2110.2 visits per 100,000 visits, and in 2020, this had risen to 2436.7 visits per 100,000 visits.

Substance Abuse

After March 2020, drug and alcohol abuse grew more serious and dangerous, likely in part due to the isolation caused by the pandemic. In the first 41 weeks of 2020, there were 2,068 more ER visits due to overdoses than there were in the same period in 2019. In April of 2020, the Addiction Policy Forum surveyed 1,079 people with substance use disorders across the country on how the pandemic had affected their disorders, and the results were striking.

20% of the respondents reported that their own or a family member’s substance use had “increased since the start of the pandemic.” ( Read More ) One of the most common concerns of the surveyed individuals was the “lack of access to in-person 12-step or support group meetings.” People cited changes to services they had relied on, including the closure of in-person recovery centers. They also cited finding themselves without the “ability to socialize/connect or get peer support.” This lack of interaction and connection clearly affected many people in need and exacerbated an already grave problem. In fact, when Millennium Health analyzed 500,000 urine drug tests nationwide, they found “steep increases following mid-March [2020] for cocaine (up 10%), heroin (up 13%), methamphetamine (up 20%), and non-prescribed fentanyl (up 32%).” These increases in drug use occurred directly after COVID-19 began. It is clear that isolation and support system failures had affected these individuals, prompting many to turn to or increase their use of drugs.

Suicide Attempts

Suicide attempts also increased after the start of the pandemic. Studies that modeled the effect of the pandemic on suicide rates predicted increases of up to 145%.( Read More ) There were 416 more ER visits related to suicide attempts in the first 41 weeks of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 ( Read More ). In June 2020, just three months into the pandemic in the U.S., surveys were conducted to determine the pandemic’s impact on mental health conditions. They showed that 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use at the time of the survey. And of the 5,470 adult respondents to the survey, 10.7% of them reported that they had considered suicide in the previous 30 days.( Read More ) This increase in suicidal ideation could be attributed to the “effects of public health measures to combat COVID-19,” such as “physical distancing, school closures, interventions to address loss of income, [and] interventions to tackle domestic violence.”( Read More ) In addition, “changed and new approaches to clinical management”( Read More ) of known suicidal patients could also contribute to the rise in suicidal thoughts.

Clearly, a common issue among those in need is isolation and forced physical separation from friends, family, and doctors. The need for interaction or connection tends to be overlooked as a desire; it is rarely considered a need. It appears from the data, though, that many people truly need social interaction and a strong support system to help them survive, and we as a community have a responsibility to help provide such a support system for those who require it.

The isolation and the stress of the pandemic, coupled with the loss of loved ones and livelihoods, intensified mental health issues in the US. Therefore, as we move out of the pandemic and in the post-pandemic era, we must recognize the importance of mental health and the urgency of helping our community members in need. 

Mental health is also strongly correlated with physical health. According to the CDC, “mental illness, especially depression, increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.” ( Read More ) The UK-based Mental Health Foundation found that “schizophrenia is associated with a tripled risk of dying from respiratory disease and a doubled risk of dying from a form of heart disease. Depression has been linked to a 50 percent increase in a person’s risk of dying from cancer and a 67 percent increase from heart disease.”( Read More ) Mental health conditions can lead to life-threatening diseases, and possibly a shortened life span. This is because “mental health is more than the presence or absence of a mental illness. It is a crossroad between emotional, psychological, and physical well-being.” ( Read More ) Our mental health defines the way we live our lives, which is why it should be prioritized by our policymakers and within our communities. 

Looking Forward

In the future, there are many ways that we as a community can prioritize mental health issues. For us students, this can best be done at school, as teachers and administrators are often the first to notice any sort of issue. Of course, each person has their own set of symptoms when it comes to their conditions, but there are a few general things adults in schools should look for. For example, if a teacher notices a student is sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks, they should check in with the student, and open up communication. Any out-of-the-ordinary or out-of-control behavior should also be a warning sign, including fighting, changing eating patterns, and abnormal mood swings. Recognizing such warning signs is important, and having a plan in place to address mental health conditions is crucial. It would also be useful for schools to provide access to mental health professionals who can help students and teachers with mental health concerns. It also would be useful to allocate or allow days off from school to provide mental health breaks.

Finally, community members can take the lead by discussing the importance and significance of mental health. If mental health is openly discussed it will help to lessen the stigma, allowing people to feel they have judgment-free zones to find available resources.

In the multi-cultural US, it is also important to consider different cultural views on mental health. As someone with Indian, Armenian, and American roots, I have witnessed different types of stigmas around mental health. For example, I have found that Indians tend to completely ignore the importance of mental health, hiding mental health conditions away from view. This is a very unhealthy attitude, as it can exacerbate the severity of mental health conditions. This attitude can be seen across various cultures. To help break the harmful stigma around mental health, we must all commit to talking openly and freely about mental health conditions, while at the same time educating ourselves on this central part of our lives. If we all commit to working together to break the stigma, I believe many people will benefit and begin to experience better mental health in the future.

LEADING WITH GRIT AND GRACE – AN ODE

By Geeta Kumar, Senior Advisor to TalentNomics India

TalentNomics India’s 5^th Annual Leadership Conference, themed “Leading with Grit and Grace” was held on November 5^th and 6^th, 2020. This was our first virtual conference and we hosted this jointly with our partner Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). There were more than 20 speakers from around the World and the event was attended by 500 Indian and International participants.

We at TalentNomics India are overwhelmed at the outstanding response to our Conference

The conference has an interesting back story and what better time than now to share the wonderful Life and Leadership lessons we have gained in the course of the conference journey from its conception to its execution.  

Context 

At TalentNomics India, we pride ourselves in always delivering Quality. To ensure that, we like to plan every offering in advance, plan it well so that it is executed well. In that spirit, the genesis of the Conference 2020 began sometime in June 2019, in order to roll it out as announced in the 2^nd week of February 2020.Looking back, the theme chosen then seems so staid and boring to the world we are now in!

The Conference life cycle was one of the toughest Leadership tests we were put through. Here’s the lowdown.

Our first Leadership test: The Covid-19 Tsunami hit the world and us! All our good and proactive planning were put to rest.

Question: To do or not to do?  

We went through many internal discussions and a lot of back & forth with our Conference partners, KAS. We traversed the entire spectrum: from postponement to cancelling, from In-person to Virtual. The uncertainty around the pandemic seemed to keep the goal post and the field a continuously moving target.

Our final Response & Decision: We bit the bullet. The Bold decision to make Conference 2020 happen was taken.

Our partners KAS extended their complete support to go virtual in early June 2020.

The Second Leadership test: Putting together a Virtual Conference was completely uncharted territory.

Question: Virtual Conference? What would it entail?  How should we go about it?

There was only one certainty within our team: To put together a world class global event.

The Challenges: With a very small team that had no expertise in managing any virtual event, we had taken the plunge into real deep waters. It seemed as if our collective learning and expertise of managing four previous successful conferences seemed to hold very little value.

It is an understatement that it has been a very steep upward learning curve.

What was on the plate?  

• deciding on the soft areas of theme, concept note, format, dates, speakers, audience profile, to identifying appropriate technology platform and marketing expertise.
• identifying and detailing out the specs on each requirement to an absolute minutest detail with no margin for error.
• almost signing up with vendors, to the deal falling apart and starting all over again.
• the voluminous paper work, getting contracts signed, enlisting partners and managing payments.

All of this within very tight deadlines. A tight rope walk it has been.

Our mood and emotions? Swung from being confident one day to being down in the dumps the other, from wondering if we had bitten off more than we could chew- as a team we have been through it all.

Many sleepless nights, outbursts, realignment, setback in team, downsizing and resizing, Corona hitting within our team. Some tough calls had to be taken. We continued to swim with all this and more.

All was not lost. All was not dismal either. Within the chaos and a madness there was a method and an unfoldment.  In true spirit the proverbial “when the going gets tough, the tough in us all” got going. And How!!

How we coped: The tough spot we were in and the virus made us humble and grateful at the same time.

In all humility, we reached out to our amazing Advisory Board, Advisory Council, our networks of friends, family and well-wishers. Support poured in from many unexpected quarters. From that moment onwards, there was no looking back as a team for us.

We set up a brainstorming team for planning. It was a collective pool of varied talent and skill sets that worked earnestly, with commitment. There was fun, camaraderie, learning, a lightness and ease that was a source of abundant positivity and energy.

Genuine good intent was visible for all those who aligned with us. From speakers, vendors, partners, volunteers, all other stakeholders.

The Third Leadership Lesson: Unleashing the potential within

Question: What did we discover about ourselves?

A vast reserve of strength and resilience within each one of us. A seeming setback became an opportunity to grow. We recalibrated, realigned, re-skilled, re-invented.

• We broke a number of our own Self beliefs and limitations.
• We truly went global- audience, speakers, partners, participation and most importantly in our mindsets.
• We on- boarded new team members virtually and have been able to establish warm bonds, even though still virtual.
• We were always willing to learn from and provide support to each other. At times it was frustrating not to be not sitting across the table with each other. Over time we built in efficiencies in the processes of coordination, feedback, quick turnaround times straddling time zones.
• Each member in the team fully, wholly and completely owned the conference and the role assigned working under tremendous pressure with composure.
• We worked tirelessly across time zones:  US, Europe, India, Japan, clocking an average of 20 hours work days, 5 days a week for 2.5 months!

It was sheer Grit and Grace at play- living, breathing and displaying our Conference title in every moment, every decision, every risk taken, holding and supporting each other.

A parting note to the Ode

Our lesson is a story of reboot. Starting afresh, of learning and building something ground up – reinventing our conference from scratch in a virtual setup and making a success of it. 

As a team we have added newer dimensions to the erstwhile VUCA definition.

It’s been a great boost to our levels of confidence. This has been a truly worthwhile journey of growth and learning for us all at TalentNomics India. Priceless indeed.

3 LESSONS FROM JACINDA ARDERN’S CRISIS LEADERSHIP

By Shravani Prakash

This article is part of our series showcasing Leaders with Grit and Grace

“To me, leadership is not about necessarily being the loudest in the room, but instead being the bridge, or the thing that is missing in the discussion and trying to build a consensus from there.”

What picture comes to mind if you were asked to imagine the person who is running for the title of the Most Effective Leader on the planet today? I bet the image is definitely not that of a young forty-year old female with a giggly and girl-next-door demeanour, who live streams discussions with her countrymen in sweatpants from her bedroom and has been seen bringing her toddler to meetings with global leaders! But that is exactly how we would describe Jacinda Ardern, who New Zealand just voted as Prime Minister for the second time and who has helped her country be free of the Coronavirus twice over!

Jacinda Ardern epitomises what the evidence from the COVID-19 crisis has shown about effective leadership styles – that a more democratic, collaborative and personalised leadership style is proving more effective for crisis control than the autocratic, prescriptive and positional styles.  Prime Minister Ardern’s success has been attributed to her empathetic, authentic and extremely relatable persona blended with high levels of competence, transparency and text-book communication skills. She has managed to reassure the public, garner their trust and persuade them to cooperate and adhere to tough measures – a mammoth task at which many other Governments have achieved little success. Ardern’s approach ensured an 84% public approval of her government’s COVID-19 crisis measures.

Essentially, Jacinda Ardern has shown that it is not just the “what” leaders do but also the “how” they do it that is important.  And there are several lessons from her leadership that would be useful for leaders – for those managing teams and organisations and communities and countries.I have listed three such best practices from Jacinda Ardern’s crisis leadership playbook –

1. It is Vital to Have a Consistent Game Plan and also Communicate it Clearly

Ardern showed the huge difference that clear and unambiguous messaging by leaders can make during times of uncertainty and crisis. Even before announcing a full lockdown in March 2020, she initiated an ‘Alert System’ with 4 alert levels– ‘Prepare’, ‘Reduce’  ‘Restrict’ and ‘Lockdown’. Each step up in alert level is associated with incrementally tighter restrictions that have been clearly elucidated on the Government’s website dedicated to Covid-19 measures. Using this framework, Jacinda Ardern eased her country into a well-planned lockdown and then opened up the economy by downgrading the alert levels in the same manner. This transparent, simple and consistent framework for containment measures and quarantine protocols ensured that measures were not ad-hoc or knee-jerk, allowing people to make sense of what’s happening and be clear about what they have to do.

Ardern’s briefings through the crisis have also been to the point but extremely perceptive with a lot of attention to detail. For instance, at the press conference announcing New Zealand’s lockdown, she covered all possible aspects of the life-changing measures she was initiating. Details were as specific as “schools will be shut from tomorrow, except to the children of essential workers such as our doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and police –to give them time to plan”.

To be even more clear and transparent, she gave extensive time for media questions after her lockdown speech. And that was followed up with daily 30-minute press conferences, frequent Facebook Live sessions and even discussions with experts over a Podcast she herself hosted!  

2.    Exude empathy and be humane

“Empathy” already became synonymous with Jacinda Ardern after the gruesome Christchurch mosque shooting incident in 2019. And she effectively used this trait to garner support of people in the current crisis as well, by making herself relatable and acknowledging people’s pain points and struggles.

While announcing the lockdown, she admitted that “the measures I have announced today will cause unprecedented economic and social disruption… but they are necessary”. She also urged people to “Be kind to each other”.The same night, she followed up with a casual Facebook Live session from her bedroom after putting her toddler to sleep- “I thought I would jump online quickly and check in with everyone”, Ardern said. She addressed all kinds of practical doubts posted by people, right from “where can I safely go to buy food” to “can I walk my dog” to “how do I help my child who is missing out on school”. 

In various other briefings, she reached out to people unable to attend loved ones’ funerals, to children waiting for the Easter Bunny and to tenants whose landlords had increased rents. Her Government also announced inclusive measures like a generous wage subsidy for businesses, a learning-from-home package to facilitate teachers and parents, and additional funding to domestic and sexual violence services in light of increased domestic violence cases during lockdown.

 And what really helped her connect with people is that she delivered all her messages with a smile and in a motherly tone! In fact she even popped in relatable mommy jokes now and then – like the time she sat down after giving viewers a tour of her room during a Facebook Live and said “This is a fabulous chair. And this is a much better corner, because where I was sitting before was right next to the nappy bucket, which I’m going to admit was not the freshest place to be sitting”

3.   It helps to Persuade people instead of forcing compliance

Ardern successfully led the public to adhere to restrictions and take precautions by persuading rather than instructing people. The message she conveyed was that she is soliciting her people’s help and support to overcome the crisis and did not just prescribe regulations that she needed them to comply. She directed people to spend the lockdown “only in their bubble” yet mobilised community support by asking her “team of 5-million” to “stay home to save lives” and branding the mission as “Unite against Covid-19”.