project lily pad: sponsorship for women lawyers

Colorado Women’s Bar

Association 2013 Conference

Project Lily PadPower of by and for the 21st Century Woman Lawyer

Victoria Pynchon, Esq., Founder,She Negotiates Consulting and Training

There is nothing wrong with you!!!!!!!!!

If men couldn’t have careers and families at the same time, we would have solved the “work-life” problem a long time ago

Project Lily Pad

• 50% associate hires since 1981

• 1st partner 1983

• 16% equity partners today

• 14% Fortune 500 senior executives & 3% of CEOs

• 1 water lily in early spring

• Next week, one pad• Next week, two pads• Next week four pads• 16 weeks later, half

covered

When will whole pond be covered?

• 15% take one woman• 30% take

one woman• 60% flip a

coin

PHYSICAL POWER

Physicality

• The Performer: Mick Jagger --"This is a classic expression of feeling powerful in the moment-it causes you to physically expand."

• The CEO: Oprah Winfrey--"The body language naturally projects dominance. It's unusual to see a woman in this position."

• The Classic: Wonder Woman--"She's really opening up. The feet spread, the hands on the hips. She's taking up space."

• The Loomer: Lyndon Johnson--"Johnson was 6'4", and he used his stature very thoughtfully-to both intimidate and seduce."

Stand Up!

• Self-soothing• Power

poses• Cursing• Crying

POWER

• What are your super powers• What is your authority• What resources can you

deploy• What punishments can you

employ• How willing are you to use

your power• Is it power-over or power-to

and power-with• Where is the power in your

firm• How can you accrete some

of that power to yourself?

• Connection explains men’s, but not women’s, probability of being voted “star” analysts

• For women, education achievements and accurate forecasts explain “star” award

• Men reap higher returns from connections than women

• Investors are more willing to rely on soft information such as connections to evaluate men than women.

Social Capital

•Do you have it?•Can you use it?

Women analysts have as much as men

Recommendations on a connected firm have immediate impact that is about 25% bigger for buy and sell recommendations

While social capital is converted into business savvy/knowledge for men, the

same is not true for women

Women’s career advancement is more dependent on measureable

competence, men’s on social capital

Flirting

= ?

Measuring the value of legal services by the time it took to provide them is like putting a thermometer into an oven to

read the temperature

STAKEHOLDERS

YOU

ME

CLIENT

NEW COUNSEL

SENIOR PARTNERme

If you complain, you won’t have this client’s business ever again

NEW COUNSEL

me

WHAT DOES EVERYONE WANT?

SENIOR PARTNER

NEW COUNSEL

CLIENT me

• Women dropped more quickly than their male counter-parts– Superiors

afraid of giving women feedback

– Superiors afraid of hurting women’s feelings

Own the problem/be the solution/ask for feedback

Think horizontally

These women are not competing among themselves

We will circle the drain of the wage gap as long as it exists for

any woman.

ANCHOR FIRST AND

HIGH

• Use the strategic “no”• Network• Know what power you

have• Translate power into

authority• Use authority to

advance your career goals• Sponsor Women• Refer to Women

Power unused is power useless.Gloria Feldt, Former National President & CEO of Planned Parenthood

EXERCISE

• Ask your negotiation partner for something you want and haven’t been able to get

• Tell her who she is; why she keeps saying “no” (or why you haven’t asked)

• Start the conversation by offering her something you know or believe she wants

• You asked that I leave something with your women that they could use after I was gone. I’d like to make my book available to them at a discount instead of may I sell my book to your women?