People who work under glass ceilings should throw stones

Written by: AliasGrace // September 29th, 2009 // How do I..., Social Media

There’s an old adage that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. But what about those of us who live beneath the glass ceiling?

If you work in certain sectors in particular, you’ve heard the term tossed around from time to time. It means barriers in the workplace that prevent certain groups from being able to advance in their careers. For example, I graduated with a degree in public relations with a majority of women but, statistically speaking, the majority of top jobs go to men.

After reading a great article sent to me by Geek Girl and friend Bessy called Where are the Women in Tech and Social Media?, I thought I’d address part of the issue in this post.

It’s a good question. And the answer is two-fold. Women need to promote themselves and each other more aggressively. But so do those in positions of power and decision making.

Now I know that “aggressive” is kind of a bad word. But I don’t mean it in a bad way. I just mean that we need to demand more and come together as a community. What better way to do so than through social media?

The next time you see or hear of an opportunity of interest, whether it’s up your alley or not, pass it along to the smart woman you know or work with. If you’re at the top of the organizational chart, consider what shutting out diverse voices—whether willingly or not—is doing to your organization.

Clearly, there isn’t just one solution to this problem. And the answer doesn’t lie in mere tokenism. Take it from the women who have changed Norway’s boardrooms.

Here’s my three step guide to breaking through the glass ceiling:
1. Share the love—If you know a Geek Girl who’s done something great, spread the word through a link on Facebook, RT on Twitter, or whatever your social media poison of choice is. Goodwill goes a long way and paves a path of good web karma.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for endorsements or link love—Social networks like LinkedIn are there for exactly this reason. But you’re not limited to that professional site. Once you’ve built relationships with your community, you’ll see how easily the give and take flows.

3. Toot your own horn—So long as you’re simply not broadcasting your own message 24/7, there’s nothing wrong with giving yourself a pat on the back every once in a while. You’ll know you’re doing social media right when you’re engaged in conversations with people who have a genuine interest in your success, as much as you have in theirs.