HBR's 'How Star Women Build Portable Skills'

In the 'What is your dream?' questionnaire, one of the questions posed is -- What is the biggest challenge (personal or professional) I've overcome?  Who would I be had I not surmounted this?

Because one of my most daunting professional challenges was working on Wall Street, I was intrigued when my friend Stacey Petrey referred me to Professor Boris Groysberg's article 'How Star Women Build Portable Skills', a study which states that women are generally more successful than men in moving from one job to another because of the portability of our skills.

Groysberg states "women have learned how to build external networks of clients, associates, and other professionals outside the organizations - that remain intact when they depart...Not because women set out to do this, but because they [women] are often marginalized and have to fight institutional barriers, so they build external networks out of necessity."

I found Professor Groysberg's case study so affirming that I sent him an e-mail telling him -- yes, I really am trying to walk my talk of getting in the game).  This contact serendipitously led to an interview by Rob Weisman at the Boston Globe for his article on Groysberg's findings.

 

Can you relate to this as much as I can?   

You're trying to figure out how to get something important done, whether personally or professionally, and it's just not happening.

So you get creative -- you buck convention -- and you get it done (whether at work, in the community, your children's school), and in the process you find you've developed one of your greatest strengths.

What is that strength?

After you read Groysberg's case study, and Weisman's article, what would you add?

What thing have you tried to get done for which traditional channels were blocked, so you created a workaround solution?  What 'portable skills' did you acquire in the process?

Would you agree that there are parallels to Psyche's 2nd Task of gathering the fleece?

Have any of you read Clayton Christensen's The Innovator's Solution?  Isn't it true that as we are trying to get something done, we are in effect the innovator vs. the incumbent?

Related posts:
Second thoughts on Psyche's 2nd task
Rachel vs. Leah:  Reclaiming our power to dream
Book I Like:  There's a Business in Everywoman
What if Madeleine L'Engle hadn't dared to dream?
Valuing what women do

Comments

[Stacey P]

Whitney great post - as you know, I am a fan of this topic.
You draw an interesting picture with your comment:
You're trying to figure out how to get something important done, whether personally or professionally, and it's just not happening. So you get creative -- you buck convention -- and you get it done
I have treaded carefully in the space becuase when I have been too unconventional or too successful I have been "shot down" by others - typically women - who are/have been less successful. It has been my experience that I have had to navigate these waters carefully, sometimes slowing my pace to bring others along so it appears that it is a team effort in order to avoid being wounded on the battle field.

Granted, this may not be the best tactic in all cases, and that is part of any good 'diagnosis' to determine the "best" course of action - it's more a word of caution from a wounded soldier (though I am stronger for it!).

Great post...
S

[Peggy]

I find a lot of confidence in this post. Thank you Whitney.

One thing that Groyberg said that I would almost go a little further with:

"Not because women set out to do this, but because they [women] are often marginalized and have to fight institutional barriers, so they build external networks out of necessity"

I also believe that woman are inherently communaly-based people. It's why we find women chatting it up the kitchen talking incessantly about kids and husbands and such. It's an intrinsic value in us to want to reach out and care about others, and not because it's a calculated move or necessity (although it sometimes can be). But maybe that's why we become more successful at this, because it comes from a real place of wanting to connect.

Smart is the woman who knows how to connect AND use those connections to be an innovator.

[Janna]

The most portable skill that I have developed throughout my career is knowing how to learn. Granted, we bring skills to the table in any job, but often we have to learn many others as we go along. Many companies do not provide structured opportunities to develop essential skills or tasks needed for job success, particularly when you are promoted. A promotion often presumes "you've got the goods." Over the years, the absence of formal professional development opportunities in the workplace compelled me to face new projects and responsibilities with an intent to learn. This skill has been essential with starting a new business, where there is much to be learned.

[Dana King]

Whitney,

First, I love your new-look to your site. Second, my post today may have some relevance to this topic. Perhaps. I would be interested in your ideas about how our Design Hop relates to this post and/or systergy. Thanks again, for the inspiration. See: http://danasdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2008/04/design-hop.html
Best,
Dana