From Kamathipura to NYC

Kamathipura   Mumbai's oldest and Asia's second largest red-light district was her childhood home and playground. Loud  bawdy music, women garishly dressed, lewd comments..all were

part of Shweta  Katti’s life till recently. She was born out of wedlock; her mother did marry but her step-father abused her sexually when she was just 11and, she was taunted relentlessly for being dark-skinned. Despite all these adversities Shweta  attended a Marathi medium school till Class 7, did her matriculation from Chikitsak Samuha Shirodkar Hish School and then joined SNDT College. Contending with her father’s alcoholism, the constant fights at home,low self-esteem, this gutsy 18-year-old conquered her demons and also earned a place in the prestigious Bard College in New York to pursue Psychology with a $ 50,000 scholarship.

Shortly before she left for the US, Shweta spoke candidly about her life and her dreams….

What are your earliest memories as a young child ?

What do you think ? How should be a child’s childhood who is a dark girl from a lower caste and who had spent 17years in a red light district? My childhood was far from normal -- I was mature

for my age. Never felt the joy of playing with someone as a child. I always hated myself for being dark because my school friends called me cow dung, black bamboo , kaali and all the other names. My step -father who abused me said “your heart is as dark as your skin color, no one will marry you.”  And I always believed him maybe this is the truth because I got the same response from everyone. I did not have many friends; I liked to be alone and daydream about my bright future. I always blamed myself for whatever used to happen in my family. I always thought, “Why was I born?” I am lucky to have my wonderful mother, who was always there for me no matter what.

It must have been a trying experience ---living in the Red Light area?

Growing up in red light area was not easy but today whatever I am it is  because I grew up in red light area. There were times when men asked me if I want to sleep with them: the first time a man, in his late 40s, asked if I wanted to have sex with him and that was embarrassing. I cried but  did not tell anyone because I knew people would blame no one but me.I also had life changing experiences.

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What spurred you to complete your studies?

 One day my mother beat me up because I was watching movie instead of  studying. She got pissed off and started hitting me. I cried the whole day. Radha,  a sex worker, who lived in the  brothel said “Why don’t you want to study? You know why am I here? I did not go to school, had an affair with a village guy,my family found out and they decided to sell me because I could be bad for the family and they would also get some money. You have the opportunity to study, take  advantage of the situation and just get out of this place and help girls like me to get out of here.” That’s how I was inspired.

My mother is a factory worker, she never got time to get me ready for my school, so the sex workers used to get me ready for my school.  That was fun you know but the worst part was when I heard them screaming and sometimes I could see sex workers having sex with men. My father used to get drunk every day and used to beat us up --I always had bad feeling when I used to walk back home after school about what would happen tonight at our home.

You have mentioned that you suffered lack of confidence and esteem---

  how did you overcome these hurdles?

I joined Kranti an organization which empowers  girls from red light area to become an agent of social change. Kranti has played important role in my life. I had therapy (counseling) for a year and half that’s how I could overcome my traumas. At Kranti  there is no discrimination : everyone is equal and everyone gets the  same attention. Kranti believes that girls from the red light district are not weak because of their background but they are strong because they have faced so much.

 What kind of leadership programmes did you participate in?

I took a year-long break  after completing 12^th standard during which time I travelled to different places. My first trip was to Nepal; I travelled on my own and it was a great experience. I learnt a lot about myself and about how society functions. In Nepal, I worked with girls from a small village. They had no idea what’s going on in the world but they were curious about many things. They had questions like “why do we have to get marry once we are 16 or 17?” Why do boys get more opportunities then us?” They taught me so much. It was not a rehabilitation project; I was doing workshops on gender and sexuality.  I  also went to Himachal Pradesh and Patna for leadership training.

How did the Bard Scholarship happen?

 Studying abroad was my silly childhood dream which I never thought would come true. I told Kranti staffs that I want to study abroad and from then I started working on my English. And that’s when I decided to take a gap year. During this year I met an alumni of Bard College,I applied  and got in.

As I said, I had therapy for almost 15 months and it really changed me. I want to know more about it. In the red light district people do not have mental health care but they are the once who need it the most. I thought if I studied psychology then I could start my own therapy center for free in the place where I grew up.

Despite having gone through traumatic experiences, you speak quite  candidly about  life and sex---- have these experiences  helped you overcome your fears?

Talking about sex is taboo in Indian society and that is  the main cause of all the problems. Sex is a basic need for human beings and I do not see any problems in it. When I started talking about sex, I could see where the problem is. It is not in the sex but the way people think about sex.

                                                      Saira & Sheetal….                                                

Saira (and her sister Sumaiya) are originally from Hyderabad but have been in Mumbai for nearly seven years. Saira’s mother was trafficked to Mumbai from Chennai at the age of nine and was forced to do sex work for several years before she married one of her customers and moved to Hyderabad. Her four children were born in Hyderabad, but after her husband became an alcoholic, unable to support the family, their mother moved back to Mumbai as a sex worker. Saira is very close to her mom and very passionate about sex workers’ rights.

Saira is not currently in formal education because she has been to school for five years – in five different languages. She is now preparing for the 5th standard Hindi exam through National Institute of Open Schooling. Through therapy, Saira recently recalled a suppressed memory of being raped by her biological father at age five. She now delivers speeches and runs workshops for students to discuss child sexual abuse, trafficking and sex work.

Saira is on medication for depression and occasionally engages in self-harm behaviour. She is still coming to terms with her abuse and how to deal with her father.

Sheetal was born in Mumbai while her mother was a famous bar dancer and sex worker who was trafficked from Karnataka at the age of 14. She spent most of her early years in Kamathipura and ages 14-16 at another NGO before coming to Kranti at 17. As a young child, she was raised by a hijra sex worker while her mother worked, and she still feels quite close to both the hijra sex worker community and to bar dancers. She and her mother, who is only 15 years older than Sheetal, have a strained relationship .Although she is 19, she has studied only three years of her life and is giving her 10th exam this year. She has also made a name for herself as an inspiration speaker and trainer for NGOs. Sheetal’s mother currently lives with a man who is abusive and Sheetal is also very concerned about taking care of and providing for her mother. She struggles academically due to her gaps in education.

Feeling the Moment...Upasana Makati

Over 3 million books have been published in Braille the world over.In India Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Mukesh Ambani launched India's first registered national Braille newspaper in Hindi ( they already had one in Marathi) in association with CNN-IBN's Real Hero Swagat Thorat .It was Real Hero Thorat's dream to print India's first Braille newspaper in Hindi, --'Reliance Drishti' with Thorat as the chief editor,is  lighting up the lives of the blind and giving them their dose of the news. There’s more good news for the 7.8 million visually challenged ( 56-lakh are literate)---recently India’s first Braille lifestyle magazine White Print. was launched in Mumbai by 24-year-old Upasana Makati. Printed at the National Association for the Blind in Mumbai, this monthlymagazine consists of 64 pages and will provide the readers a slice of varied topics that one would wish to read in their free time

Sudha Hariharan chats upfront with the enterprising founder & publisher:

Tell us a little about yourself : ie  early education,graduation, work experiences.

I  did my schooling from Bombay Cambridge School in Andheri, pursued Bachelors of Mass Media with a specialization in Journalism from Jai Hind College post which I was awarded a scholarship to study communications in University of Ottawa, Canada for two semesters. After returning to India, I worked with a PR agency in Mumbai for one year and finally quit once White Print was born in my mind. 

What really triggered this desire to launch a Braille magazine?

The seed to this tree that I intend to nurture was born out of a thought about reading options available for the sighted population. Five minutes into the thought and I could easily take more than 50 names of publications belonging to different areas of interest. However, when I actually thought about the same with reference to the visually impaired community, I was surprised to not be able to even think of even one. I instantly shared this thought with a few friends and then began research. Three months into the research I was convinced about the fact that I must take the idea forward. This made me quit my job and dedicate myself to the venture. 

What were the hurdles you faced in getting the title approved?

Verifying a title and declaring it took 7 months with continuous rounds of the court since I did not go through an advocate which would cost me handsome amount of money. I was unable to get the title in two attempts which lasted two and a half months each. I got lucky the third time around and was given the first preference in this attempt. The RNI ( Registrar of Newspapers for India)  website allows one to check for the availability of the title, however it is not  foolproof and that resulted in the three repeated attempts. Declaration of the title is what followed the verification. 

Have you solely financed the project?

White Print is a personal venture and individually financed. There is no organization backing us. The initial expenses were borne by me. My family certainly helped me. 

Our revenue model includes subscription cost (Rs.30 per issue and Rs. 300 for all the 12 issues) and advertising revenue. In terms of the initial investment Rs. 80,000 (this includes printing, circulation, legal aspects (Sales Tax No) and other administrative expenses)

Who are the contributors of the  contents? Will you accept contributions  from the visually impaired also?

We are a small team of 5-6 friends all belonging to the media background who double up as writers for the magazine. Apart from that we also have columnists and freelancers who are willing to contribute content for the magazine without being compensated monetarily for it. 

There is a section specially dedicated to the readers of White Print. They are welcome to contribute poems, articles, opinion pieces or anything else that interests them in this section. 

 This project has to be financially feasible....what are your  plans?

Well, as mentioned, advertising revenue for us is  most crucial. Braille advertising is something that brands have not done in India since there was no Braille publication to do so. This makes it a step forward in the field of advertising too.

We have approached many companies to advertise with us and Raymond was the first one to be  a part of White Print. The first issue of the magazine has content sponsored by the company in the fashion and lifestyle section. It includes  information about their Spring Summer Collection'13.

We hope other companies also take a step towards this direction and reach out to this community through our venture. 

What were the other difficulties you had to face before White Print saw daylight?

Challenges began from the very first day when I decided to take the project forward. Being a 24 year-  old, it was a tough decision to quit a job and take a risk since this was something that was not  tried before in the country.  Not having disclosed my idea to many, a lot of people would question and wonder why I was at home for almost a year. I unveiled the idea to everyone only after I received the approval of the title from RNI. 

The magazine , apart from being a boon to the impaired  will also be a sure -fire hit with those partially impaired... what is the feedback you are getting?

                                                                                                                                                           

The feedback has been overwhelming. The community is excited, eager and extremely delighted about finally having a magazine to read in their leisure time. A major aspect that has been acknowledged and  appreciated by most is the fact that White Print is not a charity venture. The community is tired of being sympathized with and do not ask for it any longer.

The girl who bowled over the Jats….Kristina Akheeva

The girl who bowled over the Jats….Kristina Akheeva

Part Russian and part Tajik, Kristina Akheeva was  born in Russia and migrated to Australia when she was 7. After high school she moved to Melbourne  where she took up acting classes. Very soon she caught the attention of a lot of  Australian photographers bagging regular modeling assignments. This was followed by a 3-month modeling contract in Singapore. An avid traveller she spent the next 5 years travelling and successfully modeling in China, Philippines,Singapore,Korea, Thailand and India.2010 saw her bag some prestigious assignments in India.Her desire for acting stronger than ever she returned to India in 2012 :her persistence paid off when she bagged the lead opposite Sunny Deol in JYPD2. She had seen Jat Yamla Pagala Deewana but not even in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would be acting in the sequel!

Tell us a little about your background  and your qualifications

I was born in Khabarovsk, Russia. At age seven I moved to Australia. From a young age I was interested in dance and drama. I did all kinds of different dance styles as a kid, focusing mostly on Ballroom dancing and involved myself in theatre productions at school and outside. I knew from a young age that I wanted to act. When I finished school I enrolled in some acting classes and started modeling. The modeling took me all over the world which eventually led me to India. 

How did you develop an interest in Indian culture?

The first time I came to India was in 2007. I was on a three month backpacking trip, of which I spent one month travelling around India. It was a huge eye -opener for me, the diversity and all the different aspects that makes this country so intriguing. I returned  in 2010, this time on a one year modeling contract. This time spent, really helped me to learn more about the culture and develop an appreciation for Hindi cinema.

How did you bag Yamla Pagla....?

I was asked to come for an audition via my agency. I had to learn 4 Hindi scenes and do a dance audition as well. They were auditioning for 4 months so I felt very blessed to be the one given such an opportunity. Waiting to hear back was probably one of the most nerve wracking and exciting moments of my life.

What was it like working for the famous Deols?               

I really enjoyed working with them, such down to earth kind hearted people. Dharam Ji was like a mentor throughout the shoot of the film. Extremely supportive and full of stories from his years of   being in the film industry. We had some good times on the sets. 

Did you undergo training in diction & dance?

                                                                                       

I had a Hindi teacher with whom I worked on my audition scenes, after that there was no time. Filming started straight away. Jasvinder Bath, the writer of the film used to spend time with me going over dialogues making sure my pronunciation was correct. Also there was no time for dance training. Thankfully my past dance experience helped me to pick up the dance moves easily and quickly.

This is your debut film....can you recall any interesting anecdotes?

In the title track song Bobby had to open a champagne bottle. For some reason he couldn't get it open and we had to take several takes. Eventually the cork popped and sprayed me right in the face. They were shooting this in slow motion so its quite hilarious watching it back. 

What are your upcoming assignments in films/ modelling?

Currently  talks are on for a couple of films. I would  like to do something very different to YPD2 for my next. Maybe a romantic film or a thriller. I would like to be experimental with my roles. So I am  happy to take time choosing my next project.

Which Indian actors inspire and impress you?

 Kareena Kapoor and Vidya Balan are two of my favourites. Both extremely talented with an interesting body of work. 

What are your other interests?

I have always been into natural remedies and medicine. After school I actually enrolled to start a bachelor of health science - naturopathy. One week before starting the degree I dropped out to focus on acting instead. Now it's more of a hobby. I  am  always  making some kind of natural face and hair packs and use different types of herbs to make sure I am  in good health . Back in Australia I have many books in this topic as well.

*****

Charu Shankar a trained dancer, musician and an actress began her television career as the host of the shows, The Big Fat Indian Wedding and Routes on NDTV Good Times. She has featured in various TV commercials like Vatika, Metro shoes, Fortune oil, Vodafone and also  in a music video directed by Imtiaz Ali. Her movie credits include cameo roles in Wes Anderson's “The Darjeeling Limited” and Mira Nair's “Reluctant Fundamentalist”. She has also choreographed in movies like 'Jalpari' by Nila Madhab Panda and 'Listen Amaya' by Geeta Singh. As a director of Aquamarine Productions, Charu pursues her passion for theater by creating and organizing theater workshops and productions for emerging artists in the contemporary arts.  She is also a certified Jukari instructor for Reebok, India. Malikaa is based on the Indu Sundaresan's best selling novel, 'The Twentieth Wife'. Charu Shankar and Karanvir Sharma will play the lead roles of Mehrunisa and Salim respectively in the legendary Mughal tale which goes on air in August.

In which dance form have you trained?

 I have been dancing since I can remember! As a little girl, I spent hours day-dreaming and dancing to my own tunes. Both my alma maters- Modern School and  Lady Shri Ram College, encouraged my passion for dance and dramatics, and I took every opportunity they presented to perform on stage. Both institutions laid heavy emphasis on creative dance and improvised dramatics, rather than teaching stringent classical forms, and encouraged me to find my own voice, my own movement- its the kind of training that I hold very close to my heart.

In 2001, I joined the Danceworx Performing Arts Academy as a Repertoire member, and learnt Jazz and Contemporary Dance under Ashley Lobo. During my association with Danceworx, I had many opportunities to further explore my creativity .
I also had a chance to work in dramatics and musical theater with stalwarts like the Pulinkala's of Delhi Music Theatre, Dilip Shankar, Rashid Ansari, Roysten Abel, Adil Hussein, Tina Johnson, Vivek Mansukhani- all of whom helped me to develop my language of movement and dramatics.

 TV host, ad films, films  & now Malikaa--- what  were  your experiences?
As a TV host, you are essentially not 'acting'- you are communicating an experience that you are having at that moment- whether you are talking about a beautiful place that you are in, or a fabulous meal that you are tasting, it is YOU and how you feel- its personal, and you are yourself. 

When you are acting, whether its for ads, films or drama- you take on a character, and you speak in that persons voice, hear that characters thoughts in your head, dress like them... Both are completely different, and I am very grateful that I have had the opportunity to enjoy both sides!

Tell us about Malikaa….
Malikaa is a very special project to me. Around   2 years ago, my Book Club picked The Twentieth Wife as our monthly read, and I loved the book! I remember we all had a long discussion about it (We are all literature students from LSR, and there's nothing more exciting than finding a good book to discuss over endless cups of hot coffee on a winter evening in Delhi) and at that time, we all hoped that someone would make a film about it. In fact we all made a list of probable actresses who would do justice to the character of Mehrunissa- I never thought then that the opportunity would actually come to me. So when in May this year, I got an audition call from EPIC for Mehrunissa, you can imagine my excitement! And to work with a channel which is so different from the other channels I couldn’t ask for more. It has been a dream come true! 

 What were the roles   in Darjeeling Limited & Reluctant  Fundamentalist?

In Darjeeling Limited, I played the stewardist on the train The Bengal Express, in which the 3 brothers (played by Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody & Jason Schwatzman) and my intervention in the last scene marks the end of their travel story in India, and hints at possible new beginnings. In The Reluctant Fundamentalist, I play the lovely girl at the wedding, who is pointed out in the story as a possible alliance for Changez (played by Rizwan Ahmed) in his hometown by his parents (played by Shabana Azmi & Om Puri). Though both parts were relatively small roles, they brought an opportunity to experience working on two large Hollywood productions, and to be able to watch stalwarts of acting at work! I learnt so much just by observing how these actors prepared and delivered memorable performances. I'm also very grateful that I got much appreciation from both directors (Wes Anderson & Mira Nair) for my work, and both of them have voiced their confidence in my abilities as an actor. 

 Working with Anderson & Mira--- any interesting anecdotes?
 Both Wes Anderson and Mira Nair are tremendously talented and creative directors, and give a lot of freedom to the actors on the set. I was initially a little nervous working with them both- since both of them are such big names in the industry. 

Wes Anderson puts a lot of thought into the tiniest detail- I remember there was a half hour long discussion on the exact size and colour of my bindi, because he wanted it to fit in perfectly with the colour scheme of his set! He noticed small gestures and the movement of my eyes while we were taking the shot, and appreciated an extra look that I added on an impulse- even I hadn't noticed that I had done that! 

Mira Nair is very, very warm! She is a director who inspires actors to find their characters, rather than simply directing them. On her set, I never saw her succumbing to the usual pressures of film-making- she always had a smile on her lips, and was always encouraging the cast and the crew to find the perfect take!

How did Malikaa happen?
Malikaa was, in fact, offered to me because the producers of the show happened to watch a preview of Reluctant Fundamentalist! They saw me in the film, and spoke to Mira Nair, who was present at the preview, and I  very lucky that she expressed her full confidence in my abilities as an actor. I could not have asked for a better recommendation .  Although I was skeptical initially, as I have not really played character from period dramas earlier; however when I met the team from EPIC, I was enthralled by their sheer enthusiasm and vision. The role for Mehrunissa was challenging, yet so very real and relatable. 

Does Doing All the Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?

Does Doing All the Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?

Catalyst's longitudinal project, The Promise of Future Leadership: A Research Program on Highly Talented Employees in the Pipeline, develops timely reports on the retention and advancement of high potential women and men. The project surveys graduates of leading business schools in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, with the intent of assessing their career values, goals, and expectations, the developmental opportunities afforded them, and their strategies for managing work and family life.

The fourth report ( Nancy M Carter & Christine Silva)The Myth of the Ideal Worker: Does Doing All the Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?, tackles persistent myths about the gender gap. Career advancement strategies used by women and men were compared to determine if using the same strategies ultimately leads to the same career outcomes.

Common wisdom about advancing in the workplace is straightforward: let your boss know you are ready for that challenging assignment. Make your career ambitions and willingness to put in the requisite time and effort clear. Do not just build a relationship with your boss; make sure to build one with your boss’ boss as well.

Sounds like good advice. But according to Catalyst’s latest report, The Myth of the Ideal Worker:  Does Doing All the Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?, men benefit from these strategies far more than women.

In fact, this report, which studied high potentials in the executive pipeline, reveals that while “doing all the right things” to get ahead works well for men, being proactive did not provide as great an advantage for women.

Regardless of chosen career strategy, the study shows that men outpace women in rate of advancement and compensation growth—starting with a $4,600 gap in their first post-MBA jobs which widens to $31,258 mid-career.

The same strategies do not work equally well for men and women. Women must adopt strategies different from their male colleagues’ to advance their careers. When women were proactive in making their achievements known, they advanced further, increased their compensation growth, and were more satisfied with their careers. They also advanced further when they proactively networked with influential others. Making their achievements known did not impact men’s careers. Rather, gaining access to influential others also helped men advance, and indicating a willingness to work long hours and conducting external scans for other opportunities helped men increase their salaries.

Catalyst suggests that corporate leaders ask: To what extent are employees in our organizations advanced and compensated based on strategic career tactics versus skills and performance? How are people being coached to get ahead? Are assumptions being made that what worked for men in the past will work for women? And when women and men apply the same career strategies, are they being reacted to and evaluated differently?

Deepali Bagati, , Senior Advisor, Catalyst.is engaged in developing knowledge products on women's status in India. Previously, as a Catalyst employee, she was responsible for overseeing research on workplace challenges for women of color and developing solutions for building more effective and inclusive work environments. Here she answers a few pertinent questions.

 Diplomacy, tact ,efficiency and effective PR? How much do these factors help women?

All of the above help women (and men), but our study shows that regardless of the career strategy adopted, women lagged men in advancement. That is, even when women do all the same things as men, their careers continue to lag. The larger message here is for leaders and individuals to recognize that the gender gap does not exist solely because of choices women are making. The study reveals it is not about what women do or do not do. It is about barriers, challenges, and unconscious biases in the workplace. And it is in the best interest of organizations to develop talent – regardless of gender.

 Yes, “women do ask" but they don’t get what they want viz-a-viz men....Is it because they are seen more as home-makers than intelligent career-oriented women?

Catalyst research has found that gender stereotypes are widely prevalent in the workplaces across the world. In India, women play a significant role as a home-maker, mother, daughter-in-law, daughter, wife etc. Men bring their gender stereotypes into the workplace, and their unconscious biases and stereotypes about women’s ability, ambition, and leadership influence their thinking and interactions—as leaders, managers, peers, and colleagues. That creates a challenging workplace for women, and organizations do not benefit from all talent.     

 Career strategy without efficiency and skill is certainly not a way to forge ahead...then why are women discriminated against?

In an ideal workplace, meritocracy will ensure the best candidate advances—regardless of gender and other dimensions of diversity. However, numbers tells us a different story. In India, women comprise 3% to 6% of senior management, whereas 23% women are employed by organisations. Catalyst research tells us that women experience certain barriers to advancement that are not experienced by men (lack of access to informal networks, lack of role models, and gender based stereotypes). Our recent research on Mentoring Insufficient for Advancement further confirms that men have mentors who act as sponsors and advocates for them—thereby helping with career advancement.

What changes can women make in their career strategy?

It is in the best interest of organizations to develop talent – regardless of gender. The business case for gender diversity is pretty clear. There are strategies that women can adopt, but the larger message for leaders and individuals is to recognize that the gender gap does not exist solely  because of choices women are making.

The study reveals it is not about what women do or don’t do. According to Catalyst research on sponsorship, high performers (women and men) can adopt the following:

•    Be reliable, collegial, perform above expectations

•    Become a ‘known entity’

•     Ask for and act on feedback

•     Craft an elevator speech and be ready to use it

•     Cultivate multiple sponsors, if possible specifically for women, cultivating relationships with influential others in the company and getting yourself and your work known/visible (so influential others will notice you) are important strategies.

How different /same are problems faced by women in the West?

According to Catalyst research on Leadership Gender Gap in India Inc., the following advancement barriers are faced by women relatively more than men, across regions and industries:·        

* Lack of key relationships

* Lack of role models.

* In India, we have additional challenges due to the cultural stereotypes regarding women’s roles and abilities. 

According to Ms. Ilene H. Lang, President & CEO, Catalyst.   “Just as individuals need to manage their careers effectively or risk lagging behind their peers, organizations must learn how to attract, develop, and retain high-potential women—or risk losing out to their competitors.”

• Women seem to be paid for proven performance—women who changed jobs two or more times post-MBA earned $53,472 less than women who rose through the ranks at their first job.

• In contrast, men seem to be paid for potential—men who had moved on from their first post-MBA job earned $13,743 more than those who stayed with their first employer.

• Across all career profiles, men were more likely to reach senior executive/CEO positions than women; in the most proactive category, 21 per cent of men advanced to leadership compared with 11 per cent of women.

The report effectively explodes persistent gender gap myths that continue to hold women back:

• Women DO “ask,” but asking does not close the gender pay or position gap. After their first post-MBA jobs, there were no gender differences in whether or not high potentials negotiated for greater compensation (63% of women vs. 54% of men) or for a higher position when beginning their current job (19% of women vs. 17% of men). Even though these women negotiate for more when they change jobs, our research shows that women’s compensation growth was faster when they remained with the same employer, where they had proven performance, than when they started with a new employer, who paid based on potential.

• Women are not seeking out slower career tracks. According to the study findings, women are less satisfied than men with their career growth. If women were intentionally seeking slower tracks, we would expect them to be as satisfied as men despite their slower advancement.

“This study busts the myth that ‘Women don't ask.’ In fact, they do! But it doesn't get them very far. Men, by contrast, don't have to ask. What's wrong with this picture?” said  Lang,

According to the report, which studied commonly used career strategies, the strategies adopted by high-potential women had little bearing on the rate at which they advanced to leadership. Conversely, men who applied the most proactive career strategies advanced further than other men.

Catalyst's longitudinal project, The Promise of Future Leadership: A Research Program on Highly Talented Employees in the Pipeline, develops timely reports on the retention and advancement of high potential women and men. The project surveys graduates of leading business schools in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, with the intent of assessing their career values, goals, and expectations, the developmental opportunities afforded them, and their strategies for managing work and family life. The reports highlight the differences in women's and men's career experiences and satisfaction; some feature perspectives from global leaders and other experts.

The fourth report, The Myth of the Ideal Worker: Does Doing All the Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?, tackles persistent myths about the gender gap. Career advancement strategies used by women and men were compared to determine if using the same strategies ultimately leads to the same career outcomes. Findings revealed that:

* Men benefited more from adopting proactive strategies.

* When women did all the things they have been told will help them get ahead—using the same tactics as men—they still advanced less than their male counterparts and had slower pay growth.

The report includes a series of questions for the reader to reflect upon about why disparities in career advancement may exist and persist. The goal is to help identify opportunities for effecting change in your career and organization. 

Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization expanding opportunities for women and business. With offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, and India, and more than 500 preeminent corporations as members, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about