Unveiling the hidden figures: Why women are missing from the expert stage?
Around the world, women account for less than 24% of news sources and approximately 31% of paid expert speakers.
Despite advancements in gender equality, women remain notably underrepresented as experts in prominent platforms of influence. Around the world, women account for less than 24% of news sources and approximately 31% of paid speakers. This lack of representation hinders not only the advancement of gender equality but also the societal benefits it can bring, such as increased employment opportunities, GDP growth, and enhanced business profitability, among others.
According to the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of change, achieving gender parity will take another 131 years.
Although there is a wealth of research exploring the factors contributing to gender inequality, there has been a lack of studies specifically examining how a woman’s relationship with the word “expert” influences her ability to become one. My recently published qualitative study, Hidden Figures: Where Are All the Female Experts? aims to fill this gap by investigating the question: How does a woman’s relationship with the term “expert” affect her ability to become one?
Four ways to start to elevate your expertise and your impact
Four key themes emerged from the Hidden Figures research providing a basis to disrupt the disturbing expert inequality and support more women in stepping up and visibly owning their impact and their expert status.
Combatting the “ick” of expert
Did you know that a woman’s relationship with the word expert is “complex”, can feel “awkward”, infer “peacocking” and stimulate a visual of “a man’s face”? I call this “the ick of expert”. This negative association with the word expert presents a clear barrier to becoming one. If women are not willing to position themselves as experts the reality of receiving opportunities as an expert are likely to be non-existent.
Understanding our relationship with the word expert is critical to unlocking the pathway it provides to greater impact and equality, and it starts with reflection. Create some space and reflect on how the word expert makes you feel, become curious about why it makes you feel that way, and consider how looking at the word expert through a different lens might present more opportunities.
Define how much is enough
Women are more likely to feel that they have to tick all the boxes to have enough to call themselves an expert. Yet my research shows they lack clarity on what boxes they need to tick which creates a barrier to owning their voice and their expertise. How much is enough and who decides?
Reality is you can by defining the type of expert you want to be. Consider a woman you look up to as an expert. Create a checklist of the characteristics and behaviours she displays that resonate with you. Use this to create your own definition of what it means to be an expert.
Embrace the fear
One of the significant obstacles preventing women from fully expressing their voice and power in public is the fear of criticism and the risk of being perceived as an impostor. This fear undermines women’s confidence and their willingness to claim their expertise. However, this fear can serve as a stepping stone to greater impact, and a practical way to confront it is through a practice called micro bravery.
Micro bravery involves taking one small, uncomfortable action each day. Over time, this practice fosters resilience and boosts confidence. Consider specific acts of micro bravery that you can pursue to leverage your knowledge, enhance your skills, and raise your profile as an expert, and challenge yourself to accomplish one each day.
Celebrate a hidden figure publicly
The research reveals a persistent shortage of visible and diverse expert female role models, along with limited opportunities for women to develop their expertise publicly. The disconnect with those who present themselves as experts online—often seen in “glitter and blazers”—leaves many women wondering if there is a place for the kind of expert they aspire to become.
If we want to nurture more diverse experts, let’s begin by recognising and celebrating the Hidden Figures already among us. Highlight female impact experts in your community on social media, share how they inspire you, and advocate for them to seize opportunities that allow them to assert their expertise.
Experts are made, not born
There is no shortage of highly qualified and skilled women who seek to make a meaningful impact through their work. The evidence suggests that the relationship women have with the word expert is complex and likely to create a barrier to owning their expertise and their voice publicly making them Hidden Figures. There is a clear opportunity to support women in redefining their relationship with the word expert to empower them to use it as a pathway to drive greater influence, impact and equality.
Whether you’re a woman wanting to make an impact, a corporate or government leader, a conference organiser or an influencer in the media download the Hidden Figures Whitepaper and together let’s move us closer to a more inclusive and compassionate future.
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