Patriarchy problems? Here's how women can fight it at work
Written by Jess Cook, Client Director at Robot Food
Published 3rd May 2022
While recent years have seen huge strides forward in terms of tackling misogyny in the workplace, women are still facing disproportionate challenges career-wise that are a direct hangover from historical patriarchal precedents.
While old habits do indeed die hard, that doesn't mean we can just let them slide – something that Jess Cook, Client Director at Leeds-based brand and design agency Robot Food knows only too well.
Today, women aren’t only facing the problems of historical male dominance, but a newer, more insidious form of patriarchy that’s disguised as female empowerment: things like ‘leaning in’, or trampling over colleagues in a bid to be a ‘girl boss’ – modes of address that are just as poisonous as the boys’ club mentalities that they emulate.
Here, Jess talks us through some of the main challenges that still face women in the workplace today: confidence, having a voice, being heard, equal opportunities for career progression and more.
What do you think are the main challenges for women in the design industry today?
Without wanting to generalise about women; imposter syndrome, self-doubt and other confidence issues are things that come up time and time again. We can be our own worst enemies – but the reason women are more predisposed to feeling this way is thanks to decades, or even centuries, of misogyny. Just by simply acknowledging that confidence is a common issue can help women address it head on.
Despite obvious progress in recent years, what challenges are there still around equality?
There is still an obvious lack of women in leadership roles across the industry, with women of colour especially severely underrepresented. Gender stereotyping still plays a huge role in agency dynamics, with client services traditionally seen as a ‘female’ role, for instance. Projects are still being assigned according to how ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ they are, which is an outdated, arbitrary and false distinction that can mean opportunities for female designers to progress are overlooked.
“Gender stereotyping still plays a huge role in agency dynamics, with client services traditionally seen as a ‘female’ role”
How can agencies best ensure that everyone has a voice, and feels able to express their opinions?
An environment of trust and empowerment ensures that everyone feels they have the ability to express their thoughts and opinions, no matter their background or level of experience. Instilling these values into the culture of the business is key.
It’s not enough for agencies to say everyone can have an opinion: leaders need to be empathetic and attuned to the individual personalities within their teams in order to truly foster a culture of sharing and discussion. While some people thrive in group discussions, for some personalities – men or women – having to fight to be heard can be incredibly counterproductive. Agencies need to actively resist associating confidence with ability: merit isn’t based on who shouts the loudest, but on effective problem solving, creativity and ideas.
“An environment of trust and empowerment ensures that everyone feels they have the ability to express their thoughts and opinions, no matter their background or level of experience.”
Many women struggle with innately being ‘people pleasers’. What advice do you have on striking the right balance in the workplace between that impulse, and saying what needs to be said?
Being told to be ‘more this’ or ‘more ‘that’ not only eats away at your confidence, but can make you feel as though you have to change your intrinsic values or personality to get ahead. People often confuse making a lot of noise with effective communication: I don’t throw out opinions for the sake of having them. I like to build strong connections with my teams and clients, so that when I do have to have a difficult conversation, it’s happening over a foundation of mutual respect and always has more impact as a result. This allows me to be clear and direct without ever compromising who I am as a person, or feeling as though I should say it ‘like a man’ to be heard.
© Robot Food
What advice do you have on confidence-building?
I don’t believe in a one size fits all approach as confidence issues can be incredibly nuanced, personal and individual. Most confidence issues stem from an insecurity of some kind, so it makes sense that you have to identify that insecurity in order to tackle it. If you’re nervous about presenting for example, have a think about what exactly it is that feels scary: is it about who you are presenting to, or who’s in the room with you? Is it because you don’t feel prepared enough, over-rehearsed, or unfamiliar with the subject matter? By drilling down into the specifics, you can take steps to help with how confident you feel.
Sometimes, it’s not as simple as just preparing more or rehearsing less. When a lack of confidence is internalised, as in the case of imposter syndrome, or deeper anxieties, things are less straightforward and logical. I would highly recommend working with a friend or mentor to help you look objectively at your strengths and weaknesses. The outcome of this is two-fold: you realise your worth and just how illogical the imposter syndrome is; and you get a great set of goals to work on to turn those weaknesses into opportunities and increase your confidence further.
“I would highly recommend working with a friend or mentor to help you look objectively at your strengths and weaknesses.”
Is there a place for ‘healthy’ competition in the workplace?
The way I see it, workplace competitiveness is all part of the patriarchy. As women became more prevalent within the working world, they unwittingly became players in a game they never signed up to. Couple that with sexism in the workplace and we end up with women fighting each other for positions or opportunities that are more readily available to men. It’s a lose-lose situation! I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by an extended network of women working in design, who inspire me every single day. I’m passionate about celebrating achievements and championing great work whenever possible.
“I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by an extended network of women working in design, who inspire me every single day.”
Women are already putting enough pressure on themselves without a ‘comparison culture’. Strengthening our solidarity by recognising each other’s worth can only be a good thing for the industry longer-term.
What advice do you have for emerging designers around gaining confidence and dealing with any potential misogyny at that early stage in their career?
It’s easy for someone who’s been in the industry for quite some time to preach about knowing your worth and calling out misogyny when they see it, but it’s not always that easy, especially when you’re new to the world of work. I think surrounding yourself with positive female influences is key, and if that’s not readily available within your work environment, try to seek it out online or through local groups. Again, working with a mentor at any stage of your career is highly valuable and it really helps to have a cheerleader in your corner to confirm if things aren’t right.
It’s down to the rest of us to pave the way for the new generation – it’s our responsibility to keep realising the change we would like to see in the industry. Celebrating, nurturing and growing as we go – no ‘boss bitches’ in sight.
About the author
Jess Cook is Client Director at Leeds based strategic branding agency Robot Food – a fiercely independent agency specialising in the creation and repositioning of brands with cut-through strategy & design. As a mentor for women within the creative industries, Jess’ own experience of being mentored helped her to achieve her current role at Robot Food. Jess manages client relationships for progressive start-ups and global brands such as Arla Foods, Breez and Vocation Brewery, partnering with clients to go beyond the brief, always challenging to deliver effective commercial results.
