HBA New York: Book Club Event Recap — Hardball for Women

Date and Time

Tuesday, 19 April, 2022

Location

Virtual - Zoom

Competencies

9. Networks and ethically self-promotes

Event Recap

Women have come a long way in business and yet women are only 4% of board chairs and 12% of boards, even today. Salaries are still not on par and that includes all pharma companies as well. The gender pay gap is bigger in some pharma companies (around 16% at the higher end) than others (around 6% at the low end), but the gap persists in most pharma companies.

Without understanding the culture of men, many women remain sidelined, despite superior performance. Until you realize that business is often conducted as a sport, it can be difficult to reach the levels your work as a woman deserves.

This meeting's selected book was: "Hardball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business" by Dr. Pat Heim and Tammy Hughes with Susan K. Golant. This constructive, no-nonsense guide addresses women executives who, despite technical proficiency, hard work, and managerial skills equal or superior to those of their male co-workers, have been passed over for promotions.

During the meeting, HBA New York's Book Club discussed the theories in the book as to why this gender gap exists and dissected specific business situations with regards to how to improve the results as a woman.

For each situation discussed, the group broke into breakout rooms and compared experiences. Sadly, every woman at the event (including board level women) had a story to tell.

From the publisher:
For nearly two decades, "Hardball for Women" has shown women how to get ahead in the business world. Whether the arena is a law firm, a medical group, a tech company, or any other work environment, "Hardball for Women" decodes male business culture and shows women how to break patterns of behavior that put them at a disadvantage. It explains how to get results when you "lean in" without being thrown off balance. Illustrated with real-life examples, "Hardball for Women" teaches women how to:
•    Successfully navigate middle management to become a leader in your field
•    Be assertive without being obnoxious
•    Display confidence
•    Engage in smart self-promotion
•    Lead both men and women — and recognize the differences between them
•    Use "power talk" language to your advantage