This week in the workplace: Oct. 2

Each week GGC Principal Gail Golden lets us take a look at her open tabs to see what’s going on in the world of workplace psychology. Here are her insights on the week’s news....

The big number this week: $12 trillion. If women were equal in the workplace it would add 19 percent to the U.S. GDP by 2025, according to McKinsey, and $12 trillion to $28 trillion across the world. Check out these fascinating tables.

Fast Company helps debunk the absurd myth that Millennials don’t want or need in-person communication with this article explaining when it’s important to “press the flesh.” Ask any Millennial and he or she will be the first to tell you that meeting someone in person can be crucial for conducting business.

We know many meetings, classes and events are geared toward extroverts, but we don’t always know how to harness the valuable contributions introverts have to offer. Providing an agenda and reading materials in advance, so introverts have an opportunity to prepare what they want to say, is an excellent place to start. Here are a few more.

Remember the old board game called Life? A combination of lucky rolls of the dice and a few crucial choices at forks in the road determined whether you ended up successful or broke — just like real life! I want to create a similar board game called “Glass Ceiling” about how outside factors and women’s choices combine to enhance or limit a woman’s career. For a great overview of what that game might look like, and how companies can change the game, see this Wall Street Journal article.

And finally, a little advice from a few women who know what it takes to get to the top. These three CEOs spoke on an Association for Corporate Growth panel last week in Chicago. I asked each of them for one piece of advice for women who aspire to their level of leadership. Here’s what they said:

Say yes to opportunities – don’t hang back. Take risks.—Ellen Costello, former CEO of BMO Harris BankSeek out people you can learn from.—Inga Carus, CEO of Carus Group

Advocate for yourself. Do more than you’re asked to do. And be your authentic self.—Nancy Garcia Sharp, CEO, Food for Thought Enterprise

Upcoming Events

See Gail speak on how companies can foster innovation and support innovative female employees at the Emerson Exchange in Denver on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at noon. Learn more here.