20 best practices for women to succeed in STEM (and Tech)

A summary of a work group discussion at Women in STEM program by Anna Andersone.

This is the third year that the U.S. State Department are doing an International Visitors Leadership Program for Women in STEM and it is called “Hidden no more” and based on the inspiring movie “Hidden figures”. #ivlp #womeninstem #hiddennomore

This program unites 50 women from 50 different countries from all over the world and take them on a 3 week journey in the US, visiting different organisations and exchanging experience. Our Chief Empowerment Officer Anna Andersone has been nominated and selected to be one of these women and thus we will be sharing some of the learning points from the program and it's diverse content.

Here are 20 points from a discussion among the 50 women leaders in STEM and several US women in science and STEM on the topic: “What can the women in STEM do to succeed and advance in their careers.”
And we want to highlight the 3 most important fields that we can work on: the environment, strategic approach and focus on self:

THE ENVIRONMENT

9 of the 50 women in STEM heading to Charleston, SC and the liaison Frank. From the left: Ms. Claudia Beatriz OLMEDO MARTINEZ (El Salvador), Ms. Deviga DORERAJA (Malaysia), Ms. Tugce Nur TAS (Switzerland), Ms. Anna ANDERSONE (Latvia), Ms. Snezana ZIVCEVSKA (Netherlands), Ms. Dafina OLLURI (Kosovo), Ms. Arwa ALGHANIM (Kuwait), Ms. Vasiliki FISKA (Greece), Ms. Anita CVETIC ORESCANIN (Croatia)

1. Build your STEM Sisters community. The IVLP program is a perfect example of that, but you can build such networks within your field, your country, your city and even within your company. Networking is key — network like crazy. Take time to build those relationships, take lunch breaks and coffee breaks, because relationships are built during those and they will be the number one tool to advance your career. Also include men in your network, of course :)
2. Celebrate. Celebrate leadership — advocate for others. Celebrate & acknowledge achievements of your own and those of others. Success will come to those celebrating and appreciating the achievements.
3. Find a mentor, and a challenging one. Gravity assist — people helping you — is a free way to get further. You take detours around people, places (or planets) to use their gravity assist and get further ahead. It does not always give you the straight way, but there might be no straight way.
4. Ask. Ask for more than you expect. Don’t take NO for an answer. Negotiate as if your life depended on it. Women are 4 times less likely to negotiate and women are eager to stand up for others, but less so for themselves. Learn to ask for yourself. There is no shame in asking for what you need and that often shows commitment. Do not be afraid of that.
5. Volunteer. Be a mentor, a teacher, give guest lectures, coach at hackathons. There is no such thing as doing something for free. Even if you are not paid for the work you do (aka volunteer), you will reap benefits that are far more important than money. That includes: leadership skills, experience, building your network and gaining social capital.
6. Start small, in your own environment. Talk to the people around you — your team leader, your boss, your president. Talk to your community managers, your municipality. See if there are opportunities next to you.
7. Support others around you. Collaboration is part of teamwork and the way to success. Bet that advocate of the sister next to you, that cheerleader of the team you are with. Give advice, a helping hand and a shoulder, when needed.

STRATEGY

Riga TechGirls Chief Empowerment Officer Anna Andesone sharing her experience with the Hidden no more program participants, November 2019.

1. Know WHY. Why are you making those sacrifices and for how long are you willing to make them. Because success always comes through sacrifice, but if you know the reasons behind it, it is usually worth it!
2. Have a vision — know your dreams and follow them. The dreams have to be of higher importance and something that you cannot achieve today. Set goals for 5 and 10 years. Where do you want to be, create your 5 year program.
3. Always be ready when opportunity presents itself! Keep your eyes open for any opportunity and act upon seeing one. Take that opportunity to get on stage, to talk to media, to be part of the discussion, to go on that experience exchange program ;)
4. Learn exceptional communication skills, so that what you say is perceived not as aggressive, but meant for development. So that people perceive what you are saying in the way that you mean it! And so that you get credit for what you have done, achieved and said.
5. Never take anything personally. Whatever anyone says about you, says more about them, than you. Do not let that get to you. Work on that Imposter syndrome, we all have inside us, but none of us deserves.

FOCUS ON YOU!

A way to unwind — tree hugging :)

1. Selfcare — take care of yourself — your physical health, your mental health, your emotional development. Plan time to do nothing. Put on your favourite music and let your mind and body relax. Make routines and learn habits that will support you on a daily basis. Some examples: regular exercise and meditation, personal time in the evenings, week-end off from work, managing screen-time, good quality of sleep and healthy balanced diet.
2. Work hard. Being persistent is the only way to push ahead. Gather a village around you to support you, you will need a village to do it. Have your parents, husband, boyfriend take help you with kids, house-work, social responsibilities. Women have a lot of expectations of themselves and from the society around us, but we can manage those!
3. Be adaptive, aware of the changes in the environment. Because nothing is constant, but change ;) Learn to be comfortable with change and adapt quickly and mindfully. Do not spend time and energy on emotions that come with resisting change.
4. Look back, reflect on the lessons learned and continue your journey with those lessons learned. Never stop learning. Use every failure as a way to learn and develop yourself. Celebrate your failures, they are the best way to learn!
5. Give yourself permission. To be sad, afraid, angry, accept those emotions and yourself with those emotions. Because we will all be sad, afraid and angry sometimes. And that is OK. Acceptance is the fastest road to productivity and happiness.
6. Invest in yourself and pick an employer, who will want to invest in You. Pick partners, employees and coworkers, who are better than you and will push you to grow. The people around you are in your life to help you develop, allow yourself to use that ;)
7. Embrace all your talents and be good to yourself. Be creative, express yourself — in meetings and beyond. You are the only version of yourself in this world, you are unique and that is your biggest value. Help others see your uniqueness by using all the huge arsenal of talents that you have.
8. Don’t forget the sparkle in your life, keep it in your eyes! It is the nucleus of your success!

GOOG LUCK, LADIES! KEEP GOING!