Why Women are Not Advancing More Quickly in the Accounting Profession

Source: CPA Practice Management Forum

This slow progress is not because of ability. But ambition may have something to do with it. Here are some reflections on improving women’s success in the accounting field:

• In the April 2004 issue of Harvard Business Review, Dr. Anna Fels explained her research findings on ambition in women. Women are more likely than men to feel that ambition is “egotistical, selfish, and manipulative.” And when women have ambitious goals, they are more likely than men to reassess and drop them. Dr. Fels also found that women have too many roles—professional, mother, wife, homemaker, etc.
  
  The antidote for these problems may be found in mentoring. It is crucial that women have mentoring relationships in which they can share their feelings on their visions and goals.
   
• Because women have so many roles, they have less time. Therefore, they must learn to decline to participate in activities unrelated to their goals.
  
  It is incumbent upon management to help women evaluate and utilize their available time.
   
• Women don’t always cultivate relationships with leaders in the firm.
  
  Management should develop mentoring programs. At partner meetings ask partners to:
   
  • List the names of people they mentor, whether formally or informally.
  • List those they see as potential partners.
  • Identify the women on those lists.
  • Proactively develop mentoring relationships with prospective women partners.
  • Community activities help women become more visible and demonstrate their abilities.
  • Dr. Linda Babcock of Carnegie-Mellon University is co-author of “Women Don’t Ask.” She says women are less likely than men to “negotiate” for projects they want. Consequently, they have less exposure to growth experiences.

Babcock explains that if women want to advance and achieve equitable distribution of profits, they must crack the client development code. They must be encouraged to play a role in client development briefings, and they will learn to take more initiative if they experiment with asking in little ways, which builds confidence and success.

From CPA Practice Management Forum, CCH Incorporated, 800-449-8114, December 2006, p. 13.