A lot has changed in the 50 odd years when it comes to gender balance, so much so it can be easy to think that the job is done.

No longer do women need to resign from their secure and well-paid role in the Australian Public Service upon marriage (1966, a favourite of mine) or are looked down upon for wanting to use their education to create a career of their own. In fact, it feels that now, women have permission to ‘have it all’! A high-flying career, fantastic friends, family, a nice home, children, health and fitness......it ALL!

And we are making progress: According to the most recent WGEA data, in Australia women hold

• 14% of chair positions
• 26% of directorships
• represent 17% of CEOs; and
• are 31% of keymanagement personnel

Progress yes.

Enough progress given the amount of time, energy and resources that have been focused on this issue for the last 20 years or so, I think not.

Whilst initiatives, policy, political change are important to drive cultural and societal change, alone this is not changing some of the thinking and most importantly behaviours that limit the level of progress we could and should be making when it comes to gender balance.

Thinking like...

• I need more skills or experience before I can apply for that job
• I wish I could speak up every time I had something important or valuable to say
• Working long hours seems to be the only way I can progress, but it’s not sustainable and will it even be worth it
• If I just get another qualification, I will have the confidence to take the next step in my career
• I know I am underpaid but what if my boss thinks I am greedy and ungrateful if I ask for a pay rise

And while sometimes (emphasis on sometimes), these stories could be true, in our experience most of the time they are not, and these beliefs are limiting what is possible for women right now.

Over the past decade we have worked with thousands of professional women to challenge their thinking of what is true and possible (limiting beliefs) and supported them to develop the confidence and courage to challenge the status quo, obtaining new evidence for what is really true and possible for them and their careers through small and ultimately big Acts of Confidence.

Women who ask for pay rises and promotions even though the economy isweak because they are significantly under paid and undervalued.Women who call out behaviour that is not ok in a professional work environment

And

Women who stop worrying so much about what everyone around them thinks and are prepared to do things on their own terms despite the risk of judgment and criticism.

It is these Acts of Confidence that will chip away at the invisible ceiling and give other women and men permission to do the same creating a ripple effect for change.

Want to be part of this movement?

Register for this timely discussion with Kate Boorer and Fiona Pearman, Authors of Core Confidence as they explore how to break through the invisible ceiling and drive change in your life, your organisation and our society.