Innovation and the Empowerment of Women

I recently joined a new NGO organization that focuses on addressing and findingsolutions to social issues. There are many issues that we need to tackle, but I need my teamto become more innovative, especially given our limited funds. The greatest challenge isgetting my female team members to become more innovative. Any advice?

~ Innovator

DEAR INNOVATOR,

Innovation is traditionally associated with science and technology, research and development, but increasingly leaders are being asked – scratch that, they are being TOLD, to create cultures of innovation within their organisations in order to remain appealing, relevant and competitive. In 2010, The Arthur Lok Jack GSB Distinguished Leadership Conference featured Vijay Govindarajan, a leading expert on strategy and innovation. Since then, there have been numerous workshops and seminars on the topic of innovation and creating change.

Innovation continues to be on everyone’s lips, but how does it impact women? According to the International Centre for Research on Women, innovation can empower women on a range of levels – individual, household, social, economic and political. From the Pill to micro-financing, innovation has transformed thousands of women’s lives. It provides a pathway for achieving gender equality, particularly in the developing world, as it secures freedoms and resources for women to make decisions, build confidence and act in their own interests.

In Trinidad and Tobago, opportunities for innovations that positively impact the lives of women, and thereby enhance national development and competitiveness, are abundant. They include quality child care facilities, safe transportation for school-aged children and improved access to water, electricity, financing and information technology. These innovations not only increase employment opportunities, savings, health and social justice, but also shift women’s attitudes to what is possible for themselves and their families.

However, the cultivation of an innovative approach to women’s empowerment can only be successful if a clear pathway connecting the two is identified. Consideration of timing, context, systems and culture must be factored in, as well as an understanding of the fact that smart investments in women support the flow of multiple benefits to households, families and children. The media, laws and regulations, social and economic networks, all have a critical role to play in channelling information to women, particularly those who are less advantaged.

A culture that encourages women to become innovators is also important for sustainable national development. There are many barriers to leading an innovative lifestyle, whether as an entrepreneur or as part of a corporate entity, but some of the most commonly cited are:

• Working on the wrong problem (i.e. not meeting a need or demand)

• Judging ideas too quickly

• A discouraging climate

• Delay between idea and implementation

In order for women to overcome these obstacles, we need to do things that we often find difficult, such as networking and believing in ourselves, and most importantly, being ok with failure as a critical step towards success. This intuitively means that one of the factors required to allow individuals to unleash their creative potential involves creating an organisational culture that values and rewards risk-taking. A great way to begin the journey of becoming more innovative is to start the conversation around the barriers and benefits of innovation. There are many resources out there that you can utilise to start this discussion with your team, and we recommend starting with these two:

When Women Boost Innovation: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=syhDil3rodE

Gender Equality as an Innovation Challenge: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=4UDw1d60KSM

Another important consideration is to ensure that our innovations reach other women, and this can be achieved by giving regard to the following:

Forming strategic partnerships, with organisations such as government agencies and NGOs, that can smash boundaries that traditionally exclude women.

• Integration of women in design and implementation.

• Cultivation of influential champions who can access resources and mobilize cooperation.

• Communication strategies that target and engage women at all levels of society.

Over the years, AFETT has recognized a number of local female innovators, including Clotil Walcott, Grace Talma and Dr Patricia Mohammed. What makes these women so worthy of acclaim is that they not only had the courage to pursue their own dreams, but they adamantly included other women on their journeys.

Reference: Innovation for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality by the International Centre for Research on Women

AFETT is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2002 with the goal of bringing together professional women and engaging in networking opportunities, professional training and business ideas. ASK AFETT is a column meant to address issues and concerns of professionals seeking advice to assist in progressing in their careers. Today’s response was written by AFETT member, Lara Quentrall-Thomas, Founder of AFETT and Chairman of Regency Recruitment & Resources Ltd. Learn more about AFETT at www.afett.com, search for AFETT Events on Facebook, follow us @ AFETTEXECS on Twitter or contact us at 354-7130. Email us your career-related questions at admin.afett@gmail.com.