Mid-Level Female Architects: Is your head above the parapet?

The phrase 'put your head above the parapet' can be roughly interpreted as taking a risk with something – putting oneself out there because the potential benefits of being seen and heard can outweigh any risk of such increased visibility backfiring on you. However, is it less about the risk and more about the time and effort in the architectural sector? If you are in the detail of a project, have long hours, or find resources are short, do you find the time to put yourself out there intentionally? Or perhaps you believe that your head-down approach will reward you without you having to shout for it? 

"Women are more likely to slog things out, then hope that will be noticed, as opposed to saying I'm this, this and this." - Mid-level Female Architect

In the world of the mid-level female architect, keeping your head above the parapet is crucial if you want to get noticed. Being noticed in a positive light may well open doors to promotion. Career development can be a struggle, but by learning the art of communication – finding your voice and 'speaking up' - the road can be straight and short rather than long and winding.

"There is a bit of self-promotion that needs to happen." - Mid-level Female Architect

This article is the third in a series in which I delve deeper into the themes that emerged from my report, 'Women in Architecture: Self-Development and Career Advancement for Mid-Level Professionals'.

You can read about the process of building a self-development plan here, and then the tricky subject of finding the time to achieve that self-development here.

For my report, I interviewed a number of mid-level female architects. One of the questions I posed was: "What should mid-level female architects focus on for personal and professional development success?" The interviewees were given 26 options to choose from and tasked with picking seven areas they deemed the most important. Out of the top seven, I further challenged the women to pick their top three.

In equal first place were 'Strategic Thinking' and 'Communication'. These are two areas that fit nicely hand in hand. After all, communication and the notion of speaking up are acts of strategic thinking designed to place the person doing the communicating and speaking very much in the spotlight. For me, it's about holding a profile within the company and being proactively visible in all directions.

"I'd like to think that everyone in the company knows who I am, knows what I am doing. I get involved in other things besides my projects. I jump on opportunities when they are given, being proactive, having frank conversations with other people." - Mid-level Female Architect

Speaking up is more critical in a world where you might still be working from home several days per week. If you're below the parapet, what communication tactics can you employ to get (and keep) your head above it? Here is a list from the report of five points to consider:

1.    Cultivate your assertiveness with practice, role play and conversation rehearsal to help you speak up with confidence about your strengths and goals. 

2.    Think and act beyond your scope. Keep talking to peers even if you have a busy project. Broaden your knowledge so you can speak with authority and interest. Lean-in, sit at every table, get in on every meeting.

3.    Speak up about your accomplishments and achievements. Celebrate them and celebrate other’s achievements too. 

4.    Don't sit in the background; Make sure people know who you are and what you have to offer. Network strategically up, across and outside of the company. Always talk to your managers/directors about what you want, and don't shy away from speaking about difficult issues.

5.    Get yourself involved in mentoring, where you can lead and guide. Become a role model and give voice to others while at the same time strengthening your own.

“The impulse is to say, I'm going to do the best job I can, and that will take care of things, but unfortunately, that won't take care of things”

Is this all easier said than done, though? When it comes to speaking up, my report revealed two themes – women berate themselves for not doing it more, and wish they spoke up sooner.

Self-advocacy is often an area outside of women's comfort zones. However, there was evidence that these mid-level female architects are becoming more proactive and are keen to learn the art of influence and negotiation. It was apparent that some had taken on more responsibility, demonstrating that they could do the job and arming themselves with justifications for deserving a promotion. They are finding their purposeful voice, without fear of the consequences.

Don't be afraid of the parapet. Put your head up, rise above it, knock it down even. Visible and robust communication is a far better option than hiding in the shadows, silent and unseen.