Discussion around paid parental leave and improved access to childcare has been welcomed by author, corporate coach and speaker Danielle Dobson, who says we cannot create pathways for women into the paid workforce and leadership positions without concurrently creating pathways for men into caring roles.
“More equitable paid parental leave will result in greater awareness and appreciation for the role of caring and carers in our society and more opportunities for feminine leadership,” says Danielle.
“The first step to gender equality are true partnerships in the home – where the mental and emotional load is shared by both parents. This may not be equally shared at all phases and stages of the partnership based on career changes, child-rearing, re-location etc. but having both partners ‘upskilled’ during parental leave is a huge benefit.”
Studies show that having both parents involved in caring in the child’s first year of life can set the tone for the caring patterns beyond that time. So if both parents are given the opportunity to take leave in a way they believe works best for their family based on their unique context, there is a greater probability of a more equitable sharing of the load.
In her research into women who are lead parents and also hold senior leadership positions, Danielle found that every leader, except one, shared that becoming a parent fundamentally changed them. It changed their contribution at work and their leadership style for the better, and it positively impacted the people around them.
“For most, the experience of being a parent was integral in helping them to further build their self-awareness, empathy and self-regulation – Emotional Intelligence 101. Encouraging men into parental leave will help them build these skills too, and become the leaders the world desperately needs.
“The leaders I interviewed said being a parent meant they’d built or strengthened other skills such as flexibility, adaptability, critical thinking, prioritisation, efficiency and creativity. Critical skills desperately needed in the workplace, leadership and all areas of life, especially right now,” says Danielle.
In conjunction with changes to the parental leave scheme, we also need to unpack why we are here in the first place. it’s crucial for families, workplaces and society to explore, expose, evaluate and rewrite the Gender Code.
It’s that set of beliefs that tells us women are naturally carers, and men are naturally providers.
“The Gender Code is embedded from a young age. It teaches us to focus on our differences, rather than our similarities, and it’s not encouraging equality or equal opportunity,” says Danielle.
Danielle’s book, Breaking the Gender Code, reveals the Gender Code holding women back, and gives practical tools on how to break the Gender Code and rewrite a code for life on your own terms.
Danielle also works with corporates and organisations to help them unlock the potential of the women on their teams, and attract the right female talent.
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