Let’s talk about money, and no, it’s not crass
AUGUST IS MONEY MONTH INSIDE THE CLUB
In 2022 we launched August Money Month inside The She-Suite® Club and it was such a hit (and got such great results) that we are doing it again. It’s an opportunity to talk about money, the gender salary gap and negotiation tactics that work for women, in a safe environment. But the narrow, socialised, stereotyped norm for women is that we don’t talk about money – it’s deemed as somehow greedy, not nice, and unladylike for women to talk about money.
In fact, research by Fidelity in 2015 found that a whopping 61% of women would rather talk about their own death than talk about money. Crazy right?
It’s complicated!
As Gloria lamented in her fabulous monologue in the Barbie Movie “You have to have money but you can’t ask for money. Because that’s crass.”
To be honest, it was an eye watering conversation I had with a close friend where she disclosed how much money she earned, and we worked out it was 3X more than me – yet our education, IQ and drive levels were similar. Importantly, she worked in masculine dominated industries and had an agent negotiating for her. Previously I had no idea that anyone in my close circle earned that much or that it might be possible for anyone I knew. In fact, this was a defining moment in my own career and a turning point in my own earning potential. That was a money conversation worth having – even for her as it helped her work out what she needed to keep on doing.
The problem for women when we don’t talk about money
When women don’t talk about money we perpetuate a range of things that hold us back including:
- lack of transparency around salary and rates of pay
- the myth that women aren’t good with money
- lack of confidence and knowledge about remuneration options, wealth building tools and know how to grow your earning potential
- lack of skills and tactics in negotiation
- which in turn contributes to the gender salary gap and results in you leaving even more money on the table than is absolutely necessary.
So what can we all do?
Get comfortable talking about money of course! Over the course of August, She-Suite® Club members are doing just that. We’ll sharing a range of resources for those who need negotiation support. Plus we’ll be talking about money and how to become more comfortable talking about it, asking for more and feeling more in control about money.
Want to join us in The Club? Three Steps
If you’re looking for some quick inspo read my AFR Boss Magazine article and follow up article on negotiation mistakes
Remember, if you don’t ask you won’t get, and if what you’re asking for isn’t scaring you a little, then you’re not asking for enough. And, don’t forget for every women who gets a raise, it raises the bar for women everywhere. Or worse, if you don’t ask for a raise, it likely goes to a man because he does ask, and it’s a bell curve thing.
Nothing bad happens when women earn more money.
Fortune favours the well prepared particularly on LinkedIn
View Post