Breaking the glass ceiling takes courage and tenacity. When the going gets tough (and it does), minorities need role models that reflect themselves, showing that achieving their goal is possible.

Take Jennifer Cabalquinto (pictured, bottom left), chief financial officer of the Golden State Warriors. Chief number cruncher for a national sports franchise isn’t a traditionally female position, and Cabalquinto originally discounted herself for the job.

“When the Warriors opportunity came up, I naturally said, ‘Well no, I don’t have any sports background,’” she told Jeff Frick, host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, during a digital CUBE Conversation and leadership panel on diversity, inclusion and equality. But Cabalquinto did have a background in entertainment, which is exactly what the Warriors were looking for.

Kate Hogan (bottom right), chief operating officer of North America at Accenture PLC, also nearly missed a career opportunity because she wasn’t initially able to imagine herself in the role. She recalls a mentor saying he’d been waiting for her to call about an open position. “And I never even thought about it,” Hogan recalled. “I just never thought that I’d be a candidate for the job, let alone somebody waiting for me to make the phone call.”

Women commonly discount their abilities, according to Cabalquinto. “We self-edit, and we want to check every box before we think that we’re qualified,” she said. Instead, women should advocate for themselves and know their value.

“Understanding what you’re worth and being willing to fight for that is critical,” Cabalquinto added.

Cabalquinto, Hogan, and fellow diversity champions InaMarie Johnson (top right), chief people and diversity officer at Zendesk Inc., and Annabel R. Chang (top left), head of state policy and government affairs at Waymo LLC, spoke with Frick about their career journeys and how they are working to create open, equal and supportive cultures within their organizations.

Friends tell friends how to close the salary gap

Understanding the intricacies of salary negotiations and sharing information about pay scales, bonuses, and other compensation is important for women. “The Gender Pay Gap in Tech” report showed that in New York a female tech employee earns on average $5,369 a year less than her male counterpart. And in California, she’s likely to make $8,914 less.

Being transparent can help women overcome this gender gap, according to Chang.

”One of the most impactful tools that I’ve ever had was a group of people that I could be open with talking about salary negotiations and talking about how to really manage equity,” she said.

Thanks to that group of women, Chang gained insights that allowed her to raise her salary level. “If you haven’t openly talked about salary negotiations before, you should begin to do so,” she said.

Being risk-averse is another way in which women unintentionally sideline their career journey.

“Don’t be afraid to step into the role where all of the answers are not bedded down,” Johnson said. “Because at the end of the day, you can influence what those answers are.”

Johnson speaks from personal experience. Early in her career, she was offered a position that required her to move cross-country with her family. At first, she was reluctant to “rock the boat,” but after some advice and encouragement from her boss, she “stepped into that uncertainty.”

Describing the relocation as a “pivotal moment” in her career, she said: “I didn’t always know who I was going to work with. I didn’t know the challenges and scope I would take on. But those were some of the biggest learning experiences and opportunities, and it made me a better executive.”

Bold leadership drives change

Choosing a career with a company that actively offers minorities the chance to advance can make the difference between becoming stuck at mid-level and making it to the top. “Intentionally seek out the company that has an inclusive culture, because we know that companies that have inclusive cultures retain women in tech longer,” Hogan said.

Not surprisingly, all the panel members represent companies that champion diversity. In 2018, Accenture set the goal to have a gender-balanced workforce by 2025. Currently at 40% women to 60% men, the company is looking good to reach that goal, according to Hogan.

“But it’s not just about gender equality,” she said. “Probably as, or more important right now … [is] the fact that our leadership has also taken a pretty bold stand against social injustice and racism.”

Zendesk is also committed to changing the face of the workforce.

“Our culture is highly threaded with the concept of empathy; it’s been there from our beginning,” Johnson said. “We have always tried to be a company that walks in the shoes of our customers.”

Johnson spearheaded the call for the company to appoint a chief diversity officer to put a face to those efforts, and in a June 2020 blog she outlined five core actions Zendesk was taking to establish a more equitable society.

“Be authentically you and know that you belong in the organization that you are seeking and you were there because you have a unique perspective and a voice that needs to be heard,” Johnson said. “Bring that voice and that perspective, because the company will be a better company, the management team will be a better management team, the workforce will be a better workforce when you belong, thrive and share that voice.”

Here’s the complete video interview, one of many CUBE Conversations and Women in Tech features from SiliconANGLE and theCUBE:

Photo: SiliconANGLE