The recent split of Tennis player Andy Murray with his coach Amelie Mauresemo once again raised eyebrows regarding woman’s commitment to her work and her family at the same time. I always admired Andre Murray but now I have great respect for him. Murray clarified doubts that they had their own set of challenges but Gender was never one. Murray also gave credit to Mauresemo as a coach who helped him regain his confidence in his lowest moments and helped him reach his career best ranking of No 2 in International Tennis.
How the human mind works is not really funny..in fact it is pretty predictable. As Mauuresemo has a young son, the verdict got passed that she could therefore not do justice to her role as a coach to Murray along with other professional commitments. However, eyelids did not bat when Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer split last year. Stefan wanted to spend more time with his family and hence they mutually ended their professional engagement.
The above two episodes have the same reasons for the Quits but is seen with two very distinctive lens. As Mauresesemo is a woman, gender and her commitment as a mother was seen as a natural progression thus reinforcing I many doubting minds that family always take priority for a woman. However, in case of Stefan Edberg, the view of the same doubting minds would be that of ‘The Complete Man’
So, when in my sessions, my dear friends ask, why should women leadership be a part of a number quota, my answer is that most of the times men are more often than not loaded with extra privileges. Women have to try harder. Period. And hence a number quota is essential to get them to a level playing field.
Working moms are always under scrutiny and have to often face bias. I recall one of my coachee running a technology firm mentioning that her client once mentioned that she must be running her business as part time as she was also an active social media mom. When she confronted him on the quality of service provided by her and her team, he had only good things to say. However, the perception was still holding a bias.
Motherhood definitely adds on responsibility but being a mother I can easily say it also make me much more responsible, much more accountable. And this definitely does not mean women who do not adopt motherhood are any less responsible and accountable but at the same time women who adopt motherhood are also not any less. On the contrary, Fatherhood is actually seen as a bonus for men as organizations feel being a father, the loyalty factor of a male executive is higher as he has a family to take care of. I do not understand the penalty which comes with motherhood and the bonus which comes with fatherhood… Do you?
I was reading an interview of Jane Edison Stevenson vice chairman, board and CEO services at Korn Ferry, leading Executive search firm and she shared that during one of her important assignments she got to know she was pregnant . Feeling committed to the client, she broke the news to the client asking if h would still want her to continue with the assignment ; she was apologetic in her tone. Kudos to the client who congratulated her and said that even talking about it was illegal.
We need more men and women like Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresemo, we need more clients like Jane engaged with. We need more CEOs who strongly communicate against the conscious- unconscious bias which comes as a package deal with maternity. We need more working women who are absolutely unapologetic about their motherhood.
