Now's the Time for Women in STEM
- Marcy Stoudt
- Jun 5
- 2 min read
The statistics help, but are they necessary? Take the 4-minute mile for example--a once deemed impossible challenge for humans. Until it wasn’t. Two short months later, a second person ran the mile in under 4 minutes, too.
How did it happen? In 1954, Roger Bannister relentlessly visualized himself running the mile in 3:59 seconds until his body and mind were certain they could achieve it. He faced the limiting belief of the impossible by training himself to ignore the statistically improbable.
What if Women in STEM do the same thing? In 2019, women only represent only a quarter of the STEM workforce. According to the US Census, “in 1970, women made up 38% of all U.S. workers and 8% of STEM workers. By 2019, the STEM proportion had increased to 27% and women made up 48% of all workers.” These numbers feel grim. But are these statistics necessary?
As an executive coach working with Women in STEM, I’ve challenged my clients to reframe their thinking. Instead of envisioning a glass cap on their potential, I asked them to focus on a glass door. Imagine the team of people on the other side who are beckoning you to enter the room. Visualize pulling the handle. See yourself stepping forward. Watch yourself walking through the door. Are you ready to have a seat at the table?
In today’s market, companies are recognizing that to win in technology the top leaders need to listen to customer needs, bring creative ideas to the table, and collaborate with partners. These are the skills that are often perceived as “feminine” leadership traits. The Women in STEM initiatives in both the classroom and in companies have gained momentum for future generations to succeed. Yet, when the conversations continue to focus on negative statistics and “why aren’t we there, yet?” we accidentally foster the limiting belief that it’s hard for women in IT.
Now is the time to step through the glass door and ask, are these statistics even relevant? If you practice like Roger Bannister, you, too, can achieve what the body and mind are certain of.
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Marcy Stoudt is a seasoned sales leader dedicated to shaping the future of talent acquisition and executive coaching. As the founder of Revel Search and Revel Coach, Marcy collaborates with corporate clients to develop innovative strategies for attracting, advancing, and retaining top-tier talent.
During her 22 years at Allegis Group, Marcy was TEKsystems's first female Vice President. She led a team of 300 producers and delivered four consecutive years of revenue results at 18% CAGR, averaging $320 million annually. While at MarketSource, she established the Customer Experience Strategy for the Target Mobile outsourced sales team at 1,540 Target locations, fostering executive-level relationships with Target and Apple.
The Revel Coach™ Blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not mental health, financial, business or legal advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any medical, mental or emotional condition. The information presented here is not a guarantee that you will obtain any results or earn any money using our content.
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