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WE ASKED THIS YEAR’S PANEL OF INFLUENTIAL WOMEN TO OFFER THEIR INSIGHTS ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CREATE MORE GENDER EQUALITY ON THE CORPORATE SIDE OF DIRECT SELLING. WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY MAY SURPRISE YOU.
UNINTENTIONAL INEQUALITY
FOR CINDY MONROE, FOUNDER AND CEO OF HANDBAGS AND ACCESSORIES BRAND THIRTY-ONE GIFTS, THE DISPARITY IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP IS NOT BY DESIGN. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LEADING AND LAGGING INDUSTRIES AND COMPANIES, AND SHE BELIEVES GENDER EQUALITY IS ONE OF SEVERAL AREAS—TECHNOLOGY, DIGITALIZATION, TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BEING THE OTHERS—IN WHICH DIRECT SELLING IS LAGGING BEHIND.
“I DON’T KNOW THAT THE AREA OF GENDER INEQUALITY IS INTENTIONAL, BUT RATHER A LACK OF PRIORITIZATION AMONG STRATEGIC PLANNING,” SHE SAYS. “THIRTY-ONE HAS 40 PERCENT WOMEN WITHIN OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM, NOT INCLUDING MYSELF. I BELIEVE THAT COACHING AND DEVELOPING TALENT IS A GREAT PLACE TO BEGIN WITH CHANGING GENDER INEQUALITY WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY. HOWEVER, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT PROFESSIONAL WOMEN INTO OUR COMPANIES.”
ANGELA LOEHR CHRYSLER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF MEMBERSHIP SAVINGS COMPANY TEAM NATIONAL, NOTES THAT THE CHANNEL SHOULD BE A GREAT FIT FOR WOMEN EXECUTIVES, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH NUMBER OF WOMEN DIRECT SELLERS BUT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING ASPECTS OF DIRECT SELLING THAT ARE CENTRAL TO THE BUSINESS.
“I DO BELIEVE HAVING A DIVERSE TEAM OF MEN AND WOMEN AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL IS HEALTHY AND PROVIDES A NICE BALANCE OF PERSONALITIES AND STRENGTHS FOR THE OFFICE AND FIELD,” LOEHR CHRYSLER SAYS. “THE INDUSTRY NEEDS TO BE OPEN TO PROMOTING FROM WITHIN OUR COMPANIES TO SUPPORT AND RECOGNIZE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE CONNECTING WELL AND EMBRACING THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR INDUSTRY.”
FROM HER PERSPECTIVE, CANDACE MATTHEWS OF AMWAY, THE WORLD’S LARGEST DIRECT SELLING COMPANY, LOCATED IN ADA, MICHIGAN, BELIEVES THE DIRECT SELLING CHANNEL NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND ITS CONSUMERS—WHO ARE PRIMARILY WOMEN—AND APPOINT LEADERSHIP APPROPRIATELY, WHILE ALSO EMBRACING THE CHANGE THAT MUST OCCUR.
REGIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAS, MATTHEWS SAYS, “ACCORDING TO STUDIES SUCH AS WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE BY MCKINSEY AN LEANIN.ORG, WOMEN REMAIN UNDERREPRESENTED AT EVERY LEVEL OF CORPORATE AMERICA, DESPITE HAVING EARNED MORE COLLEGE DEGREES THAN MEN HAVE OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS.”
SHE ALSO NOTES THAT STUDIES SHOW MANY COMPANIES OVERLOOK THE REALITIES OF WOMEN OF COLOR, WHO FACE THE GREATEST OBSTACLES AND RECEIVE THE LEAST SUPPORT.
“WHEN COMPANIES TAKE A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH TO ADVANCING WOMEN, WOMEN OF COLOR END UP UNDERSERVED AND LEFT BEHIND,” SHE SAYS. “IF WE WANT TO CREATE MORE GENDER EQUALITY ON THE CORPORATE SIDE OF THE DIRECT-SELLING BUSINESS, COMPANIES NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR SUPPORTING, ADVOCATING AND ADVANCING WOMEN. ORGANIZATIONS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PARTICULAR BARRIERS AND ADDRESS THEM DIRECTLY.”
