Women Superstars

Right on the heels of Lena's post, I'd like to share some info I discovered via a roundabout way, starting with Google alerts on marketing to women. Naturally, you would expect me to check out who's saying what, on the net, about marketing to women, online or off. For the record, I particularly like Mary Hunt, Andrea Learned, Michele Miller, Toby Bloomberg, and Holly Buchanan (among others; the list is far too long to include all in one post) - and it's a rare treat to find a member of the 'other' gender, who deserves mention and praise. But, I found one.

Bob Sutton is the author of The No Asshole Rule (please, it's HIS title, not mine) and writes the blog "Bob Sutton - Work Matters." I came across this blog post and could not resist sharing, "Steal Women Superstars But NOT Men." He quotes from an article at Harvard Business Review written by Boris Gorysberg. Here's THE IDEA: [note: full article costs $$]:

A star performer in one company will shine in another, right? Wrong. When stars switch firms, their performance actually dims, along with their new company’s market value, author Boris Groysberg argues. Everyone loses.

Except when the stars are women. According to Groysberg, talented women who switch firms maintain their stardom, and their new employer’s share price holds steady. Groysberg provides two explanations for this discrepancy:

• Unlike men, high-performing women build their success on portable, external relationships—with clients and other outside contacts.

• Women considering job changes weigh more factors then men do, especially cultural fit, values, and managerial style.

These strategies enable women to transition more successfully to new companies. And that has crucial implications for all professionals. By understanding successful women’s career strategies, women and men can strengthen their ability to shine in any setting.

I particularly like Bob's conclusion, "So, there you have it. If you are out shopping for superstar employees, the evidence suggest that hiring women rather than men will give you an advantage... And if you are a man, and want to be a portable superstar, study what women do."

Be sure to check out Bob's 15 Things I Believe - I'm partial to #5 and 6...

Now, any questions on the women superstar issue?

Comments

[Toby]

Yvonne - High praise from the woman who wrote one of the first important books on marketing to women. I'm honored to be part of your short list of blog reads.

[Mary]

Bob's a keeper. I like a man with attitude and who appreciates the culture of networking.