Who’s holding your ladder?

Who’s Holding Your Ladder? Supporting women in healthcare, research, and leadership, 7 May 2022, was presented by Monash Partners, Melbourne Academic Centre for Heath (MACH), Western Alliance, and AHRA Women’s Health Research Translation & Impact Network.

Below are some highlights captured on Twitter. More available at #WHYL22

Who’s Holding Your Ladder?
Professor Caroline Homer AO

The extraordinary journey of @CarolineHomer and her ladder holders . Thanks for sharing Caroline! #WHYL22 @whrtn_ahra @MonashPartners @MACHAustralia pic.twitter.com/VSahVb6bxY

— jacquiboyle 💉 💉 💉 (@jacanab) May 7, 2022

Values-based Leadership
Professor Sandra Eades AO

@SandraEades talking on values-based leadership: this comprises self-reflection, balance, humility, authenticity and self-improvement. Values shape the way we interact in the personal and professional spaces in our life #WHYL22 #whoseholdingyourladder pic.twitter.com/pJZLcflYu0

— Jenny Proimos (@jproimos) May 7, 2022

Social Media: honey pots and bear traps
Dr Hannah Brown

@DrScienceLover’s toolkit for using social media:
1. learn to listen and learn from diverse perspectives. Beware that you don’t put in writing anything you don’t want read out in court. #WHYL22

2. It’s a fabulous place to champion other people and their achievements. BUT, ensure you are doing it for their good, not yours. Credit their work. #WHYL22

3. It’s a great place for sharing information and networking. #WHYL22

4. Use the network to share high-quality information. Strategically share the expert group’s work. #WHYL22

5. Curate curate curate. Always review your work and feel free to walk away when you do. Above all else, enjoy it. It should be a great place. #WHYL22 Credit to @DrScienceLover for wise funny and heartfelt expert advice on social media.

— Jenny Proimos (@jproimos) May 7, 2022

Work Place Wellness
Professor Marie Bismark

@mbismark quotes Angela Glover Blackwell @policylink: “Get it right for an elite few and you get it right for an elite few; get it right for the most vulnerable and you get it right for everyone”. Impt to consider equity in workplace wellness, esp. in COVID times. #WHYL22 pic.twitter.com/UOFDN7jMLj

— Jenny Proimos (@jproimos) May 7, 2022

Diversity: it’s not just gender. Being an advocate and an ally
Jacynta Krakouer

1. Confront our own ethno centricism and be aware how you benefit from that #WHYL22

2. Don’t burden minorities with your own white fragility #WHYL22

3. Educate yourself, learn and listen #WHYL22

4. Be aware of the spaces you hold #WHYL22

5. Ask yourself if you’re serving others or yourself in holding that space #WHYL22

6. Step aside and make room for others #WHYL22

7. Don’t hold a seat for only those that are palatable. Diversity includes providing opportunities for those that may make us uncomfortable #WHYL22

8. Don’t speak for others and allow them to speak for themselves #WHYL22

9. Call out injustice for others #WHYL22

10. Continue to call it out until change occurs #WHYL22

— Dr Bec Szabo (@inquisitiveGyn) May 7, 2022

The problem of ‘being nice’: difficult conversations and performance review
Jacqui Olney

Lead in the top right corner, with radical candor: to evoke change with kindness #Jacquiolney #WHYL22 pic.twitter.com/T4EGSkAUtM

— Aveena (@DrAveenaaa) May 8, 2022

Public Health and Advocacy
Professor Nancy Baxter

Great advice about self advocacy from @enenbee:
1. Set boundaries and expectations
2. Help others understand what you need & what your requirements are
3. Be clear on the support you need to perform effectively
4. Communicate your worth #WHYL22 pic.twitter.com/wZxbph1buw

— Penny Robinson (@PennyRobaus) May 7, 2022

Is there something in your life you want to change?
1. Be proactive
2. Be curious (something that looks like malevolence might just be incompetence)
3. Be flexible
4. Be strategic
- @enenbee #WHYL

— Prof Marie Bismark (@mbismark) May 7, 2022

“I decided no-one was ever going to gaslight me again about the truth of my experience of gender bias in surgical referrals. So I did research and proved that the problem is real.” @enenbee #WHYL22 pic.twitter.com/Sg1RKfpSyV

— Prof Marie Bismark (@mbismark) May 7, 2022

Effective public health advocacy:
1. Understand who is making decisions
2. Articulate the change you want & offer solutions that make sense
3. Develop a compelling story with emotion
4. Work behind the scenes
4. Believe you have influence - because you do!
- @enenbee #WHYL22

— Prof Marie Bismark (@mbismark) May 7, 2022

When you’re doing public health advocacy “Come with friends”:
- invest in relationships
- build broad coalitions
- plan for opposition@enenbee #WHYL

— Prof Marie Bismark (@mbismark) May 7, 2022

Leadership in a crisis
Prof Sharon Lewin AO

@ProfSharonLewin’s essential tools in a time of crisis (ie. a pandemic!)…

- COMMUNICATION
- unity in messaging
- protecting colleagues against burnout
- constant acknowledgement of colleagues
- essentials of self care#WHYL22

— Belinda Moore #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 (@DIPadvocate17) May 7, 2022