How Can Women Contribute More To The Innovative Digital Transformational Era? | Creativity and Innovation Matters

It is a given and inevitable that innovative digital technology has become part of our everyday normality in business and personal lifestyle. 

How can we as women contribute more to the innovative digital era taking into consideration the advancements innovative Artificial Intelligence Technology? 

I would like to hold onto the concept of "no woman left behind," and the #SheBelongs the most famously used hashtags during International Women's Day, as they represent equality, diversity and sense of belong for women in a transformative era. 

The pandemic has shown us that we have the guts to embrace creativity and innovation at drop of a hat and during extraordinary life changing and challenging situations. Which shows that in most cases, people (companies) have been holding onto traditional practices and feared embracing innovative ways of working. 

If the pandemic had not occurred most organizations and people would have still continued to remain glued and tied to traditional way of living and working. 

The question is do we have to wait for extraordinary live events before more change can happen?

We are making some advancements when it comes to including women, but we still have a long way to; 

1. The best innovators are still perceived to be domineering and aggressive well-known male like figures. 

2. Traditional some work industry have not moved on into providing equal spaces for women to work - in terms of opportunities, salaries and career advancement. Case in example STEM industries. 

3. In some instances where AI algorithms have targeted more men rather than women for higher paying roles. Is there a possibility that as AI become more innovative women could be left behind from some opportunities, due to inherited biases? – Source Ey Magazine 

How to develop for equal opportunities for women;

1. Earlier education and career development opportunities which encourage and introduce girls and women to STEM fields. 

2. Change in cultural and social perceptions of what girls and women can or cannot do in education and professional environments. 

3. Increase in diverse work environments, which welcome women's contribution and women being promoted in leadership roles regardless of age (equally as men). This will also help with retention of women in STEM fields for example. Also helps retain wealth of knowledge and skills. 

4. Not all women need to be qualified in STEM fields, in order for fit in the these industries. Critical thinking, creativity, innovative skills can also great contributions. 

5. Age should no longer be a limiting factor for women (i.e. over 45 years old), older women have valuable wealth of knowledge and skills which can enormously help contribute to greater outcomes for companies. Women generally live longer than men.

6. A move towards crediting women for their individual innate abilities/creativity and move beyond biases "expectations of what women can or cannot do."  

7. More mentorship, coaching, internships/career development opportunities which empower women to transform their career, no matter at what stage in their career life. 

8. STEM environments to determine how they can attract and retain more women. 

For us women to be more self-aware when choosing job opportunities which protect and safeguard our overall well-being and difference -  i.e. supportive workplace culture, where there are visible senior female role models, and ensure that women have access to coaching, mentorship, networks, flexible working and promotion opportunities. 

Social Media Platforms are a good case in example in allowing for innovation and creativity. Where creativity is equally rewarded and incentivized based on originality of content. 

Although this is a good initiative driven by Social Media Platforms, we also need to be very mindful of the adverse and opposite negative impact Social Media Platforms reducing the ability of creators to produce their own creative ideas. This due to the copy cat trends setting the tone for popular trends - where this defeats the purpose of originality. 

There is also the rapid cultural and social transformation, which has been fed this false narrative in expectations of creativity and innovative ideas. This notion, is cases where Creators, expect from the beginning immediate recognition (i.e. likes/follows) and financial rewards for their creativity. 

This can also ruin creativity in the long run and turn into something inauthentic. Moreover, impact the mental health and well-being of creators. 

Innovation of Social Media has already created environments of social and financial pressures where creators feel pressurized to continuously perform even when not creatively drawn to authentic and intuitive inspiration. To continuously deliver content to their audience in order to gain more recognition and praise, or increase in followers/likes.  This form of pressure can dilute the whole concept of creativity and turn it something far removed from reality. 

Is Social Media Innovation - All Doom and Gloom? 

Its not all doom and gloom thankfully. Social Media can offer great opportunities for instance;

• Being seen and heard for your personal story and creative contribution.

• You can easily develop a personal brand independently without waiting for approval from major corporations/brands to approve of your creativity.

• The audience rather than traditional work environments, approve your creativity.

• You have the opportunity to remain innovative and current as trends change.

• It can offer a freer space without external limiting factors for your to create - as opposed to working for other people. Where you have to wait for approval and sign off processes.

• Social Media is ageless whereby women of any change have the chance and opportunity to create and share their creativity to the world.

The longevity in social media comes through first knowing your sense of self. Also in being able to standout and be different. This is not easy for many women to do especially if you struggle with self-limiting beliefs and are easily influenced by external factors. 

Why should women have a larger role in Innovation and Creativity? 

• Gender equality is a human right, without women's contribution (our voice and ideas) there is no equal progress or advancement in technology. 

• Diverse environments improve performance and produces better successful outcomes.

• Women contribution is needed to improve innovation efforts. For instance, products produced for women, cannot be created without women's input and our perspective. 

• We are better off when we all contribute equally in society to innovation and creativity.  

• Great innovators are great collaborators, research studies have proven this over and again. For example, successful teams score higher where social sensitivity (i.e. listening skills) is part of the equation. Women score higher in social sensitivity skills.

What can you as a woman do on an individualistic level?

• Step outside of your comfort zone often and push beyond self-limiting beliefs . This is where you are most likely to connect with your authentic self and innovative creative ideas. 

• Embrace the power of your imagination and don’t discredit or dismiss it (you), on the account of appeasing and pleasing other people. Your creativity can help transform the lives of other people.

• Always be prepared for the future - expect the unexpected and don't stay too long in normalized standards, continuously be open to innovate ways of working these way you will always see solutions rather than problems.

• Tune in more to your highest intuitive state "gut instinct" - trust it as it never lies in terms of following your true intended life purpose and vision. 

• Be open minded to experience new experiences - this is where you are most likely to start overcoming self-limiting beliefs. 

• Acknowledge/own your creativity and innovative way of thinking including your intellectual property rights without being apologetic - embrace your creativity for what it is and not expected social and cultural standards (i.e. creatives can only be artists). 

• Last but not least remain authentic and aligned with your Life Vision and Purpose as much as possible, so as not to dilute your vision and creative style in order to please the masses. 

To end, now more than ever is the best time to embrace for we as women to embrace our creativity and innovative thinking as positive added social and community contribution. 

Creativity and innovation is a fundamental human skill which is required and should not be disregarded and limited to only a few people (i.e. Artistic people) or to one gender. 

-     Critical and solution focused people can also be creative.

-     those who listen to others and generously share insights can also be considered creative people. 

Useful Educational Resources:

• Girls Who Code 
• Unesco TeachHer Initiative 
• Start Your Online Business with a Clear Life Vision Plan Handbook by Chiko Matenda

• Alpha Girls: The Women Upstarts Who Took on Silicon Valley's Male Culture and Made the Deals of a Lifetime by Julian Guthrie

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey

 

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