Leadership Shift Amid Pregnancy: Exploring Management, Organization, and Nurture at Six Months
In an unprecedented move, the global retail media specialist SMG has appointed its CEO while she was six months pregnant. This decision marks a significant step forward for the advertising industry, which has traditionally been cautious about progression and parenthood.
The individual, who has been with SMG for a long time, holding various roles such as commercial and client leadership, operations, and strategy, has taken on the CEO role in a shared and supported capacity with strong leaders across the business. Her pregnancy was met with a combination of congratulations, shock, curiosity, and a sense of unfamiliarity.
Yet, the perception of pregnant leaders in visible positions remains uncommon, and there's a notion that these two identities—CEO and mother—are somehow incompatible. Pregnancy does not diminish leadership potential, but it is often quietly managed or entirely hidden in such positions. The image of a CEO has been shaped by a fairly rigid set of expectations, including constant availability, full-time visibility, relentless drive, total independence, and rarely encumbered by visible caregiving responsibilities.
However, at SMG, roles are designed with an awareness that team members have important lives outside of work. The CEO's version of the role requires systems that are genuinely flexible. The role is more focused and built on trust, not presence. This approach is a testament to the company's commitment to creating a workplace culture that values contributions and impact above all else.
Common challenges for pregnant CEOs in the advertising industry include cultural and structural biases, subtle assumptions about ambition and availability, and delayed or softened responsibilities during pregnancy or parental leave. These challenges often stem from the industry’s historically cautious attitude toward progression during parenthood, where pregnancy is sometimes seen as reducing one's commitment or ambition, even if temporarily.
Key solutions involve building a supportive company culture that treats pregnancy and parental leave as normal parts of career progression, not exceptions. Exemplifying this, SMG has created an environment where leadership roles and parental leave coexist seamlessly, without career penalties or diminished expectations. Long-term talent thinking, where parental status does not impede professional growth, is crucial.
Additional practical solutions reported include transparent communication and role adjustments without compromising ambition or leadership responsibilities. Organizational structures that facilitate integrated, flexible work methods to accommodate client needs and leadership demands during pregnancy, as seen in some media agencies rethinking roles for modern work realities, are also beneficial. Normalizing the visibility of pregnant leaders publicly, demonstrating confidence and rejecting stereotypes, encourages acceptance and reduces stigma.
In summary, the advertising industry’s challenges for pregnant CEOs revolve around overcoming ingrained biases and structural inflexibility, while solutions emphasize creating inclusive, flexible cultures that treat pregnancy as a part of leadership rather than a barrier. Appointments like the individual's should be normal, following open conversations, long-term career planning, and a recognition that leadership potential doesn't vanish when someone becomes pregnant.
References:
[1] The Guardian. (2021). The hidden pregnancy penalty: why women are leaving top jobs in advertising. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/mar/15/the-hidden-pregnancy-penalty-why-women-are-leaving-top-jobs-in-advertising
[2] Ad Age. (2021). Why the U.S. is the only high-income country without paid parental leave. [online] Available at: https://adage.com/article/special-report-gender-equality/why-us-only-high-income-country-without-paid-parental-leave/2347747
[3] Campaign US. (2021). How media agencies are rethinking roles for modern work realities. [online] Available at: https://www.campaignus.com/article/how-media-agencies-are-rethinking-roles-for-modern-work-realities/
[4] Forbes. (2021). The importance of normalizing the visibility of pregnant leaders. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeswomen/2021/03/10/the-importance-of-normalizing-the-visibility-of-pregnant-leaders/?sh=48f8d34751c5
- The decision by SMG's global retail media specialist to appoint its CEO while she was six months pregnant has paved the way for affirmative change within the advertising industry, traditionally hesitant about progression and parenthood.
- Holding a range of roles such as commercial and client leadership, operations, and strategy, this individual has assumed the CEO role in a shared and supported capacity, challenging preconceived notions about the incompatibility of CEO and mother roles.
- Pregnancy should not be viewed as a deterrent to leadership potential, yet it is often carefully managed or concealed within CEO positions due to conventional expectations of leadership that emphasize constant availability, full-time visibility, and relentless drive.
- Despite the challenges faced by pregnant CEOs in the advertising industry such as cultural and structural biases, subtle assumptions about ambition and availability, and delayed or softened responsibilities during pregnancy or parental leave, companies like SMG are leading by example in creating an enabling workplace culture that celebrates contributions, impact, and health-and-wellness, regardless of career stage or lifestyle choices.
- Key solutions to foster a supportive work environment for pregnant CEOs include building a culture that normalizes pregnancy and parental leave as aspects of career progression, transparent communication, and role adjustments, all while honoring ambition and leadership responsibilities without compromising on fashion-and-beauty or careers.
- Organizational structures that facilitate integrated, flexible work methods to accommodate client needs and leadership demands during pregnancy, as seen in some media agencies rethinking roles for modern work realities, are crucial in breaking down barriers and fostering workplace-wellness.
- By publicly demonstrating confidence in pregnant leaders, normalizing their visibility, and rejecting entrenched stereotypes, it can encourage acceptance, reduce stigma, and open opportunities in finance, business, and other sectors for women's-health, leadership, and overall personal and professional growth.
