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valuable productivity and top female leadership positive classroom culture that when our students feel
and talent, as 43% of highly qualified women safe and valued, they are more likely to take personal
with children take a career detour. This and musical risks. The same is true for women in the
includes college-educated women who invested choral profession.
in an education and who presumably never Women experience fatigue from the mental load of
planned to exit the workforce…but many do persistent self-advocacy needed in their work, including
so anyway, feeling they grossly underestimated loss of identity, taxing mental load, underutilized
the demands and difficulty of combining work education, and few women role models in leadership
and parenting. positions. These barriers often lead many women
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to feel isolated, developing resentment toward their
An updated 2024 study found that of the fifty-two careers and ultimately resulting in their departure from
institutions in the United States that grant a doctorate the workforce. As conductor-teachers, we have the
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of musical arts degree, only twelve have women leading responsibility of advocating for students, colleagues, and
programs. Said differently, those seeking to study with programs, in addition to ourselves, which often leads
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a woman conductor at the doctoral level will find that to emotional fatigue. The support and development
only 23% of institutions currently meet this criterion. of more equitable avenues where women are seen,
understood, and supported will reduce frustration,
Action Item anxiety, and stress.
If you have a colleague on maternity leave, consider
offering to take on additional responsibilities in her “
absence. This includes not only completing tasks but Women experience fatigue from
also ensuring that others in the workplace recognize the mental load of persistent
that you were able to step into this role due to the
preparation and groundwork laid by your colleague self-advocacy needed in their work.
before her leave.
If you are a dean or administrator, implement policies
that ensure women on maternity leave can maintain the Action Item
same career advancement opportunities and promotion Advocate for the best workplace practices to ensure
timelines as their male counterparts. Additionally, that all employees feel valued. Recognize and support
supporting paternity and family leave policies that enable your women colleagues who may be engaging in self-
both parents to share caregiving responsibilities fosters a abandonment behaviors, such as downplaying their
more equitable work environment. Policies that benefit achievements, invalidating their contributions, taking
all employees promote work-life balance, enhance job on excess responsibility, or apologizing unnecessarily.
satisfaction, and support long-term productivity. Be a considerate colleague by completing your tasks on
time, recognizing the work of others, and continually
3) Fatigue from Self-Advocacy assessing if the workload is equitable. Avoid assuming
Self-advocacy is critical to career success; however, that you are already doing enough. Ask how you can
a study by the Indeed employment website showed continue to improve and make a greater impact.
that “73% of women surveyed expressed fear over how
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women are perceived when self-promoting.” Traits 4) Discrimination based on gender
such as passive behavior, not claiming recognition At the end of each conduct(her) podcast episode, guest
for work, and seeking to stay away from the public speakers are asked if they are willing to share a time
spotlight can be detrimental to career advancement. when they faced discrimination based on their gender.
For women to speak up in the workforce, they need to For the majority of guests, it takes time to narrow
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feel safe to self-advocate. We know from cultivating a down a specific incident they will speak about because

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