Why You Need A “To-Don’t” List | Female Directors Make Golden Globes History | Remembering Cicely Tyson | And More

Plus: From Progress To Parity: How Do We Reduce The 257-Year Wage Gap?

Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, made headlines this week for expressing his belief that women are the reason for meetings that drag on for too long. Women, he said, talk too much; he finds this “annoying.” 

The appropriate reactions to this unfounded and sexist statement include everything from laughing to screaming (I chose the former, in large part because I summarized his feelings in ten words, whereas Mori needed 38). Forbes senior contributor Kim Elsesser, however, was much more productive with her response than I, using his comments as an opportunity to look at research that proves Mori is not only wrong to lean on such a tired stereotype, he’s (sadly) not alone.

“Misperceptions that women are too talkative and need to be shut down have some serious repercussions in the workplace,” she writes. “Speaking up and having your voice heard is a necessary step in gaining recognition and sharing ideas. Instead of discouraging women from speaking up, we should be encouraging them to participate more.”

Cheers to that!
Maggie

P.S.: Because I used to contribute reporting for the Fintech 50 and bemoaned the dearth of female founders in the application pool, a plug for my colleagues on the money team: nominations for the Fintech 50 are open now until February 17. If you know of (or have yourself founded) a company changing finance through technology, apply to be on the list through this link! 

ICYMI: Stories From The Week

Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Cicely Tyson, whose signature TV film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman broke barriers and made her a household name, died on Thursday afternoon at the age of 96. Tributes in her honor poured in from Oprah, Michelle Obama, Viola Davis and more.

In Wednesday’s Golden Globe nominations, women made history: Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), Regina King (One Night in Miami) and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) were nominated for best director, making 2021 the first year that more than one woman was nominated for the category and the first time that female director nominees outnumber their male counterparts.

In case anyone is still making jokes about quarantines leading to a baby boom, new research confirms they need new material: the pandemic (and its ensuing economic devastation and childcare crisis) is inducing a baby bust, with some 300,000 fewer births expected in the U.S. this year. 

Shelly Bell, founder and CEO of Black Girl Ventures, received a $500,000 investment from Nike to provide Black and brown female-identifying founders with access to community and capital.

On Monday, Myanmar’s military staged a coup and detained civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, supported by international communities, came to power in the country’s 2015 elections but faced widespread criticism after she defended the military against allegations of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims. 

Earlier this month, Kaitlan Collins was named CNN’s chief White House correspondent, becoming the youngest person in network history to secure the role. She spoke to ForbesWomen about how covering Trump fueled her career.

Check List

#1: Build a “to-don’t” list. If you want to become a more assertive communicator and build better boundaries in work or life, start by making a list of tasks or favors you will no longer do.

#2: Remember color theory. Consumers make subconscious product decisions in less than two minutes after seeing an item, and some 90% of this is based on color alone. Keep this in mind as you build and market your brand.

#3: Do a mini-360. Trying to figure out your next career move? Ask three-to-five close colleagues or trusted friends these six questions.

Across Forbes