Sure. I think that's a very interesting question because when we are looking at women in those most senior levels of leadership, if they are having to make that choice, why aren't workplaces erasing that choice with policy? Why aren't they becoming more flexible to women's schedules? Why are those responsibilities falling to just women outside of the workplace?
Maybe there is a level of choice but I don't think that is the biggest barrier to women attaining the highest levels of the C-suites in leadership right now. Perhaps there absolutely is a lifestyle consideration with any of that, but I think there are ways that workplaces and employers can implement policy to make the workplace more accessible for women.
Just from a personal anecdote, I know that Pacific Blue Cross in B.C. specifically has put in place some really fantastic policies. Jan K. Grude, the CEO, sat on the Women's Leadership Circle when I was involved with that. He talked about how he worked individually with women in high leadership to really ask what they need to be supported. Sometimes it's child care. Sometimes it's that extra vacation time to take care of their families. It's a bigger question than a lifestyle decision.
I think we also need to start identifying talent in the workplace early and put mentorship in place and have CEOs and high level executives mentoring women from early on. I don't think there's a single answer to your question. Yes, lifestyle might be a consideration, but I think there is a lot more to consider than just that.