Do women require their own leadership programs?
It’s a topic that is hotly debated that has a wide range of opinions. But there’s certainly an argument to make about the positive effects of having more women being in senior roles. According to the report from Morgan Stanley report:
“More female diversity in the workplace, specifically in the workplace, could result in increased productivity, more innovations, better products, better decision making, and better retention of employees as well as satisfaction.”
Despite the obvious positive effects, leadership across the globe remains uneven and women account for just a quarter managerial posts across the globe. This disparity is even more pronounced for more senior management positions.
24 hours a day Wall St. analysed data from LedBetter, a research organization LedBetter and found that out of the 234 companies which control more than 2000 of the world’s best well-known brands, only 14 of the businesses were led by women and nine were completely devoid of women working in executive positions as well as on the boards.
While there is a vast amount of work to be done for organizations to attain equality in outcomes and opportunities helping leaders who identify as female to feel secure is crucial.
There is now the emergence of a new type of female leadership, embodied by such leaders as Jacinda Ardern Michelle Obama and Angela Merkel. A style that suggests you can be powerful as well as compassionate and grounded at the at the same at the same time.
Why is it that it is easier for some women , but not other women?
Certain people believe that leadership positions should be awarded based solely on merit and that gender shouldn’t play a role in it. This issue will not be addressed in one piece, but it will provide thoughts within the L&D community.
Working in both larger corporate organizations as well as smaller start-ups during my 16-year career being a woman executive, I have not received any specific women’s 女性領袖訓練營 and all of the programs I’ve participated in (both as facilitator and delegate) have been fairly and balanced in regards to gender. There were outspoken males as well as women in these programs as well as introverts from both genders.
But with regards to the three tables I’ve sat at in my career , I’ve been in the minority by an inch or two. Since I have been in the education profession for a long time, I’m self-aware of my personal traits. I’ve also earned certifications with a number of different tools, and have all given me similar readings regarding my personality: Extroverted, Assertive, Thinker and more. In fact, when I changed my moniker to marriage in 2001 , to Carolyn “Blunt,” my family and friends laughed at the adequacy of my name.
This got me thinking what is the reason I was able to pursue an executive career with what I felt was relatively easy, and with no women-focused growth? Are women who exhibit those traits that are often considered to be male-dominated are able to climb to the top more easily than women who don’t possess those characteristics?
Naturally there is a negative advantage to any personality. While I was confident and confident, I frequently lacked sensibility, diplomacy, and tact. These are the things I’ve been working hard on (and continue to work on) even to this day.
However, I did find that when I led assertiveness-training, the majority of my participants were female. They were there because they often wish they were able to speak out more in meetings, or felt that they were being that they were being abused in team projects and were in a position of being unable to say no to the demands made upon their colleagues in the workplace.
A new way of leading is in the works
We are witnessing the rising trend of a new type of female leadership, embodied by such leaders as Jacinda Ardern Michelle Obama and Angela Merkel. A style that suggests that you can be powerful and compassionate in the same way. I think that the leadership programs we develop in the future must reflect this.
A recent poll revealed that Ardern is the most popular Premier in the last 100 years. Nearly 92 percent of those polled say they are in favor of the initiatives she has implemented. She has managed to balance her responsibilities while also welcoming her new baby daughter. She also shoots away any questions about whether women need to choose between careers and family.
In reality and having had two children in my professional life It is unattainable to expect women to to be successful in every aspect of family and work.
The resulting homeworking caused by the global pandemic of the year 2020 is a step towards reduce the burden on business travelers. However, it has also created new challenges due to the closing of schools and the need for childcare that can leave working women feeling a bit jaded (one small victory is the new level of understanding for children when they disrupt the conference call).
Women-only programs create an atmosphere of security for those who want to increase in confidence or tend to be introverted however, they can still be great leaders.
What do the most recent stats show?
In 2020, just five percent out of FTSE 100 Chief Executives (CEOs) are female and that means that 95% are men. However, FTSE 250 is even further in the back, with only five female CEOs. There’s much to do in order to reach an equality that is reflective of the society in which there are girls born to the 107 males. The UK government is also a part of this trend and has in the year 2019 announced that 50% of the FTSE 100 executive level appointments in 2020 should be female in order to reach the goal for 33% women representation on boards within the index.
The 33 per cent figure is considered to be a mystical number, according to research from The Pipeline also found that FTSE companies that have over 33 percent female executives enjoy an operating profit margin that is more than 10 times higher than firms that do not have women at this point. This is equivalent to the UK economy, and shareholders losing more than PS47 billion in pre-tax profits.
Diversity isn’t just an ethical thing to do , but it also makes good business sense too.
Women’s networks can help women combat unhealthy mental patterns
I think that having an exclusive women’s program creates an environment that is safe for women who are looking to increase in confidence or tend to be more introverted, however, they can still be amazing leaders. Being part of a community of people who are welcoming to those outside of your company can provide an opportunity to build a new support network with new perspectives, and lots of support.
One of the most common mistakes women who lead is the ‘imposter’s syndrome’ which is the belief that they shouldn’t be in the position they are and are likely to be “found out” and the’sideways syndrome’, where they compare them to their peers in a negative way as well as making assumptions regarding what women are doing well, but not understanding the actual challenges behind the back of the scenes.
It is important to be more open about these issues and obtaining prompt support and strategies via an online women’s group can benefit not just women but also the organization that they are working for.
Alongside the elements of business education the main focus of our long-term program of development for women is listening to the stories of women around the world and learning the steps they took to achieve their goals and the challenges they’ve had to overcome and the ways they conquered these obstacles. Recognizing the ‘imposter’ syndrome’ and “sideways syndrome” and being able to break these negative thought patterns is essential.
