In a data-informed world, organizations look at data as their North Star. When it comes to gender diversity, it’s no different.
We intuitively know that women leadership is crucial for an organization’s success. We know that women leaders bring on-board a different set of skills, perspectives and context to problem solving.
Yet, the question persists. Is there data to support this? Does women leadership actually translate into real business impact?
The answer is a Big Yes. Consider these facts:
And that’s because women have emerged as more effective leaders in today’s world. There is no dearth of research on how women score equal or higher in most leadership skills. Women have proved to be better leaders during crises, including in managing the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
So you may ask what’s the issue?
As you discovered in this article, we have troves of data on how women have proved to be more effective leaders and that their presence leads to real business impact.
Unfortunately, the one place we wish we had better data to share is women’s representation in the workforce especially in leadership positions.
- Women represent 45% of the S&P 500 workforce, but only 4% are CEOs.
- Globally, women hold just 24% of senior leadership positions
- In a study of nearly 22,000 publicly traded organizations worldwide, 60% have no female board members.
Why is women's representation at work dismal?
A one size fits all approach does not work for women professionals as they find themselves confronted with some unique challenges at work.
In our conversations with women professionals, we hear them articulate so many of these challenges that are well-documented through research:
- Women leaders find themselves in a ‘double bind’ when gender stereotypes end up binding them in difficult situations
a. They are seen as too soft (likeable, but incompetent) or too tough (competent, but unlikeable) but never just right
b. The ‘think leader, think male’ mindset creates an invisible barrier for women where women leaders work twice as hard as men for the same recognition - “Senior-level women are also nearly twice as likely as women overall to be ‘Onlys’ -the only or one of the only women in the room at work. They are more likely than women who work with other women, to feel pressure to work more, and to experience microaggressions, including needing to provide additional evidence of their competence.”
- There are studies on how people and companies commonly misinterpret displays of confidence as a sign of competence, which tends to put men at a position of advantage as they come across as more confident
- COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified challenges that women already faced. Senior-level women are significantly more likely than men, at the same level, to feel burned out and under pressure to work more, and “as though they have to be ‘always on.’” They are 1.5 times more likely, than senior-level men, to think about downshifting their role, or leaving the workforce altogether due to the pandemic. Almost three in four cite burnout as the main reason.
- Women leaders find themselves in a ‘double bind’ when gender stereotypes end up binding them in difficult situations
What do we need to do to address this issue?
While we can’t change the world, we can certainly enable and empower women professionals to navigate through these realities with the courage, confidence and the right skill-sets. What’s needed is to enable women to discover their authentic voice and lead their life with balance, fulfillment and growth.
If the challenges facing women professionals are different, the solutions too need to be tailored to their specific needs.
Interested to know what these solutions can be? Read-on!
How Evolve is helping women professionals grow in their journeys?
Non-customized leadership journeys rarely work because they don’t factor in the realities of women in the corporate world. The realities of the 21st century post-pandemic world have added further complexities to women professional journeys that require to be recognized and acted upon by organizations.
Based on these insights, we have been working with several global corporations through Evolve, our unique offering tailored to the needs of their women professionals across ranks and functions.
Evolve by TransforMe is a transformational development journey for women professionals, created to address these realities and unique challenges faced by them. Evolve catalyzes an internal journey that helps women professionals evolve and unleash their fullest potential by:
- Getting in touch with their authentic self
- Recognizing their internal barriers and
- Discovering skills to elevate their growth
For Diversity, By Diversity
This unique learning journey is designed by a team that breathes Diversity &Inclusion. It is led by world-class facilitators with decades of experience in D&I work.
Apart from deep expertise, it is the values that this team, led by women and men representing varied ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and unique cultural backgrounds, brings on-board that adds authenticity to the journey.
Rooted In Research, Leveraging Unique Methodologies
We leverage primary and secondary research to gain a deeper understanding of the real challenges faced by women professionals. The Evolve learning journey is designed using pattern-breaking transformational methodologies like T-group, Gestalt, Neuroscience, Projective cards and more.
Inspired by the work of thought leaders such as Brene Brown, Sheryl Sandberg among others, Evolve helps women professionals recognise and realise their potential.
Evolve Framework
Take a look at the Evolve framework optimised to create breakthrough experiences at every stage enabling women professionals to drive real change.
Here is what some of the women professionals who have been on this journey with us have shared about their experience.
What are your goals when it comes to nurturing a gender-diverse team?
What are the challenges in the path of women professionals in your organization?
If you would like to learn more about creating a meaningful learning journey for your team of women professionals or if you simply want to chat about your experiences and challenges, write to us at connect@transformelearning.com.
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