Women have historically been underrepresented and devalued in leadership roles in the workplace all throughout the globe. The more we understand the dynamics of the business world, the more we realize how valuable it is to have women and added diversity in leadership positions.
Current statistics on women in leadership positions reveal that the gender gap is still there, although some progress has been made in recent years. According to a study published by Zippia in 2022; there were no female Fortune 500 CEOs in 1995. By the year 2022, there were 41 female CEOs, making up 8.2% of all Fortune 500 CEOs. Conversely, 35% of senior management jobs in the United States were held by women as of December 2021.
Driving Systemic Change
Having female leaders in influential positions who can serve as role models is not only essential for the professional advancement of women, but it also has the potential to lead to larger systemic shifts. This may have an impact on issues such as pay equity, shifting workplace policies in ways that are advantageous to both men and women, and enticing a more diverse workforce. Furthermore, women are also more open to enhancing their education, and one of the best ways they can achieve this is through one of the many online courses for executives. These online executive courses allow for greater flexibility through learning in their own time and own location, and allowing most participants to maintain the current roles effectively whilst furthering their leadership education.
Women in positions of power are driving massive transformation. Outdated notions of what it means to be a successful leader are being rethought in light of the growing number of women who hold leadership roles in communities, companies, and political positions. Although. One study cited by Business Insider in 2014 revealed that women are seen as better and more competent leaders than their male counterparts.
Leading with More Empathy
The 21st century demands the presence of women in leadership roles. Businesses need to provide women with leadership opportunities and promote workplace diversity if they want women to be more productive and unveil the potential within them. Because it is a challenging endeavor, obtaining support and cooperation from all of the organization’s members is essential to its completion.
There is a correlation between increasing the number of women in leadership roles and achieving laudable results worldwide. They are great assets to businesses because of their talents to better understand and handle interpersonal relationships, to multitask, and because they tend to have higher ethics than their male counterparts. These are all reasons why they are good assets. Women have a greater predisposition than males to possess higher levels of emotional intelligence, enabling them to better understand their teams’ emotional requirements, increasing both productivity and contentment.
Higher Levels of Creativity
Research has shown that when women are actively engaged in creating new goods and services, firms enjoy increased creative thinking and innovative problem-solving.
One report published by McKinsey in 2020, shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the bottom line.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that there is a major shift in the dialogue when many women are in boardrooms and decision-making roles. These women bring with them brand-new visions on proactive cooperation and imaginative problem-solving, which contribute to the shift. Women are excellent team players and leaders who can successfully implement change because of their strong collaborative and team-oriented skills.
Summary
Overall, the prevailing issue of women’s underrepresentation in all spheres of society, from business to politics, requires immediate attention and action. It is crucial to have a greater number of women in positions of authority because this changes society’s conceptualizations about who can lead and what characteristics are essential to possess to be successful in a leadership role. Women who take on these sorts of positions break down such boundaries and show everyone what women can accomplish and what they should strive for.
References
- McKinsey – Diversity wins: How inclusion matters, 2020 https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters
- Zippia – Facts on the fender gap in corporate and political leadership, 2022 https://www.zippia.com/advice/women-in-leadership-statistics/#:~:text=23%25%20of%20executives%20around%20the,8.2%25%20of%20Fortune%20500%20CEOs.
- Business Insider – Why Women Are More Effective Leaders Than Men, 2014https://www.businessinsider.com/study-women-are-better-leaders-2014-1?IR=T
