Though the condescending environment for women improved in the past few years in workplaces, the number of women leaders isn’t promising. As of now, there are just 10 countries that have a woman Head of State and about 13 counties that have a woman Head of Government. As we write “woman” before every important post, you might sense how lame it sounds.
No one calls male presidents “male” presidents, or “male” CEOs. But, if you are a woman and you have achieved something, it is still considered a great deal. Do you know that during the peak of the pandemic, the unemployment rate for women took the biggest hit- it was recorded about 2% higher than men? The reasons are evident yet unclear, but to clear the cloud upon female leadership, let’s delve into ways to prioritize and retain women leaders by understanding their roles
Role of women as leaders
There are many roles that women can play as leaders. Not to mention, they can be as influential as their male counterparts. But, instead of analyzing what women can do, let’s focus on the reasons why promoting women leaders should be a top priority for any organization.
- As per a meta-analysis comparing female and male leaders, women leaders are more transformational and creative.
- Female leaders can play a decisive role in closing the gender pay gap.
- Women can make the team environment less authoritative and more cooperative, which leads to enhanced teamwork.
- Women often depict superior leadership values as per the Pew Research Center’s Social and Demographic Trends Survey.
- In addition, with their unique and different perspectives, women leaders can drive effective solutions and help to achieve better financial outcomes.
- In high stake situations, women tend to negotiate better. And are more patient under pressure, as compared to men.
Tips to retain women leaders
Enterprises that want to develop, promote or retain women leaders can follow the below-mentioned tips:
- Organizations should address female leadership challenges and competencies prevalent within the organization.
- The right network needs to be established, and enterprise architects need to rethink workflow systems. The cultural norms in the organizations need to change, and women need to become part of the solution when they devise a solution.
- In addition, organizations need to address the intrinsic and extrinsic issues that hold women back by identifying growth areas.
- Invest in upskilling women leaders that help them transition into new roles and handle challenges confidently.
Conclusion
The diabolical norms have prevented women from being in leadership positions for decades. Organizations are no exception. However, women need to step up as leaders. As per a recent report, women-owned enterprises have outpaced the overall increase in new business by 1.5 times. There are numerous advantages of having women in leadership roles. If your organization is missing out on women leaders, there’s a great deal at stake.
Team Transformation offers team coaching for women leaders who want to make meaningful differences and take charge of their own careers. Contact us to know more about our coach certification courses.
