As August marks Women’s Month in South Africa, we recognise the significance of events like these in highlighting the importance of gender parity in leadership.
While the world strives for progress, the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles remains a challenge that demands attention.
In this blog, we delve into the hurdles women face in leadership and shed light on their powerful potential to lead and inspire change.
Unlocking the Power of Every Leader
In an era of uncertainty and volatility, harnessing the talents of all leaders becomes paramount.
Women, in particular, bring human-centred, skilled, and inclusive leadership, qualities crucial for navigating complex times.
Shifting the Paradigm: Women as Effective Leaders
In fact, research shows that women are more effective leaders than men across various leadership measures, highlighting the need for greater representation of women at all levels of leadership in organisations:
- Organisations with at least 30% women in leadership roles are 12x more likely to be in the top 20% for financial performance, underlining the business advantages of gender diversity in leadership.
- Female leaders score significantly higher in their capability to “connect and relate to others,” as well as in the Authenticity and Systems Awareness competencies, suggesting that women excel at building authentic relationships that contribute to the greater good beyond their immediate sphere of influence.
- Women are more likely to lead from a creative mindset, focusing on natural curiosities and partnering with others to create a positive vision for the future, which fosters a more inclusive and collaborative leadership approach.
(Source: Leadership Circle)
Yet, the reality is that women are still underrepresented in middle and senior leadership positions. This scarcity hinders the diversity of perspectives and voices required at the decision-making tables.
The Gender Paradox in Leadership
Despite progress, gender parity in leadership remains a distant goal. The Deloitte 2022 Missing Pieces Report sheds light on the stark gender gap in leadership, revealing that men continue to dominate leadership positions in most organisations. This imbalance is a hurdle to achieving diverse and inclusive leadership.
Pioneering Change in Industry
While some industries show promising gender representation, sectors like finance and technology still lack women leaders. Bridging this gap is essential for fostering inclusive leadership opportunities across all industries.
Why Diversity Matters
Diverse representation is not only ethical but also drives business success. A boardroom enriched with different perspectives can challenge assumptions, illuminate new opportunities, and foster innovation. Inclusion is vital to achieving lasting success, both for organizations and society at large.
The Slow Journey: Why Progress Lags
The slow progress toward gender parity can be attributed to a range of factors:
- Compliance-Focused Approach: Institutions might lack the impetus to actively pursue intersectional diversity, relying on superficial quotas and tokenism.
- Subjective Evaluations: Gender biases and subjective evaluations persist, impacting the perception of female leaders’ performance. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College London and at Columbia University believes that unless we address this bias and improve our performance management systems, fixing the leader selection process alone will not yield meaningful results.
- Gender Stereotyping: Leadership is often associated with masculine traits, perpetuating biased evaluations.
Championing Change
As we celebrate Women’s Month, let’s focus on empowering women to rise to leadership roles.
By dismantling gender biases, fostering inclusive evaluation, and appreciating the unique strengths women bring to leadership, we pave the way for a future where women’s impact in leadership is celebrated year-round.
