Although women have made significant climbs in leadership positions over the years, the climb to the top is still a struggle. Women- they can manage the household budget, they can organize bake sales for school events, they can even lead on committee boards within their communities- but they can’t run organizations? According to Marie Wilson, Founder and President of The White House Project, women take up only 17% of corporate boards in the United States. What a shabby number, considering women take up more than half of the U.S. population. Somehow, we heard James Brown when he claimed that “this is a man’s world,” but we ignored the part where he says, “but it would be nothing, nothing without a woman.”
A review of leadership trends found that women account for 51 per cent of the population and 46.5 per cent of the labor force but their representation at more senior corporate levels is negligible by comparison. The Center for American Progress Reports that women are make up only 14.6 percent of executive officers, 8.1 percent of top earners, and 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEO. A Gallup poll revealed that respondents described preferring a male boss over a female boss. Some of the most obvious reasons for women being overlooked for leadership positions include the glass ceiling theory, stereotypes, motherhood, and discrimination.
Management positions are largely dominated by men and leadership in itself has been constructed in masculine terms. Initially it was perceived that the glass ceiling effect prevented women from achieving higher heights in the corporate environment. “This theory postulates that women can achieve certain levels of success in industry, business or politics but are prevented from reaching the most senior levels of management due to an invisible barrier that is almost impossible to breach.” Researchers Eagly and Carl propose that the issue is not a glass ceiling but a continual block of progression throughout their careers. These blocks include motherhood; organizations not being understanding and accommodating to the needs of mothers and leadership style.
The U.S., a country that promises to be fair to all, consistently squanders its most valuable asset: women. Women by nature are nurturers and visionaries; two qualities needed most in the development and growth of U.S. corporations. Without them scandal and corruption rise while our companies and corporations fall. At the time that Lehman and Brothers filed for bankruptcy in 2008, there was only one woman on the board of directors. One woman out of ten seats. It isn’t unusual at all for women to be underrepresented among our biggest corporations. It’s unfair to claim that women can prevent or even eliminate the collapse of our organizations, but having women fill more executive and director seats is a start in a promising direction.
How do we even the playing field? By urging our companies to adopt ICM’s 50-50 by 2020 pledge. The pledge will ensure that women hold half of the leadership positions in the company. This will allow for equal representation in every organization. When we close the gap of gender parity, we ensure that all voices are heard, and decisions are not left one sided. Our very boardrooms call for a transformation in leadership. When we initiate this change, women will once again feel equal to their male counterparts. To have it any other way leaves room for poor decision making and lapses in judgment.
Another solution to the problem is establishing a flexible work culture. Companies should allow more opportunities to work from home and work part time days. Women often opt out of leadership positions not because of a lack of ability or incompetence but often because of being the first point of contact when caring for the needs of their family. This can make it hard for them to commit to a set work schedule. By establishing a better work-life balance, women can bring quality leadership skills to the table. When we initiate this change, we open the door for more women applicants.
Jay Z created a firestorm when he claimed that Americans are “way more sexist than they are racist.” Looking at our organizations, we must consider whether his statement holds true. Men and women want to see gender equality in the workplace. It’s why more companies now encourage women to apply. If we are going to see the change we seek we must be proactive in inducing balance. By pledging to a 50-50 gender ratio similar to ICM, organizations demonstrate a level of care towards the needs of women and prove that their voices matter the same as men. By creating alternative work options, organizations show women that their first priority- their family- is just as important to our corporations as it is to them.
Women and men are wired differently. We are each other’s counter opposites. What one group notices, another group may miss. Men and women are both needed in organizations to keep corporations innovative and thriving in a competitive, technologically advanced workplace.
