The pandemic has been especially hard on women as many have had to opt out or reduce hours for the purposes of caregiving—caring for children, elders or friends. Some women have lost their jobs because of the shifts in the labor market. But women have also found success in the workforce and have seen progress as well—from demonstrating effective leadership to positively influencing their organizations.
Data provide a clear window on the state of women in leadership—including both gains and losses. The insights are sobering, but also enlightening. Our opportunity is to build resilience: By understanding reality and making sense of it, we can become more resilient, solve problems and innovate toward greater happiness, fulfillment and achievement.
Women Are Strong Leaders
Historically, there has been debate about women’s performance in leadership. As frustrating as the very existence of that debate may be, it has also catalyzed research which reinforces the effective contributions women make.
Effectiveness. A sweeping meta-analysis from Florida International University examined 99 data sets from academic research sources—including journal articles, white papers, books and dissertations. The study finds women and men do not differ in their perceived effectiveness as leaders. Assessing feedback on leaders and the extent to which they are judged competent and capable, there is no statistical differences between men and women.