Strong leadership is critical for effective organizational, team and individual performance. So why, one might ask, should we single out women leaders? Why not just look at leadership holistically and not separate out any group? The reason is simple: whilst leadership principles and theories remain the same, the issues facing our female leaders are particular. Realities such as misogyny, pay gaps, uneven opportunities for growth, family pressures and expectations, and cultural norms, to name a few, create extra challenges for them.
When women lead
Despite this, the role of women in leadership has proven instrumental to an organization’s success. Research studies have shown that diversity in the workforce and leadership brings different perspectives to an organization, which, in turn, boosts creativity and encourages innovation and the search for new ways of doing things. This then leads to better decision-making and, in the end, greater overall success.
It is also interesting to point out that several studies have shown that women have outscored men on most leadership competencies both in times of crisis - Research: Women Are Better Leaders During a Crisis as well as in normal times- Women Matter: Ten years of insights on gender diversity. It, therefore, only makes sense for organizations to invest in building women leaders, their networks, and pipelines, as well as look at the systems, policies, and structures in place, in order to do all that is necessary to leverage this diversity in the workforce and ensure that women have seats at the decision-making table.
Gender barriers and biases
Despite all of these successes and positive contributions, though, women historically (and to-date) have faced greater barriers than men. Although some improvements have been made over the years, women still experience discrepancies such as a gap in support from mentors in securing top positions and for career advancement more generally. There is also a lack of access to personal connections that men have, which help with career development - Women in Leadership: Why It Matters. This disparity remains ever-present, with many more areas of betterment still needed. According to UN Women and based on data found in the Commission on the Status of Women Sixty-fifth session 15–26 March 2021:
“The data is clear. Despite women’s increased engagement in public decision-making roles, equality is far off: women hold about 21 percent of ministerial positions globally, only three countries have 50 percent or more women in parliament, and 22 countries are headed by a woman. At the current rate of progress, gender equality will not be reached among Heads of Government until 2150, another 130 years.
What’s more, violence against women in public life is widespread. Women in leadership roles struggle with lack of access to finance, online hate and violence, and discriminatory norms and exclusionary policies that make rising through the ranks even harder.
Yet, women persist, and continue to prove that when they lead, they bring transformative changes to entire communities and the world at large.