There is, however, a disparity when it comes to females holding original C-suite roles like Chief Executive, Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer. Averaging across the past ten years, women have made up 32.7% of emerging roles versus the only 21.9% of traditional C-suite jobs. Bringing a lot to the table, women can innovate, diversify and transform the way that companies run.
With Women, Companies Become More Open to Change
Bringing women into the C-suite not only brings new perspectives, but it also shifts how a company thinks. When making strategic decisions, a female-centric viewpoint allows the team to take less risk and increase careful decision-making. There is a hyper-visibility women have as an underrepresented group in leadership: focusing on rational decisions and weighing out costs and benefits to avoid poor business choices. Giving women a seat at the table promotes challenging the norms and traditions of a company and offers new ideas that may have not been thought of before.
New ideas and new beginnings for a business come from traits and characteristics that each leader has the opportunity to bring to the company. For female leaders, strength, perseverance, grit and humility are just a few of the many characteristics that make up a tenacious executive. With these skills, women can lead by example in their company by accepting and implementing change.
Driving Wider Diversity
Increasing diversity in an organization isn’t just about checking off a box and meeting a goal. While the number of women holding board or C-suite positions remains low, it’s important for companies to reevaluate key components of their executive offices and work on diversifying their business. Adding women and giving them the opportunity to excel in top leadership roles paves the way for a company to increase visionary thinking. Considering representation allows companies to acknowledge the idea that a more diverse C-suite drives performance.
Women of color, specifically Black women, make up only four percent of C-suites compared to their White counterparts. Workplace challenges are often different for women of color due to intersectionality, microaggressions and doubtful coworkers, no matter how smart or successful these women are.
There are many opportunities to drive diversity in the workplace. Something as simple as redefining workplace policies and values can shift the culture towards inclusivity. Education is also an integral piece in the process. Working with managers to understand the benefits of diversity in a business can make them more open to change, something that female-led companies have the potential to excel in. Big or small, being intentional about diversity in an organization can create a more well-rounded, diversified workforce.
Shoot for the Stars and Reach the C-suite
You’ve heard about how having women in the C-suite creates healthy and challenging change as well as greater diversity. Without a road map to achieve those C-suite dreams, the glass ceiling may be harder to break.
Upskilling is important to gain leadership and is easier than ever thanks to online programs. Want to gain a certain skill? The internet has it all—from weekly lessons to virtual webinars. The possibilities to increase your skill range are endless. When looking for a program, be sure to identify the contents of each training and decide if its plan of action is doable. While expanding your skillset is important, having a mentor also helps. Finding a fellow woman who is currently serving in an executive role and building a relationship with her can be beneficial for your continued growth and empowerment, especially if your goal is to continue climbing the ladder of success. Having another woman’s point of view will only aid in gaining the inner confidence and resilience you need to succeed.
Everyone has different aspirations. While some women may daydream about working in a C-suite role, not every female has the same goal for themselves. If leadership isn’t your goal, that doesn’t mean you can’t support your fellow females! It’s important to be a cheerleader and empower women, giving them the confidence to keep reaching for the stars.
Sources: Deloitte, Forbes, Women Business Collaborative, Fast Company, Business.com
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