Harnessing the Power of Women’s Leadership

"Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence." — Sheryl Sandberg

On March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) was celebrated and is considered an annual holiday to honor the women's rights movement. The holiday became a mainstream global holiday following its promotion by the United Nations in 1977. We have come a long way since then, and though we have moved towards a greater representation of women in senior leadership roles in recent years, research indicates that progression has slowed, with the emergence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic further unbalancing the uneven field women were already playing on.

Deeper reflections need to be made and questions should be asked as to what is hindering the progress of women in leadership positions. Daniel Perell, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations, succinctly posed a great question for businesses and organizations to consider after he attended “Women’s Turn to Reshape the Future”, a gathering of former and current women leaders from around the world—from Michelle Bachelet to Helen Clark, Navi Pillay to Hillary Clinton: “Might the qualities and approaches that women often bring to the task of leadership—compassion, concern for future generations, collaboration—be similarly worthy to test and examine?”

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Why Harness the Power of Women in Leadership Roles?

When more women are empowered to lead, it is a win-win situation for everyone. Research has shown that women leaders increase productivity, enhance collaboration, inspire organizational dedication, and promote equity as well as justice.

The American Psychological Association provided scientific research as to the fact that women leaders make work better. Evidence is emerging that a true partnership of women and men leaders, and the blending of feminine and masculine values and qualities, will enhance competitiveness and prosperity. The business case is compelling in that organizations apply structures and prioritize advancement initiatives that grant equal access to women and men at all levels of management, to all functions as well as to all career paths. Additionally, Its implementation calls for a better balance between feminine and masculine qualities as well as changes in strategy, policies, edifices and management practices. As organizations look to fill and diversify their leadership talent bench, they can no longer afford not to harness the potential of female leadership. 

Gallup recently reviewed data from the current employment level and found that women’s—and men’s—interest in leadership positions grew as they moved up the corporate ladder. This suggests that as people gain experience managing others, they may also gain confidence in their ability to do so, and leadership roles likely feel more within reach.

Acknowledging and harnessing the power of women in leadership roles is not just a matter of gender equity, rather it's a strategic imperative with far-reaching benefits for organizations and community-building initiatives. Here are some reasons why as a business placing women in leadership roles is a win-win for all.

What Happens When Women Lead

Years of psychological research confirm when women are empowered to take on leadership positions, the effects can be transformational for everyone. Here is some great research to back that up:

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• Female leaders demonstrate more transformational leadership styles, according to a landmark 1992 meta-analysis of 61 studies led by Eagly. 

• Women are now seen as equally or more competent as men, finds a 2020 meta-analysis led by Eagly. 

• Team collaboration is greatly improved by the presence of women in the group, an effect that is primarily explained by women’s benefits to group processes, according to the study. 

• Women rank better than or equal to men in seven of eight traits relevant to leadership assessed in a national survey by the Pew Research Center. 

• The mere presence of a female leader relative to a male leader led perceivers to anticipate fairer treatment in that organization and greater projected salary and status, according to a 2022 study led by social psychologist Mansi P. Joshi, PhD. 

• Appointing women to the top tiers of management can even help mitigate deep-rooted stereotypes that are expressed in language, suggests a 2022 study. 

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To learn more about an introspective and rich conversation about this subject matter, check out a recent podcast from New Level Work’s, Chief of Culture and Community, Wendy Hanson as she interviewed Charlene Dodson, Vice President of Human Resources for Dollar Tree Stores. Charlene shares invaluable tips for being a successful leader as a woman and person of color in a nationwide retail business.

Conclusion

When women progress, everyone benefits. As a result of empowering, supporting and driving initiatives in promoting women into leadership roles, economies grow and organizations perform better. The bonus is that this can lead to major mindset shifts and establish a new era in the advancement of civilization for the better good of all. But women need equal opportunities to learn, earn and lead.

The world is a challenging place right now. We all want work to be a place that is less challenging, that people feel supported, and they feel they have a team that has their back. If your business or organization is unsure on how to begin such initiatives in your workplace, New Level Work coaches can help build your confidence to level up women in leadership at your company whether you are a manager, driver or accelerator in your position. Isn’t it time to consider enlisting the support of a thought partner - a coach? Reach out to us at www.newlevelwork.com.

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Resources

• Women leaders make work better. Here’s the science behind how to promote them, American Psychological Association‍
• Toward a Partnership of Women and Men - Source of excellence in a global economy, George Starcher ‍
• The Path to Gender Parity in Leadership, Gallup‍
• Women in leadership post-COVID-19: building a new paradigm, Financier Worldwide‍
• Women’s Leadership: Reflections on an Example, Bahá’í International Community United Nations Representative Offices‍
• Investing in women is worth it, Gallup