Women Supporting Women in Business
Women are breaking through the business world, and they are doing it together.
Over the past week, I have immersed myself in a Twitter community that focuses on women in business. I saw how they interacted and what they posted on their social media platforms. The most common thing I noticed was the support they provided for each other.
There is a long history of men leading companies, and rarely would there be women at the front. Today, women have started to take charge and add diversity to their companies. Now, there are more women running Fortune 500 businesses than ever before.
With all their success unfolding in businesses, women share their experiences of climbing the ladder in a male-dominated industry. They describe the struggles and how they broke into leadership positions in successful companies.
They describe the reason why they share their experiences and support one another: It is to show other women they can accomplish the same.
In a March 2021 interview for the MIT Sloan School news site, Lauren Hoops Schmeig, Executive director at Hill House, said that “I think women need to hear what’s possible and how we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and I need to make sure my shoulders are strong and steady for those who come after me.”
Women supporting women is increasingly becoming a trend in the business community. Future women in business can see all that has been accomplished before them.
When women stand together, they become more than just power, they become impactful. They create more opportunities for themselves and for the companies they lead. Having more inclusivity in a workplace, whether gender, age or race, has shown to promote innovation and creativity.
While there are many advantages to a woman being the head, there are challenges that have yet to be overcome. There is still a gender bias in the community that may not be avoided due to its long underlying history. Examples such as females having male or gender-neutral names have shown them to be more successful than those with a traditionally feminine name. However, women are showing they can do the same jobs as men and maybe even present more opportunities for success.
Their community is inclusive and supportive, which is why I am more comfortable and excited to become a woman in the business community. Through shared experiences and obstacles still yet to be overcome, women band together to build a strong community of powerful female leaders that is flourishing.
