4 Things Holding Women Back From Leadership Roles, And How To Overcome Them
When Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated by a major political party, she said: “It may be hard to see, but we are standing under a glass ceiling right now.” Whether you’re squinting to see if we’ve somehow levitated over it or feel more like you’re slamming into it headfirst, the fact remains that women serve as CEOs in less than 5 percent of Fortune 500 companies.
Tom Schoenfelder, Ph.D., and SVP of Research and Development at Caliper, a company that specializes in data-driven talent management, says his research proves women make some of the most successful leaders, but in terms of actually seeing more women leaders in the workplace, we have a long way to go.
The company’s latest Women Leaders study found that the most successful women leaders are straightforward in their communications style, action-oriented, risk-takers and skilled at solving complex problems. No big surprises there. But the major difference is that these women scored higher in other skills, such resilience, energy, empathy and the ability to overcome obstacles.
This appears to be an added benefit for female leaders in particular because of the potentially stressful and challenging situation they are in as minorities in leadership. These personality traits allow them to better understand their subordinates and colleagues, bounce back after failures or rejection, and persevere with their efforts for long periods of time.Therefore, not only do these women leaders exhibit traditionally successful leadership attributes but also demonstrate the attributes needed for success on a path full of resistance and difficulties. [Caliper’s Women Leaders Research Paper]
According to Schoenfelder, research shows that women are more likely to be transformational leaders. “Good leaders across the board are transformational,” he says. “Transformational leaders are really good at winning the hearts and minds of people. They get their followers to feel how their role fits a larger strategy or fits into something that’s larger than themselves.”
So if women make such good leaders, why aren’t we seeing more of them? And what needs to change?
Better Policies
Schoenfelder says we’ve increased awareness around obstacles women face, such as stereotypes in the work environment and a gender imbalance when it comes to family responsibilities. But, he quickly adds, “There are still a lot of challenges within your typical organizations that aren’t being addressed in comparison to how much the awareness is changing.”
Meaning for every viral Amy Schumer sketch or Lena Dunham essay, there are hundreds of companies without parental leave policies. Schoenfelder calls these outdated policies low hanging fruit when it comes to improving leadership diversity. “There are policy issues organizations can look at,” he says. “Is this in place because it’s the way we always did things? Or is it good business practice?” Schoenfelder points to options like flexible or remote work that can make a huge difference in retaining women. In fact, the women leaders he surveyed ranked work-life challenges higher than any other obstacles they faced in their climb to the top.
Awareness Of Stereotypes
Coming in a close second were workplace stereotypes, which Schoenfelder warns are not always easy to identify. “These triggers can happen in an organization below the level of consciousness,” he says. “Being aware of the triggers can help you overcome them from the start.” He points to dangerous stereotypes, such as a tendency to assume women should be more accommodating and compliant, or will take on the role of “nurturer” in a team environment, rather than the more high-profile job of championing an idea.
“Based on cues that are signalled to the woman herself, she might be less aspirational toward leadership because of certain stereotypes and how she thinks leadership conflicts with that,” Schoenfelder says.
For example, despite incessant subliminal messages that women are expected to avoid ruffling any feathers, women who break the rules are actually the ones more likely to get ahead. “Women who aren’t rule followers and won’t be compliant, actually tend to do better,” confirmed Schoenfelder. “They tend to be more successful in obtaining leadership roles.”
Coaching With Purpose
According to Schoenfelder’s research, being aware of this paradox is critical, but it is only the first step. To affect real change, aspiring leaders should be coached on how to successfully maneuver these situations in a way that plays to their strengths. “Along with being aware of the triggers, it’s about being aware of your reaction to those triggers,” he adds.
Create A Leadership Pipeline
He recommends that companies start identifying potential leadership qualities from day one or even during the hiring process. By taking steps to invest in employees’ development early on, organizations foster a culture where professional leadership skills are valued above all else. “Doing this, rather than waiting 5–10 years down the road when politics or internal organization savvy can impact their opportunities for promotion, creates a high-performance culture that benefits both men and women,” says Schoenfelder.
These efforts can pay off big time. As research has proven time and time again, more diversity in the c-suite translates to better business.
It’s a basic scientific tenet,” says Schoenfelder. “As you increase the pool of ideas and perspectives you’re able to get the best outcomes. I can’t think of a situation that more diversity wouldn’t be beneficial to an organization.”
