Women in Leadership: A fight yet to be won?

“In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders as Leadership is not a man's job. It's a human job.” 

In today's world wherein genders are not just male/female anymore, it is non-binary, which is used for gender identity that may not be solely male/female, typecasting anyone basis their gender is not as easy as earlier. And neither is assigning roles/responsibilities.

Gone are the days when only males were considered for jobs like construction, technicians, management roles, etc. The world has evolved and so have the criteria. Unlike earlier when women were restricted to household chores, women now have empowered themselves through education, acquiring skills that can be useful in workplaces. The journey from kitchens to corporate houses has been endearing indeed but is still a long one.

The first few careers that women started taking up were cattle keepers, bakers, dyers, authors, beauticians, embroiders, etc. while some middle-class women started their businesses to be self-dependent. This shift occurred because men were out busy with wars and women had to take up jobs to run their households. However, they were still underpaid and undervalued and the differences in working conditions of women v/s men were quite different. From working for a typical male-driven ecosystem, we have seen women in leadership like Indira Nooyi(PepsiCo), Cathy Engelbert(Deloitte), and Mary Barra(General Motors) who are known as the most prominent women in the business world.

History is proof that powerful female leaders are not any new spectacle. Female leaders like Sarojini Naidu, Savitribai Phule, Indira Gandhi, Queen Hatshepsut, Margaret Thatcher, etc. were successful leaders and are still looked at as idols. The female presence at work emerged in the 13th century and today we are in the 21st century yet the gap between men and women is still to be bridged.

The equality movement has certainly given more depth to women and issues like equal pay, equal opportunities, right to vote, right to education, etc. but the challenges remain the same for women employees. Following are some of the common challenges the women workforce faces:

·       Women are still a minority in workplaces, and competing in a male-dominated ecosystem is not an easy task. From schools, colleges, and placement talks, women have to take extra efforts to be valued and recognized at work.

·       It is not easy for women to create a supportive ecosystem for themselves, while most of the leadership roles are still male-driven, it is a task for women to make their fellow male employees see eye to eye.

·       Unfortunately, a major chunk of society still feels that it is the responsibility of women to look after the household chores and hence they have to manage both work and home altogether.

·       Another sad fact is women tend to expect lower, they are brought up in a manner wherein they play safe and are less inclined to take risks. Whether it is negotiating on their pay scale, demanding a role of their choice, etc. Men, on the other hand, are tamed in a way wherein they are confident of their values and hence over-expect.

·       Women are emotional, this is not any new phrase. Due to the physiological, and hormonal differences between men and women, women are mostly categorized as emotional beings who cannot take decisions factually.

Challenges like these are restraining the growth of women in work culture, it is imperative to address these so we can have more women in leadership. The following are a few solutions that can help women unleash their best selves and do wonders at work.

·       Women leaders have grown to a 31% in 2021, however, the idea of women running organisations is still not very acceptable. It is essential for younger women who are yet to enter the workforce to be able to see the learning curve and growth chart of women in leadership. This will help them to aspire to be better leaders.

·       As per a study, it was concluded that males are more focused on active-passive management which is a two-dimensional action, but on the other hand, women were seen making more transformational actions. The transformational leadership style has been recognized as a key style that treats the employees as an individual and as a part of the overall organization.

·       With women leaders on board, the team environment is considered to be more home-like and less authoritative. Women have demonstrated immense passion, zeal, and enthusiasm when it comes to taking leadership or handling crises, such skills boost the overall ecosystem at work.

·       Women leaders are not only passionate, but as per a study, they are most honest with their work and smarter. They are born multi-taskers, who are also compassionate, outgoing, and creative. Women leaders understand the value of their jobs because they land them after competing with the whole ecosystem and, hence do not take it for granted.

·       Communication is a key skill for women, which enhances communication at the organizational level. They tend to create an atmosphere wherein employees feel safe enough to share their thoughts, needs, etc. which eventually leads to an enhanced approach to things.

·       Financially as well, women are considered wiser spenders if compared to men. Women bargain always, be it on a business deal or grocery shopping, women leaders will always get the best cost-effective deal for organisations.

·       Women leaders do not chase any one goal/target. They are brought up in a way, that they have to look at the bigger picture and hence they look at the overall graph and not one bar in the graph. This tendency of women allows them to come up with fresh/new points of view and solutions.

·       Mentorship is a cup of their tea. Women leaders will do everything in their power to guide and motivate employees irrespective of their gender. Hence having women in leadership also trains young minds in the best way.

·       The lives of women are spent wearing multiple hats, hence women leaders are more adaptable and reliable when it comes to leadership tasks.

·       The long pending gender gaps can only be closed if women leaders are chosen to drive the decisions at work.

·       In the current scenario, women's leadership is becoming a crucial part of organizations, they are more accessible, real, and cost-efficient to companies. The term gender equality has gained more traction after years of efforts with the feminist movement, and it has eventually led to more adaptable policies for female employees.

Society has accepted that running a household is not a woman's sole responsibility and similarly earning isn't for men solely. This shift in thinking is a major reason contributing to women's success in the corporate world.

The road is still a long road when it comes to omitting the gender gap for employees, but the time has come when women will not only cook meals but build and run empires.