Women, Leadership, and Higher Profits
Recently, I had the privilege of facilitating webcasts on women in leadership for the Association of Talent Development (ATD), the world’s largest professional training organization, and for the career services program for Georgetown University alumni association.
During the webcasts we discussed the critical need for more women in business leadership. This is truly the most effective way to lead companies. We must combine the proven leadership skills and talents of women with men’s leadership strengths.
Let’s face it, companies should not be run by men only, or predominantly by men – nor by women only. Our skills complement one another and we need all of them to thrive in this hyper-competitive global economy.
Right after each of these webcasts, I had two independent conversations with top-notch women executives, leaders in their fields. Jane, a consultant, had resigned after eight years with her firm when she decided to start her own practice. Her boss came to see her, with the hope of persuading her to change her mind and stay with the company. It was the first time he had come to her office.
I heard from Catherine next. She told me she was resigning from her company. Catherine was an EVP, one among very few senior executives. She said she couldn’t tell me the details as to why she was resigning, but she did say there was an ethical issue and that she could not work in an environment where inappropriate and unethical actions were swept under the carpet.
These are prime examples of why we need women in important leadership roles. Women’s ideas and talents are too often overlooked in favor of men’s input. And women do not tolerate unethical decisions; instead, they ask the hard questions that keep the team moving toward long-term success.
In the webcasts, we discussed how men and women generally have different, yet compatible leadership strengths. Where men tend to be aggressive, bold, and decisive, women tend to be collaborative and inclusive, caring, and risk aware. Each of these skills is equally important. Men and women together have a lot to offer, and all benefit from this dynamic combination of talent!
Let’s face it, companies should not be run by men only, or predominantly by men – nor by women only. Our skills complement one another and we need all of them to thrive in this hyper-competitive global economy.
Ultimately, a company’s results depend on its organizational culture – the spirit of its people. Who spends time developing those internal relationships? It is most often women. Women often bring a genuine concern for the spirit of the people who are working very hard to achieve outstanding results. Women encourage people so they feel fully engaged and ready to go the extra mile when needed. Women collaborate, share ideas and bring out the best in one another.
To succeed in the long term, companies need such winning cultures. We need women in leadership. This is critical.
Think about it. If the people of a company do not feel appreciated and valued, if they do not feel they are heard and that their ideas matter, if they are not being encouraged to learn, grow and succeed, they will lose their passion for their work, for their company, and they may lose respect for senior management. A company with typically male command and control leadership can have breakthrough results for a year or two or three, but they will not sustain them without strong culture.
Take a look at this: 70% of people in business in the U.S. do not feel fully engaged. About a third of these people are actively looking for a new job and about a third do not like their boss. And about 50% do not feel they have a productive working relationship with their manager. These statistics point to a real problem! But it’s a problem that can be resolved with careful attention and follow through. We want people to do their best, but if their manager isn’t helping, it’s not likely they are.
We need managers who are leaders. Yes, leaders. Who focus on people, who care about people, who are connected with the people of our companies, connected through taking the time to know them, to have conversations, to help them develop, advance and succeed. Now that leads to a winning culture.
It’s really not that difficult to develop a winning culture. First, it’s our attitude – are senior executives thinking of their people as teammates? Do they ask for their ideas and advice? Remember, the best ideas are bottom up ideas! Want something improved, ask the people doing that work. Empower them and they will rise to the level of your trust.
Do some senior executives think that speaking with their people is not their responsibility? I surely hope not. Remember, to sustain our success, we need strong and responsive leadership, including the emotional intelligence and relationship skills that women bring. And we need to be approachable; we need to reach out to build people’s confidence and enthusiasm.
What can we do to raise morale and productivity? Share leadership with women. Learn from women just as they learn from men. Also, explore emotional intelligence. With simple, daily practice, we can significantly raise our EQ and have a positive and energizing effect on our teams. If anyone would like to find out their EQ baseline, I would be happy to direct them to resources that are available.
To succeed in the long term, companies need such winning cultures. We need women in leadership. This is critical.
The takeaway from the webcasts? We must have talented men and women working together at the highest levels of our companies. That is the strongest leadership possible, and we owe it to our people.
This is not a gender issue, it is an economic issue! Stronger culture means stronger results.
About The Author
John Keyser is the founder and principal of Common Sense Leadership. He works with executives helping them develop organizational cultures that will produce outstanding financial results year after year, and a striving for continuous improvement, theirs and their team’s. Web site is www.commonsenseleadership.com.
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