May 5, 2017 ● Peter Jones
How Women Can Maximize Their Leadership Skills
There’s a long way to go before we can say that we have gender equality in the workforce. That ideal world would include total guaranteed pay equity, family leave, and a host of other less tangible things on the equality laundry list—most which would involve women getting the respect they deserve, not to mention recognition for their performance and the freedom to go about their workdays without having to deflect sexism or misogyny.
Maybe you work in an environment that feels well ahead of the curve. If so, that's awesome. But perhaps you don’t, and you are striving to understand how you can have the kind of career you want despite the minefield of obstacles that seem to stand in your path. Either way, let’s face it. Women can—and often are—treated differently in the workplace.
Have you ever been called “honey” or “doll” by a client or a superior? Have you ever been the only person asked to fetch coffee in a meeting of mostly men? Have you been passed over for promotions in favor of male colleagues who haven’t been working there as long as you have and, at least as far as you can tell, haven’t matched your performance or achievements? These are but a few of the many ways in which women are still being left behind professionally.
According to the latest accounting by Catalyst, women currently hold only 5.8% of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies. That’s a pretty measly slice of the pie. How, you might be wondering, can those odds be changed? There’s a lot of chatter (online and in bestselling books and inspirational speeches) about what women need to do to get to the top. “Leaning in” is just one strategy. Dressing or acting less feminine is another popular one—that means upping your aggression, going in for the kill, learning to be a mercenary in a cutthroat business world. But if these strategies feel a little severe to you, or abrasive, or you just can’t imagine these tactics working for you, there are other ways.