Women and leadership
Like
management or many other qualities, leadership is one of those qualities. We
can say one of those concepts that we have the inherent capacity to recognize
but lack in defining it.
Leadership
is the quality that one built over time; it's an attitude, it’s about taking
ownership to create a better outcome. Leadership shouldn’t be based on gender
as it’s an individual trait. But in this male-dominated society, there are many
instances where men are preferred over women for leadership, be it of any kind.
Recently
on International Women's Day, we saw many women sharing their experiences about
how they still struggle to be successful, reflecting how far we are from gender
equality.
According
to Global Gender Report 2020, it will take 99.5 years to achieve full parity
between men and women at the current rate of change, which I think is not substantial.
Women
still face leadership challenges all over the world to become successful like:
·
To be treated equally: This is the most
important challenge that women face at their workplaces.
·
Choose between work and family: Married
women are often made to choose whether to take care of their home and family or
do the work, which often results in choosing the former.
·
Inability to internalize their abilities:
Women should first know about their capacities and accomplishments and then
only go to other leaders to rectify them.
·
Fear of taking risks: Women are less
confident about their decisions and thus are more cautious about risk than men.
·
Fight the gender stereotypes: Many
surveys tell that most people think men are more capable of leading a
professional sports team or being CEO of a company. But it’s only women who can
change these types of mind-sets by taking more responsibility.
Top Female leadership challenges to overcome:
1. Failing
to accept yourself: women tend to lose their own self-respect by doubting themselves.
It’s not about who is saying what about you, but it’s about how you’re
operating the world. It would help if you looked at yourself closely, what is
bothering you, make your self-esteem low, and try to regain it.
2. Inadequacy
to speak up or stand up for yourself: not advocating for yourself in fear
of criticism is another major challenge that female face. Communication is the
key, and so you should be brave enough to speak what's on your mind and what do
you feel, irrespective of what anyone will think.
3. Glass
ceiling: This barrier prevents a woman from moving up the hierarchies in
workplaces as there is a perception that leadership is invariably a male prerogative.
This can be overcome by supporting sexual harassment survivors, recognizing
deserving women, and, most importantly, treating them equally to male
colleagues.
Advantages
of Female Leadership
1.
Unifying different groups: women are
often regarded as a pillar of any family, and that's what they apply in their
workplace too by unifying diverse groups, successfully leading them, and
ultimately reach their goal; this is one of the prime advantages of female leadership.
2.
Good listeners: how can we not mention this if we are talking
about female leadership's advantages? Women are more patient and
good at listening to others, resulting in effective communication. That's what
a good leader should be a good speaker but a better listener.
3.
Value accountability: A good leader never blame any individual for
any loss rather shoulders the responsibility on himself/herself. And women are
the ones who value accountability the most.
The best way to bridge the gap between males and females is to
recognize their potential, allow them to prove themselves, and change the
narrative on women in leadership. Also, women should always remember, they are
powerful, and their voice matters.
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