Supporting feminine leadership could help create a just and kinder future
Women are still struggling to reach leadership positions. Though there are and a , women are still .
In Canada, . Less than one percent of senior leadership and pipeline positions
A model of leadership that encompasses the feminine traits within each of us can help move us towards a more just and sustaining world.
As a social innovation designer, I study complex challenges with the aim of finding common approaches needed to solve them. My goal is to frame the principles that can help us —where all voices are heard and valued. To understand how to get there,
The enduring glass ceiling
Terms like and describe the difficulty women encounter moving up from entry-level roles. Metaphors like the and illustrate the struggles women face in attaining managerial and executive roles.
better describes the complex maze of barriers that make it difficult for women to rise to the top.
During the pandemic, women have carried the brunt of the caretaking responsibilities . They are doing .
Yet, these efforts are . By narrowly defining leadership, using , barriers remain for women and gender-diverse people to break through the glass ceiling.
and ideas around still impact how women are perceived and evaluated.
that though the gender leadership gap is slowly narrowing, traits like being competitive and aggressive associated with men are still highly valued. While traits like being kind and understanding connected with women are still seen as detrimental in leadership roles.
The problem with leaning in
For women to reach better leadership positions, they need to be valued and recognized for their contributions, .
Instead of being told to , and underscore the need for their contributions to be recognized and for workplaces, and society, to .
state that it puts the onus on women to change their behaviors and ignores the systemic barriers at play.
Research on women who reach senior positions in male-dominated organizations and exhibit more masculine management styles has often . Yet studies , causing them to disengage from their gender identity, and from other women, to prevent experiencing discrimination.
. A society where women are devalued not only produces .
Feminine leadership is not just for women
Research on effective leadership underscores the need for approaches that align with . These traits do not belong solely to women; .
Employees feel seen and heard without fear of blame. Other values include the prioritization of care, respect and co-operation above competition and an emphasis on honesty and accountability.
Feminine leadership encompasses the aspects of ourselves that have been . Recentring them can define a model of leadership embraced and practiced by all genders.
Leaders of the future
So how do we get there?
Helping , without conforming to narrowly defined leadership traits often modeled by men, . Organizations like and are providing girls and young women with opportunities to explore what being a leader means for them.
It is also critical for boys to and who embrace following women and gender diverse leaders.
For organizations, it is not just about recruiting more women and gender diverse employees. It also means creating a workplace culture that truly embraces diversity and provides opportunities for growth.
Women are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to and . Being an ally means going beyond speaking up if you see something unfair. It is advocating for more advancement opportunities and getting directly involved in mentorship for women, especially for women of color, women with disabilities and LGBTQ2S+ women.
Organizations must recognize the . Evaluations and performance reviews should capture the full spectrum of what employees, especially women, bring to work and .
Without a shift to fully valuing the contributions of women, workplaces will continue to be labyrinths full of barriers, and the leadership gap will never close. Without understanding and embracing the importance of feminine qualities of care, empathy and collaboration in how we live, work and lead, the status quo will continue.
The current paradigm—a patriarchal leadership model that continues to value self-interest and competition over collective benefit and co-operation—.
As we face the challenges of political division, social injustice, economic uncertainty and climate change, now is the time to recentre the feminine within and champion a different, kinder way to lead.
Provided by The Conversation
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