CEO’s: Is there Gender Parity in Your Firm?

The topic of women in leading roles in business has resurfaced in a major way in 2010. This year on of the key topics at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland was gender parity. Women and their role in corporate America are on the minds of global leaders. Today in the UK, pay for women is -22% below their male counterparts. Women in the US are -13% below men for similar jobs and account for only 2% of board posts in the us. If over 50% of today's college graduates are women, why aren't they staying in the work force at the executive levels?



While we are making progress, we need to do more. So what's the problem?



The Insead Global Leadership Center conducted a robust research project to drill down on the issues. Here are some headlines:

• Women have had to make trade -offs of family over jobs

• For this trade off, they loose speed and power on the fast track

• Women hesitate to go out on a limb alone as their prefer to network

• Women are visionary but in a different way

• Women are reluctant to be assertive due to stereotyping

• Women don't put much stock in vision as they do getting things done

All in all, 22,244 observers contributed and evaluated the 10 dimensions of leadership: emotional intelligence, empowering,,, energizing, envisioning, global mindset, organizational design, outside orientation, rewarding and feedback, team building and tenacity.

So what are leaders doing?

Google, Coca-Cola, WPP, Bain Consulting, Nissan responded with the insights that question conventional wisdom and have been successful in their firms.

1. Make Women and women leaders s a strategic imperative
2. Develop a women's leadership council that has a voice to the CEO
3. Listen for understanding
4. Break the rigidity of your rules
5. Set metrics and hold people accountable

While it will be challenging to change the mindset of today's work force, leaders must lay a foundation for the next generation of women to success in your business.

What ideas do you have to begin to make the changes needed to create more gender parity?

Let us know or call 312.492.7772