Let’s accept; we live in an unequal world. No matter how much we deny this fact, it is the ultimate truth. Apart from gender inequality, which we are rapidly trying to close; we face class, creed, religion, status, and many other disparities that surely need attention.
Equality can’t be the choice when the playing ground is at different levels. Hence, organizations that genuinely care for their leaders must take the help of equity so that eventually, justice will prevail.
It’s important to realize that the things that empower other leaders may not always work for women leaders. (I hate to use this word ‘women leaders’ as if they are some different species, but that’s the best way to differentiate as of now. I am eagerly waiting for that day when the need for this differentiation has completely disappeared).
That’s when equity needs to come into the picture. It’s essential to reduce the gap of inequality and bring in measures that would genuinely help the growth of the women leaders. Eventually, that would help us bring back the justice that has been missing for ages now.
As the PepsiCo CEO, Indra Nooyi said once, “Women can’t have it all”. Every single day women need to make choices that take them through constant dilemmas. What role does she need to play today? The professional leader that she is? Or is it of a mother? Or maybe a daughter? Or the wife? Or perhaps the caregiver? While this constant act of decision-making tires her, in most cases, her employers make it even more difficult for her to perform by using blanket rules and arbitrary regulations on her.
Indra Nooyi, also said, “Most companies target women as end-users, but few are effectively utilizing female employees when it comes to innovating for female consumers. When women are empowered in the design and innovation process, the likelihood of success in the marketplace improves by 144%!”
Utilizing women leaders’ skillset to the fullest is only possible when the organizations start understanding the needs of the women leaders and leverage their potential to the fullest.
As a CHRO, you may want to genuinely help your women leaders to be their best versions, be proactive at work, take more responsibility, and demonstrate more leadership abilities. But there is something that stops them from doing so. You may want to help your women leaders in their early 30’s and 40’s stay in the race for top leadership positions and contribute to the fullest of their abilities, but you aren’t sure what will work for them and how can you do that.
From tomorrow onwards, I will be sharing 100 different ways you can nurture the unique leadership traits of your women leaders that will make them more proactive, responsible, and help them demonstrate their leadership qualities better.
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This is the INTRODUCTION to the 100 ways to empower women leader’s series. You can read the other stories here.
Do join the Setback Leaders’ Worldwide Tribe should you wish to stay in close touch with other Setback Leaders from across the world.
Feel free to share a story from your workplace of how you encouraged your women leaders differently or how your employer encouraged you to perform to your best. Let’s help make the journey a little easier for them.
