Tarina Vlok, MD: Elite Risk, a subsidiary of Old Mutual Insure
As a country, we have a far way to go for more women to hold leadership positions at companies. Female positions in top management and in the boardrooms are looking slightly better, but it’s not nearly close enough to be representative of the gender split in the country.
The Global Gender Gap Report 2022 reports that at the current rate of reform it will take 267.6 years for the gap between men and women globally to close. It acknowledges that the full impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is not yet known, but there are projections that the gap has widened since the outbreak of the pandemic. Preliminary data suggests that 5% of all employed women worldwide lost their jobs due to lockdowns, compared to 3.9% of men. LinkedIn data also shows a decline in the appointment of women to leadership roles, which put us back two years from closing the gender gap.
In today’s world, which embraces vulnerability and leading with empathy, gender diversity in the boardroom and in executive management is simply a must because female leaders bring something different to the table.
Could the answer be in neuroscience? Studies show that male and female brains are wired differently, with some scientists believing that the difference between men and women is in their approach to leadership. Men in leadership positions often focus on accomplishing tasks, implementing a structure, and establishing power, which is a more transactional approach. Women tend to focus on caring for the team on a personal level, motivating the team and subordinates, listening to the team member’s ideas, and problem-solving. This is considered a transformational approach.
So, what must we as female leaders do to get and keep a seat at the table? Below are the qualities I believe are important traits to closing the gender gap, for good.
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Be brave and pave the way for others
Madeleine Albright, the first American female to serve as US Secretary of State, and well-known for her flamboyant broaches, famously said there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.
We must look out for each other. Mentor, coach and develop our reports. Have a strategic relationship with staff. Be brave enough to hire people who are better than you. Put employees and reports ahead of yourself. Let’s continue to break ground and make way for other women.
Embrace your femininity
Don’t try to emulate male leadership as the benchmark for leadership qualities. In the modern era we not only need a diverse workforce, but we need the well-rounded capabilities brought to leadership by males and females in equal measure.
Be self-aware, humble, and authentic.
Believe in yourself but know your own limitations. Self-awareness is incredibly important in this world that celebrates self-belief. If we see ourselves in a slightly more critical way, we tend to prepare better, which is a very good way to ensure competence and performance. Don’t be scared to employ people who are better than you. And always be your fabulous, female self.
In conclusion, it needs to be reiterated that the gender gap is not a women’s issue. It’s a societal issue. We need the diversity of both male and female leaders to advance our cultures and move our companies forward as we prepare for the workplace of the future.