When women lead

• Deepshikha Dharmaraj, Chief Executive Officer, Genesis BCW writes how there could be a better understanding of the needs of women in the workplace if we let them lead.
• When a company largely has men in the top management, women drop out faster, because they don’t see role models or a career growth path for themselves. She further tells us how this can be flipped by inspiring more women to continue working and why it is important for companies to build a safe work environment.

We live in an unequal world. Nowhere is that more apparent—besides economic inequality—than in the gender equation. The Global Gender Gap Report 2020 by the World Economic Forum says it will take 99.5 years to achieve gender parity. A century is a long time—past our lifetimes and our children’s. There is good news hidden in this gloomy scenario, though—in two years, the outlook has come down from 108 years to this. That means, we are doing some things right.

Representation matters

One of the most important pivots is, and will continue to be, better representation of women in leadership positions. The percentage of women in senior leadership in India is dismal—ranging from 13-19 per cent, depending on which report you refer to. My organization is one of the most unique ones, with a 7:3 women to men ratio. Our leadership is 85 per cent women. These two statistics are deeply connected. When women lead, they inspire other women to join and want to grow. When a company largely has men in the top management, women drop out faster, because they don’t see role models or a career growth path for themselves.

Unique style of leading

Empathy, participative decision-making, inspiration and people development—these are just some of the leadership traits that future global challenges are going to need, according to a recent McKinsey study of leadership behavior. These are the traits most women leaders apply, according to the same study. And this is not the only report that says this. Women are naturally wired to make more connections and be more inclusive and collaborative. That leads to a fertile ground for innovation and therefore, growth. What’s more, the fact that women are better at making connections means a more holistic approach to growth.

Making the workplace easier for women

When women lead, there is a better understanding of the needs of women in the workplace. From policies like flexible timings, work-from-home, safety and specific leaves (we have miscarriage and bereavement leaves, for example) to women-friendly facilities in the office, an organization led by women is more likely to have them.

Resilient and motivated

Any woman who is in a leadership position has reached there beating some odds. Whether it is leading in a largely men-dominated industry, balancing work and home or dealing with public perceptions of women in leadership, women achievers and leaders have to constantly prove themselves. The thing that keeps them going is resilience and the ability to stay motivated and focused on their goal. That makes them sharper, better able to handle crises and more driven to beat even more odds.

Former chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde once said, if women contributed as much to the workforce as men, India’s national income would rise by 27 per cent. For that to happen, we need more women in the leadership, both in the corporate space as well as in politics and other spheres of life. It’s important for women, important for men, important for industry, country and the world.