Describing state of Women in Leadership .

1. Women in Leadership
RUCHI BHATIA
TWITTER - @RUCSB

2. Women in Leadership – Facts
Women have made great headway in today’s world, but inequality still prevails.
While recent research shows that the presence of female leaders is strongly linked to better
financial outcomes, women are still underrepresented both in the boardroom and in senior
leadership roles
One study of more than 21,980 firms headquartered in 91 countries found that about 60
percent of these companies had no female board members
More than half had no female C-suite executive, and less than 5 percent had a female CEO
A 2016 ranking of the world’s 100 best- performing CEOs listed only two women.
India ranks third lowest in having women in leadership roles
34 per cent of the Indian businesses surveyed have no women in leadership

3. Women make Better Leaders
In 2012, a Harvard study found that “at every level, more women were rated by their peers,
their bosses, their direct reports, and their other associates as better overall leaders than their
male counterparts
Women already head at least nine banks, five FMCG companies and at least eight IT/ITeS
companies in India
A meagre 1.5% of women leaders – from a population of 500 million women – are on company
boards on merit, while, according to WILL Forum, almost 90% of working women in India are
stuck in mid-level jobs
Today’s working women are just as aggressive and ambitious as men. They recognize their
talents and understand their rights. They are ready and willing to play a larger managerial role
and ‘lean in’ to their careers more than their mothers ever did

4. Understanding Root Cause
Many organizations fail to provide an environment where female leaders feel supported in their
efforts to attain and succeed in senior leadership roles
Lack of support leading to decreases in women’s confidence
Lack of attainable leadership career paths for women
Losing career momentum after maternity. There seems to be an “invisible cliff in movement
from low to mid management where we lose large proportion of women
Unintentional prejudices” of the majority. Men who are typically the majority in an organization
often carry gender stereotypes or “unintentional prejudices” from their houses to the
workplaces. There is often a typecasting of what jobs women would prefer and what not

5. Understanding Root Cause
Women carry sub-conscious biases. Women often carry sub-conscious biases where they put
limits themselves. They often lack the self-belief and/or the aggression needed to push to the
next level
Our society. The root cause behind many of the issues we have observed above is the structure
of our society and deeply embedded expectations from the respective genders. If we go beyond
the relatively privileged middle class in our big cities education and growth opportunities for
women are often limited. Even in our cities while many women work the expectations of
relatively contributions of women and me at home have not changed. Change in our society will
not be overnight,. However, unless we address this issue we might not be able to move the
needle significantly on diversity

6. Creating a New Culture – Breaking
Gender Stereotypes
Successful companies (as measured by superior business and talent outcomes) typically look
beyond programs and instead address gender disparities by creating a culture and context of
inclusion that fosters diversity and drives and encourages leadership opportunities for women
If change has to be leapfrogged, apart from the creative flexi working policies and strong
development support provided by organisations to the women workforce, then government and
industry bodies need to join hands and make amends to the existing labour laws wherein
provision of childcare facilities be mandated across all industry sectors

7. What works for Women
Support for women after maternity
Give power of career choice – don’t impose prejudices
Provide flex-working opportunities
Provide crèche facilities in or near office
Career support at mid-management level
Identify sponsors who will champion a hi-potential women managers case and help create opportunities
Provide mentorship – these need not just be women to women. Men to women mentorship can sometimes work even better
Set up women networks to not just share best practices and peer networking but also exposure to senior management
Catch them young
Reach out to girls leaving colleges to shape mindsets
Provide mentorship even at junior levels in the organization
Raise awareness of role models

8. What works for Women
Rethink practices and workplace design
Address possible intake bias through mixed gender panels – “men hire men”!!
Bring gender sensitization to workplace design – most offices are of men, designed by men, for men!!
Change majority mindsets
Build understanding that discussion is not just about diversity but about inclusion. This moves the discussion from
form to substance!!
Raise awareness of “unintentional prejudices”. Unless the majority mindset changes, inclusion will not happen
Steps to change the society
A difficult process but something corporate leaders need to consider
Focus CSR spend towards initiatives like education and care of the girl child
Consider women focused business initiatives – for example, Airtel is opening all-women staffed “Angel stores”

9. Support Women in Leadership Roles