Women make up almost half the US workforce, yet they are promoted to leadership positions at a rate far lower than are their male colleagues. What accounts for this leadership gap? How can organizations foster and develop women leaders? Studies show that having women in leadership positions brings many benefits to an organization, including greater accountability and a culture of work-life balance. Yet it can be difficult to determine the barriers to women’s advancement, and even more difficult to surmount them. Learning how to foster and develop women as leaders not only benefits individual employees, but can benefit your entire organization.
Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, it occurs more easily and rapidly. At the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Discuss the barriers women face in entering leadership positions
- Understand the importance of developing women leaders
- Determine steps your organization can take to foster women leaders
- Understand the benefits of developing women leaders
- Apply the principles of fostering women leaders to your own organization
Women and the Workforce
- 50% of the Population
- 60% of College Degree Earners
- 47% of the US Workforce
- 52% of Professional Jobs
- Case Study
- Assessment
The Leadership Gap
- Women are Underrepresented in Leadership
- Women in Executive Positions
- Women in Finance, Health Care, and Law
- Historical Trends
- Case Study
- Assessment
Barriers to Women’s Leadership
- Gender Differences are Overemphasized
- Gender Differences are Undervalued
- Women Lack Professional Networks
- Work and Family Conflict
- Case Study
- Assessment
Traits of Women’s Management
- Women Lead By Uniting Diverse Groups
- Women Value Work-Life Balance
- Women Value Interpersonal Relationships
- Women Value Accountability
- Case Study
- Assessment
Benefits of Women’s Leadership
- Greater Collaboration
- Culture of Work-Life Balance
- Culture of Accountability
- Assists in Recruiting Millennials
- Case Study
- Assessment
Nurture Women’s Leadership
- Actively Recruit Women
- Create and Encourage Networking Opportunities
- Pair Women with Mentors in Leadership
- Create and Encourage Training Opportunities
- Case Study
- Assessment
Actively Recruit Women
- Discover Your Barriers to Hiring
- Discover Your Barriers to Retention
- Recruit via Women’s Organizations
- Create and Promote a Woman-Friendly Culture
- Case Study
- Assessment
Encourage Networking Opportunities
- Create a Women’s Networking Group
- Encourage Women to Join Organizations
- Networking Builds Confidence
- Networking and Recruiting
- Case Study
- Assessment
Pair Women with Mentors
- Benefits of Mentoring
- Think Creatively
- Incorporate Mentoring at Every Stage
- Encourage Women to Mentor
- Case Study
- Assessment
