What are the challenges that female executives face in today’s world?
This article will explore common hurdles faced by female executives, including barriers to female leadership, and illustrate how executive coaching for women can be the catalyst for overcoming these obstacles.
“Women belong in the all the places where decisions are being made.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Supreme Court Justice and 1999 AAUW Achievement Awardee
You have come to the right place
Executive coaching for women serves as a potent tool to navigate your challenges, enabling you to reach your utmost potential. It offers a bespoke approach to developing the necessary skills, strategies, and mindset for thriving in today’s competitive landscape. Whether your goals include climbing the career ladder, transitioning roles, or boosting performance and well-being, executive coaching is designed to propel you towards your goals and vision.
Having guided a lot of women leaders from various sectors, backgrounds, and cultures, I have witnessed the transformative power of executive coaching for women. It not only elevates careers but also enriches lives.
Navigating Corporate Glass Ceilings?
In today's professional landscape, a significant challenge facing female executives is the glass ceiling. This metaphor represents the unseen barrier hindering women and other marginalized groups from climbing to higher echelons of corporate success.
These obstacles are not official corporate protocols but stem from implicit biases and societal norms that block some individuals from ascending to top leadership roles, irrespective of their credentials.
Understanding the Glass Ceiling phenomenon
The concept of the glass ceiling was introduced in 1978 by writer and consultant Marilyn Loden during a panel on workplace gender dynamics. Loden discussed the impediments women encounter when their career progression stalls at mid-management, preventing them from securing top leadership or executive positions. The idea gained prominence in the mid-1980s, thanks to articles and books that shed light on the gap between the presence of women in the workforce and their representation in upper management.
While often associated with women, the glass ceiling also impacts people from various underrepresented backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with disabilities. Manifestations of the glass ceiling include unequal pay, overlooked promotions, microaggressions, isolation, underestimation, or job rejections, varying by industry, corporate culture, and personal identity.
Personal Stories of Hitting the Glass Ceiling
Notable female leaders have opened up about their encounters with the glass ceiling
• Ursula Burns, Xerox's former CEO and the first African American woman to head a Fortune 500 company, spoke of being mistaken for support staff and having to outperform her male colleagues to prove her worth.
• Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo's former CEO, discussed facing discrimination and balancing cultural and family expectations with her career ambitions.
• Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO and "Lean In" author, shared her battles with imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and the challenge of navigating professional relationships, underscoring the need for self-advocacy and support for women.
In the following YouTube video (15.29”) Sheryl Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions, and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite.
Strategies to Break Through
Although the glass ceiling is entrenched in systemic and cultural issues, female executives can employ specific strategies to forge ahead:
• Finding mentors and sponsors for advice, support, and doors to new opportunities.
• Cultivating a support network for sharing experiences and resources.
• Developing a personal brand and leadership style that reflects one's strengths and vision.
• Advocating for oneself in seeking promotions, raises, or challenging projects.
• Challenging biases and injustices within the workplace.
• Utilizing executive coaching tailored to women, facilitating skill development and strategic career planning.
Through these approaches, female executives can navigate around the glass ceiling to realize their professional potential, thereby improving the statistics of female leadership and contributing to the benefits of gender-inclusive leadership.
Balancing Work-Life Demands
In today's fast-paced world, executives who happen to be women often face the significant challenge of balancing their work-life demands. The importance of female leadership in maintaining a healthy equilibrium is paramount, as many are caught in the constant juggle of fulfilling their professional obligations while managing their personal lives, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed, stress, and even guilt.
So, the pressing question arises: How can women better balance their work and personal life?
The Myth of "Having It All"
At the heart of the balancing challenge lies the pervasive myth of "having it all." This notion propagates the belief that women can—and should—simultaneously excel in every facet of their lives, be it career, family, or personal interests. Yet, this ideal is not only unattainable but also damaging. It sets up women for failure, breeding feelings of inadequacy and disappointment when they inevitably do not meet these superhuman standards. Instead of chasing this all-encompassing perfection, women would benefit from centering what truly matters to them, identifying their core goals and values, and focusing their energies accordingly.
Impact of Societal Expectations on Personal Life
The quest for work-life balance is further complicated by societal expectations that dictate the traditional roles and responsibilities women should adhere to, both at home and work. Gender stereotypes often saddle women with the lion's share of domestic duties and childcare, irrespective of their professional status or workload. Moreover, societal norms can pressurize women to meet certain standards of beauty, behavior, and emotional expression, adding another layer of challenge and leading to a dissonance between their personal and professional identities. This can also stoke feelings of guilt or resentment when prioritizing one aspect of life over another.
Embracing Flexibility and Setting Boundaries
A crucial strategy for achieving work-life harmony is embracing flexibility and setting personal boundaries. Flexibility involves adapting to evolving circumstances and needs, striving for a work-life integration that is uniquely suited to each individual. This might mean choosing to work from home or the office, opting for part-time or full-time employment, or deciding between a strict or a flexible schedule. Embracing flexibility empowers women to find their balance and adjust as necessary.
Concurrently, setting boundaries is about confidently saying no to demands that misalign with one's personal goals and values. It's about managing one's time and energy effectively, whether that entails delegating tasks, limiting work hours, or ensuring periods of disconnection from work. Establishing boundaries is key to creating a healthy separation between work and personal life, preventing burnout, and maintaining stress at manageable levels.
Facing Gender Bias and Stereotyping
One significant hurdle that female executives encounter today is the presence of gender bias and stereotyping. Gender bias refers to the inappropriate or unequal treatment individuals experience solely due to their gender. Meanwhile, gender stereotyping involves the preconceived notions about individuals' characteristics or behaviors based on their gender. Both aspects contribute to restrictions on women's chances, acknowledgment, and progression in leadership positions.
Confronting Implicit and Explicit Bias
Gender bias manifests in two forms: implicit and explicit. Implicit bias occurs subconsciously, linking specific traits or qualities to a gender without awareness. In contrast, explicit bias is a conscious and intentional preference or prejudice based on gender. These biases can negatively skew perceptions, evaluations, and rewards for women in professional environments.
For instance, women often encounter a "double bind" scenario where they are expected to demonstrate both warmth and competence yet face criticism for leaning too heavily on either trait. They may also deal with a "double standard," facing higher or different expectations than men for identical roles or tasks.
To tackle these biases, women should become aware of personal and external biases and confront them head-on. Utilizing evidence and data to back up their achievements and actively seeking out feedback and acknowledgment are also critical steps.
Challenging Gender Stereotypes in Leadership
Gender stereotypes encompass societal beliefs about the roles and behaviors appropriate for men and women. Such stereotypes impact self-perception and influence interactions across various settings. A common stereotype is the gender-leadership assumption, which inaccurately assumes that leadership inherently suits men more than women, tying leadership qualities to "masculine" traits like assertiveness and dominance.
This stereotype leads to phenomena such as the "glass cliff," where women are more likely to be appointed to leadership roles in crisis or precarious conditions, or face backlash for displaying traditional leadership behaviors. Overcoming these stereotypes requires women to adopt and honor their unique leadership style, highlighting their varied skills and strengths. Exposure to diverse and positive female leadership models and celebrating women's successes further challenges these stereotypes.
Leveraging Allyship and Advocacy
Allyship and advocacy emerge as potent tools against gender bias and stereotyping. Allyship involves supporting members of marginalized or oppressed groups, while advocacy consists of acting or speaking on their behalf. These actions foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for female leaders.
Examples of allyship and advocacy include elevating women's voices, mentoring and sponsoring women in their professional growth, confronting bias and discrimination, and endorsing policies that enhance gender diversity and equality. To effectively utilize these tools, women must cultivate relationships with like-minded individuals who can provide support and advice. Furthermore, women should also serve as allies and advocates for other women and marginalized groups, fostering a network of support and empowerment.
What are the factors affecting female leadership?
Factors that affect women's role in leadership include attitudes that undermine women's participation, fear of geographical mobility and separation from family, patriarchal culture, gender and sex-based discrimination, stereotyping, harassment, gender inequality, perceived incompetence, and societal factors.
What are women’s biggest challenges?
The biggest challenges female leaders experience nowadays are unconscious bias, wage, being confident, impostor syndrome, gender differences, being treated equally, work-home-life balance, lack of mentorship and sponsorship, building alliances: it is who you know, not what you know.
What are the barriers to women’s empowerment?
Existing barriers to women's economic empowerment are: structural inequalities, discriminatory laws and policies, limited access to resources and finance, unequal pay, and gender-based violence are some of the key challenges that hinder women's economic participation and advancement.
What are the barriers to women’s participation in leadership?
Barriers to women's leadership are old stereotypes, fewer connections, bias and discrimination and lack of flexibility.
Conclusion
In today's corporate landscape, female executives encounter a myriad of obstacles, from navigating the opaque barriers of corporate glass ceilings to managing the delicate balance between professional obligations and personal life, not to mention combating pervasive gender bias and stereotypes. These hurdles can significantly impede their career advancement and personal satisfaction, ultimately hampering their achievement of full potential. Nevertheless, with the support of executive coaching tailored for female leaders, these barriers are not insurmountable. Such coaching offers a customized approach designed to equip you with the essential skills, strategies, and mindset necessary for flourishing in your leadership role. It can guide you in realizing your aspirations and visions, enabling you to exert a positive influence in the world."
Don't allow obstacles to deter you from chasing your aspirations. Reach out today and let's embark on your executive coaching journey together. As a senior leadership coach, I am here to guide you through your leadership journey, helping you to not only recognize your true worth but to also confidently stand in it.
