Women: Go High. Be Heard.
Jan 31, 2017
There is no doubt that we are living in extraordinary times.
Never has there been a moment in our lifetimes when women have become so civically engaged so quickly... while so absent in the halls of power.
In January, the Catalyst organization published an update to its well-known list of the number of women CEOs in the S&P 500.
And consistent with all the years prior, the number is shockingly low--just 4% of the chief executives of these large companies are women.
It's not just in the corporate world that women are missing from the senior ranks: it's true in academia, law, medicine, government...myriad other fields. This, despite the fact that women earn more bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctorate degrees than men.
Having been involved in and passionate about women's leadership issues for decades, I've often wondered: what will it take to actually move the needle on women in leadership?
Because, let's be honest. Leadership is code for power. The power to determine what gets done, what is valued, what is prioritized.
In this video, I share my thoughts about how women need to go high and be heard.
The business case has already been empirically proven and well-publicized. Companies with more women in leadership roles and on their board of directors outperform those with lower representation.
Leadership diversity is good for everyone, and there are a lot of progressive men out there who are big advocates in creating a more diverse environment that benefits from the perspectives, experiences, and skills of all--women and men alike.
Let's do this together. There is so much to be gained by all of us.
Weigh in--I want to hear what you think!