In this episode, we're diving deep into the shocking reality of leadership disparity, uncovering how despite making up 51% of the population, women hold a measly fraction of leadership positions across the board.
But it's not all doom and gloom—prepare to be inspired by female leaders who've shattered glass ceilings and transformed their organizations through inclusive, empathetic leadership.
From actionable steps to redefine pathways to leadership to a powerful call to action for immediate change, this episode is a rallying cry for gender parity in leadership.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why including women in leadership roles isn’t just fair—it’s a proven strategy for boosting profitability and innovation.
- Three compelling reasons to prioritize gender diversity in your business strategy for greater economic success and social impact.
- How businesses with female leaders excel in governance and performance, providing a clear roadmap for your scaling strategy.
- How we can challenge the status quo and work towards a future where leadership reflects real demographic diversity.
This episode at a glance:
[02:35] They may be men who are sympathetic or empathetic to helping women grow into leadership, but the bottom line is those decisions are still made by men.
[03:45] This country was built on capitalism, on making money. So why would you not move your corporate model to something that has been proven to be more profitable?
[05:45] Today's barriers are less about slamming doors in your face, and more about subtly steering you away from them. And this is what keeps us complacent.
[09:35] The ripple effects of female leadership extend far beyond the boardroom or the halls of government. They reach into the heart of society.
[12:03] Make it okay for women to say no to pleasing people, over-commitment, and having to be pretty, polished, and perfect all the time.
Resources and Links mentioned in this episode:
You might also like:
More about the “My Good Woman” podcast
My Good Woman is a podcast for bold female leaders hosted by me, Dawn Andrews! Grab a seat at the table for candid conversations with culture-shifting, glass-ceiling-busting, trailblazing women, and leading enterprises that are changing the world. Follow along so that you can catch all of the episodes. And before you go, leave us a review!
Want to increase revenue and impact? Listen to “My Good Woman” for insights on business strategy and female leadership to scale your business. Each episode offers advice on effective communication, team building, and management. Learn to master routines and systems to boost productivity and prevent burnout. Our delegation tips and business consulting will advance your executive leadership skills and presence.
My Good Woman
Ep. 41 | 51% Female: Why Women in Leadership Is The Best Business Strategy. A Rant.
Dawn Andrews:
Let's make leadership 51 percent female. Not next century, not next decade, today. Welcome to the My Good Woman podcast, where we help female founders become confident CEOs and achieve the next level of business growth by improving executive leadership, refining strategy, building systems, and streamlining operations.
I'm Dawn Andrews, the Founder and CEO of Free Range Thinking Business Strategy Consulting, and I'm your host. Join me tweak for solo episodes and candid conversations with culture- shifting female founders, leading impactful enterprises that are changing the world. And grab their strategies to show you how to take your business to extraordinary levels of growth.
Welcome back to My Good Woman, this episode is a little different. I'm grabbing the mic today because I cannot have another look at the state of the world conversation without getting something off my chest. I am a hopeful person deeply rooted in possibility, who believes that words – communication, conversation, create our reality. So, I'm using them.
Welcome to my rant and if we haven't met yet? I'm your host, Dawn Andrews, and today I am ripping off the Band-Aid to address an imbalance that's so glaring that it's almost dystopian. And has me on the verge of either screaming or giggling. So, it fits right in with where things are these days.
Imagine a world where decisions that affect us all are overwhelmingly made by less than half of us. Where a single voice echoes in a chamber that was meant for a chorus. And this isn't fiction. This is the reality of today's leadership landscape.
And this isn't just about fairness, it is about necessity. So, I'm going to rant for a moment about why I feel women should hold 51 percent of all leadership positions globally.
Let's start with the numbers. And stay with me, because this all pays off.
Despite women making up about 51 percent of the global population, their representation in leadership from major corporations, to government bodies, from academic institutions, to scientific boards is astonishingly low, and it is abysmal for women of color.
In Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Walmart, Apple, the companies that generate over a trillion dollars in revenue and employ more than 30 million people, women CEOs still hover around a meager 10. 4%.
And of this, only two of those CEOs are women of color. It is not something to celebrate. I mean, it is because I'm glad we've made inroads, but two, two women? It's ridiculous. This means that the vast majority of corporate strategic and organizational decisions are made by men and they may be men who are allies for women, they may be men who are sympathetic or empathetic to helping women grow into leadership, but the bottom line is those decisions are still made by men.
In politics, female leaders in national parliaments worldwide barely scraped 25%. And let me tell you, the U. S. is not the country in the lead on that one either. In academia, only 30 percent of major universities are led by women. So why do all these numbers matter? Why am I shouting them back to you? Because this isn't just a gap, it is a gaping chasm.
Even in the best-case scenario where we've got 30 percent of leadership in major universities led by women. That means we're still 21 percent off, and there's a lot of space in that 21 percent when it comes to decision-making. It's not just unfair, it is downright inefficient and sometimes that bothers me more than the fairness.
And all of this matters because at minimum, it perpetuates gender inequality and deprives society of the full benefit of women's talents, perspectives, and leadership abilities.
But with all that said, let's talk money. Organizations with women in leadership tend to be more profitable, so why are we still hovering at such a low percentage of women in leadership?
I mean, this country was built on capitalism, on making money. So why would you not move your corporate model to something that has been proven to be more profitable?
Let's have a moment.
Imagine New York City at night with half of its towering buildings brightly lit, every window just lit up, and the other half, dark, except for a few windows lit here and there. Despite forming the majority of the city's architecture, these big, large buildings, the potential is barely tapped, their presence unrepresented, like the presence of women unrepresented in the brilliance of the city's night.
Can you see that picture with me?
So what's behind the imbalance? How did we end up here? Well, this is not going to be a surprise to anybody, it's plain old patriarchy. And I'm not talking about the adorable and tart Ken version in the Barbie movie. This is the deep-rooted, stubborn kind of patriarchy, especially in this era of the evolution of humanity. It is hanging on by its gnarly fingernails, driven by ego and physical domination.
For centuries, women have been held back by barriers that are as blatant as they are sneaky. The world continues to be run by an old boys club. Where the rules were written long before women were even invited to play. And these rules weren't just about who got to lead. They shaped a world where leadership was a role reserved almost exclusively for men, and continued to cement the world in that way. But we're brighter than that. We know more now.
So what's stopping us?
Some of the old-school barriers, like outright denying education or the right to vote for women have been torn down. But it's really frightening, don't be fooled. Because the desire to hang on to these outdated systems is stronger than ever, and I feel like it's a last-gasp moment.
The repeal of Roe V. Wade has more than illustrated that. It's just that last little bit of hanging on before change. We can be the force that tips that scale, that pushes that forward. Because today's barriers are less about slamming doors in your face, and more about subtly steering you away from them. And this is what keeps us complacent. We think it's not that bad, it doesn't affect me. I mean, I'll be real with you, I'm sitting over here running my own business. Speaking into my microphone, saying whatever I want.
So, it would be very easy for me to be complacent and feel like it doesn't affect me, but if it affects one, it affects us all. And it is the little nudges, the absence of a guiding hand, and that infamous glass ceiling that is transparent but titanium tough, for most women who are in some sort of corporate environment, and these hurdles are harder to spot, but they're every bit as effective at keeping women from stepping forward, speaking up, and standing out.
Why do we do this?
Why do we stay silent?
Why do we hold ourselves back?
Because it's scary. I totally get it. So, I have some thoughts. I'm going to ask you to step into another visualization with me.
Imagine a beautiful forest with giant redwoods and sequoias. And as a woman, you've grown up on that forest floor in the near dark all the sunlight and resources are taken by the tall trees first and every decision you make is in reference to your environment, to what you can see or barely see.
You don't realize, that a few steps one way or the other might lead you out of the forest and into the light. And we need to step into the light. Because male-dominated leadership doesn't just shape our present, it dictates our future. Often without the insight that mixed leadership would bring, and the consequences of that, were living with them.
The climate crisis, war, famine, the progressive elimination of women's reproductive rights, the banning of books and educational opportunities.
So at this point, I might be preaching to the choir and all of this might be information that you've heard or felt before. I also may be preaching to the terrified or overwhelmed. Because, going back to that forest analogy, how do we begin to make change or lead differently when all we've known is living in the dark?
So stay with me.
Stay in possibility.
Stay in the vision of an equitable future.
I'm ranting because we can be afraid and overwhelmed, but we can't be complacent. It's not enough to see or understand our current situation. We must take action. So I'm going to make a powerful case for change, especially if you're a female founder who can make your company in your image or better yet one that is equitable, diverse, and aligned with the future reality you'd like to see.
Here's great info. Studies show that companies with diverse leadership aren't just fairer, they're more profitable, more innovative, and better at governance. A Journal of Management meta-analysis of 100,000 organizations found that female leaders, especially CEOs, positively correlated with stronger company performance in terms of investment and sales performance. That's a study to back up the first thing that I just mentioned.
This is how awesome you are as a female founder.
And women in leadership roles emphasize collaboration, empathy, and inclusive communication. These are skills that are crucial for the interconnected challenges of our modern world. And then talking real-world impact, countries with higher rates of women in political leadership, these countries have better socioeconomic outcomes from health and education to economic stability.
So all of this isn't a coincidence, it's causation. Girl, you are the one that is making this possible. You're doing this.
The ripple effects of female leadership extend far beyond the boardroom or the halls of government, they reach into the heart of society. In education, female leaders advocate for more inclusive curriculums that directly impact future generations. In healthcare, women push for policies that address broader community needs and female needs.
Menopause anyone?
And I'm inspired by the guests we've had here on the podcast like Alyse Maslonik or Rebekah Johnson, or watch out for my upcoming conversation with the founder of The Motherhood Center, Catherine Birndorf, the initiatives these women have brought forth have not only transformed their organizations, but have set a benchmark for what inclusive empathetic leadership can look like and achieve.
So what can we do?
We need to redefine the pathways to leadership. I'd encourage us all to go back to schools and colleges and encourage young women to take on leadership roles and provide them with the tools and confidence to see themselves as leaders.
Let's start as early as possible.
If you own a business, consider being a financial sponsor for these programs. You can start your own business. In the corporate world, you can advocate for policies that facilitate women rising to the top. Look for women first because nobody's looking for them in the first place. Start there. And then create policies and programs that support women from parental leave to flexible work policies, mentorship programs, transparent promotion tracks.
Build your companies with diverse leadership. And as you nurture and develop female leaders, encourage male counterparts to do the same. And for you, my listener, support the women in your life, encourage them, mentor them, advocate for them, be an ally, and get the men in your life to do the same. Recognize your leadership qualities and the qualities in women around you and help them amplify their voices. And for those of you that haven't found your voices yet, be courageous enough to receive feedback from women who have, to help you find yours.
And finally, make it okay for women to say NO - to people pleasing, to over-commitment, and to having to be pretty, polished, and perfect all the time. We don't need to get our hair done to get our work done. Even though I do like a nice hairdo.
So, now, take a deep breath, and imagine a world where leadership reflects the real demographic makeup of our society, where the decision-makers truly represent those they serve, it's a necessity, and it's achievable.
Imagine a world where policies that support women are a natural part of the conversation. And part of the debate, not for inclusion, but for refinement. We've talked about the why and the how, and now it's time for action.
So, let's stop asking, why include women? And start saying, why not? And why not now?
Let's make leadership 51 percent female. Not next century, not next decade, today. Because while the future might be female, let's make that future now. No more excuses. Let's make it happen. Rant. Over.
That's a wrap on today's episode of My Good Woman. We covered a lot of ground today, venturing deep into the realms of leadership representation and the crucial role women must play in shaping our future.
If today's episode resonated with you sparked a thought or ignited a passion, don't keep it to yourself. Share it with a friend, spread the word, and multiply the impact because change starts with a conversation and conversations start with you.
Thanks for tuning in.
Until next time, keep challenging the norms and keep reaching for the heights you are destined to conquer.