Although studies have shown that women make good leaders, they often don’t make it to leadership positions as often as they should. But there’s a number of reasons that businesses may want to see that they do.
According to an article in YourStory.com, the global average of women occupying leadership positions is pegged at 29
percent — a number that falls to 20 percent when it comes to senior-level management positions. According to researchers, companies big on gender diversity are 40 percent more likely to have sustained, profitable growth and 70 percent more likely to have greater leadership strength.
These are the findings from the eighth edition of the 2018 Global Leadership Forecast, an expansive research project
conducted by DDI, The Conference Board, and EY, that surveyed from 25,812 leaders and 2,547 human resources professionals at 2,488 organizations across 26 industries worldwide.
According to demographic data collected, women currently constitute only 29 percent of all leadership roles, most of
which are first-level management positions. The study states that a healthy pipeline of female talent must be created by evaluating the different channels leveraged for recruitment. “You can’t grow diversity if you’re not creating new ways of getting new perspectives into the building,” the report finds.
“Encourage leaders to seek different perspectives for new projects and reward teams that harness inclusion of multiple perspectives to generate new ideas and solutions. Provide high-performing women with stretch assignments to continue building their skills and cross-functional knowledge,” it says.
In this edition of the Business Magazine, we’ll explore the topic of women in leadership and the professional resources that are available in the tri-state region, including the Gannon SBDC’s 11th annual Women in Leadership Development program on April 18 in Erie. We’ll also talk with Elisabeth Smith, president and CEO of Acutec Precision Aerospace, about her own leadership journey at this growing Meadville-based firm.
In addition, we’ll examine some of the ongoing topics for women in the workplace, as as well as the importance of mentoring and training for women leaders, including the Manufacturer & Business Association’s highly sought-after Women in Leadership class. The MBA is committed to providing employers — and their employees — with the tools they
need to succeed! Visit www.mbausa.org to learn more!
