Where are the women leaders?

Birthe Mester, MD of business development at the Centre for High Performance Development (CHPD), claims that despite being just as good – if not better – than their male counterparts, women leaders struggle to climb beyond middle management.  So, why are there so few women leaders?

In just seven years, only a third of the workforce will be male and under 45.  Women now make up nearly half the workforce, double the numbers of 25 years ago.  Yet, these numbers fail to tell the whole story.  At the very top of organisations, women are severely under-represented.  A recent analysis of the top positions among FTSE 100 companies revealed that just five of 300 are held by women.

The blame cannot lie in ability, declares Birthe Mester.  “At the Centre for High Performance Development, we’ve spent more than10 years assessing leaders in both real life and simulated situations.  This has led to the development of a leadership model based on 11 identified High Performance Behaviours, demonstrated by exceptional leaders – both men and women. 

“These are the specific capabilities that we know are essential if you want to be performing at the highest levels in very complex, dynamic environments – things like strategic thought, relationship building, influence, power and communication.”

The results showed that women tended to use developmental behaviours more than men, who were more directional and that women actually had a higher overall capability – particularly at the earlier stages of their career when they were managing smaller teams.  Things did even out beyond the middle management level, but according to Mester, women really are just as capable as men.

If it’s not capability that is holding women back – are our FTSE 100 companies simply sexist?  Birthe Mester says there may be an element of truth in that, but often the issue is more complex that gender discrimination: “There is a popular view that once women reach their 30s they tend to become more interested in starting and bringing up a family than in pursuing a career.

“If you ask women, however their explanations are very different.  A study by US research firm, Catalyst in 2001 found that women cited several barriers to promotion, only one of which was commitment to family responsibilities.”

Instead, Mester believes that there are five main barriers to women:

• Lack of role models and mentors – a bit of a chicken and egg situation, where women progressing in an organisation need to see other women at the top to act as role models and also to ‘coach’ them on what’s required to succeed in their specific environment
• Isolation – women can often feel left out of the ‘boys club’ and this can prevent them from building relationships and therefore being seen by the people at the top
• Stereotyping and preconceptions – this links back to the view that once women reach their 30s they want to focus on family rather than career.  In a male-dominated environment, one excuse for not promoting is the belief that they weren’t even aware that the woman would want the ‘extra responsibility’ of promotion because they had children.
• Difference in style -  women tend towards a different style of management to men, and if this is not understood then it could be seen as ‘not the way we do things round here’
• Risk averse male bosses and a lack of understanding by men on how to treat women – there is some evidence that men get promoted on potential whereas women have to prove their competence repeatedly before they advance

A further issue for many women, according to Birthe, is self-promotion.  She points out that there is a big difference between job performance and career success – and that one does not necessarily follow the other.  “Successful careers are not only the result of a job well done and we know that women are just as good, if not better than men at doing the job.   Career success also requires people within the organisation to know who you are and to have a positive perception of you.”

According to Birthe, some of the very characteristics that make women such potentially effective leaders – team-working and humility for example – can also make it harder for them to promote themselves internally to ensure they gain the recognition they deserve for their achievements.  “Men are much more capable at the things that get you promoted.  They make sure they are seen by the right people and they communicate upwards – something women feel much less comfortable doing.  Women more often simply get on with the job and expect – wrongly – to get promoted on their ability alone.”

In short, it seems that the reason there are so few women at the top is largely down to self-promotion.  Men tend to think they are more competent in all areas than they really are.  Women, on the other hand, rate themselves down.  According to Birthe, it’s time women believed in themselves and their abilities.

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