Encouraging more women into leadership roles is a trend that more businesses should follow. Unfortunately, because of how our society has evolved, women are more prone to traits that are detrimental to their professional progression.
Traits such as imposter syndrome and a lack of self-confidence are holding women back from reaching their full potential.
One solution is for CEOs to create professional advisory programmes for women and introduce more female role models to their workforce.
Celebrating women in leadership roles, showcasing the best of females in the workplace and inspiring female employees, can go a long way in promoting and encouraging professional gender equality.
The sooner we start celebrating female employees for their achievements and the impact they have on our businesses, the sooner it will become the norm for women to hold senior roles. For women to truly succeed in business, CEOs need to create a management team that supports them, gives them the confidence to leave their comfort zones, fight their hesitations and the gumption to believe in themselves.
I believe that independent advisors are crucial in helping women reach senior leadership. For some reason, there is a belief that asking to be mentored demonstrates some kind of weakness, but surely showing a willingness to learn and improve are positive characteristics?
The formation of a group of both male and female experts who have the ability to go beyond the realm of mentor and into the realm of counsel, can take us beyond traditional approaches and to a bold new frontier.
CEOs who take time to build and incorporate advisory programmes in their workplaces will reap the benefits. Not only could an advisory programme help develop the mentee, they also foster a win-win environment where the mentor or expert can spot any common gaps in knowledge within the team.
A bank of expert advisors give staff the chance to access a wealth of information, experience and advice. Female staff members will find themselves feeling far more confident with support from someone who has already been and done the task at hand successfully.
Women who have been given the opportunity to be mentored, have consequently been given the opportunity to see what they can achieve. In addition, it allows for women to expand their networks and meet people who they may not have had the opportunity to connect with otherwise.
Finding an ally that can help your voice stand out at work or someone you can trust and confide in, and arguably most importantly learn from, is invaluable. Just like in any aspect of life, women need to support each other to thrive in a workplace that has historically challenged their progress, but what will really tip the scales, is a CEO that is driving the change.