Grants For Women logo

The Online Guide to Women Grants, Funding, Scholarships, and More!
Home What Are Grants? Opportunities Types of Grants How To Apply News/ Blog

Women and Leadership: The Challenges and Triumphs

Women's leadership

Women leaders are redefining what it means to lead. They have made their mark; their work has changed the course of history. We discuss some important aspects of women and leadership, including gender barriers, underrepresentation, and why women make great leaders.

Gender Barriers

Unfortunately, unconscious gender bias in the workplace hasn’t disappeared. To some, women are either bossy or they’re pushovers - they face the “double bind” phenomenon. These opinions can stem from the idea that a specific gender is best suited for a particular industry. But who is to say that women should only work in industries such as education or healthcare? This discrimination is one of the biggest gender barriers women face.

Many companies continue to foster an environment where women fear rejection from their male colleagues due to personality stereotypes or shrink themselves because they’re labeled as incapable. As more companies promote a workplace where women are encouraged to speak on issues they deeply care and trust their own voices, these barriers will begin to lower. Women’s contributions are much needed, no matter their occupations. When employers place women in leadership roles, they reverse the idea that only men can pave the way for a company.

Underrepresentation


Today, a gender leadership gap still exists in the occupational world. Even though women are becoming more prominent in the workplace as a whole, many female leaders remain underrepresented in business, science, technology, and other executive roles. In fact, just last year, Pew Research confirmed that only 26 women filled CEO roles at Fortune 500 companies.

In order to close this gap, companies need to put more women in charge - the number of women in leadership roles is increasing too slowly. However, the future looks promising. Companies are continually working toward more inclusive environments that encourage women to apply for leadership roles as well as reward women for their efforts. For instance, more women in finance, legal, and real estate industries are securing leadership positions.

Why Women Make Great Leaders

Gender shouldn’t determine whether a person can lead or not. When a company embraces both genders, they celebrate the unique perspectives from female and male leaders. Diversity benefits everybody, and it’s essential to keeping talent.

Women don’t end up in leadership positions by accident. They have numerous responsibilities at home and at work - their collaboration, emotional intelligence, flexibility, and other skills allow them to shine in anything they do. From conference rooms to court rooms, women deserve to be there and to have their voices heard.

Over the years, it’s become evident that women flourish in leadership roles. Although they’ve had to face judgement and underrepresentation, when asked to lead, women always rise to the occasion.