Ways for Advancing Women into a Leadership Role

February 5, 2019

Women these days, account for majority of the workforce, as advancement of women in leadership roles, continue to gain momentum. Despite of diversity in workforce, improved financial performance and company reputation, many companies are still struggling to retain the women in leadership roles. Advancing women into leadership role is indispensable, for improving the engagement of employees and maintaining the sustainability of the organization:Build New Opportunities for Aspiring Women:In order to bring advancement to the woman leadership role, it is quite imperative to create new opportunities for the aspiring women. An organization should think innovatively, in order to bring improvement in women executive positions. They should increase the board seats for the position of female executives, rather than waiting for a male director or an executive.

Track One’s Performance Through Annual Appraisals:

Annual appraisals serve as a key metric to track an individual’s performance and judge the competitive nature and ability of both men and women. The appraisals provide a better and transparent perspective on who is more competent to lead the organization.

Increased Visibility Through Sponsorships and Mentorships:

For career growth of a woman, motivation from mentors and sponsorship plays an important role. Mentors encourage the capability of a woman and build their career path and also help them to identify appropriate skill and knowledge. Whereas, a sponsor moves an individual forward and recognizes the potential talent of a woman. Mentors give insight of one’s growth and sponsors connect a woman to the most appropriate opportunity. Thus, in order to move a woman to a senior or an executive role, mentorship and sponsorship both are essential.

Flexi Work Options Increase their Productivity:

A woman leader is considered to be wiser, professional and matured, compared to her male counterpart. A flexible career option can help her maintain a better work-life balance, thereby improving their productivity in handling leadership roles. Adequate leaves and work from home options can help balance their professional and personal responsibilities to the optimal level.In order to advance a woman into leadership or executive roles, their intrinsic worth and hard work should always be encouraged and appreciated by the senior members. It is pivotal to maintain an equal pay scale and amenities for both the genders, commensurate to best industry standards. Advancing the right woman candidate for a leadership role, will ensure long-term consistent organizational growth.