The problem with leadership development is that as humans we are predisposed to think we know a good leader when we see him. (notice I said see “him”) Unfortunately, this view overlooks a wide talent pool of women and minorities who if given the chance could become special leaders. A recent study revealed that gender bias is still a big barrier when choosing leaders. As such, many women are often overlooked for leadership development programs and leadership assignments.
Why this Matters: In the workplace and in the community it is still difficult for women to be viewed on an equal basis as men when it comes to leadership. While certainly some of this attitude is the result of evolutionary constraints it is my opinion that a good part of it is cultural in nature. If workplaces are to be effective then leaders need to ensure that they give a fair shot to all members of the workforce who aspire to be leaders. To include women and minorities.
Read article below:
http://www.physorg.com/news144587356.html
I appreciate the article as well, especially being a woman. It’s always nice to have people rooting for women, including when it comes to the workplace and the roles women play…or lack thereof. I believe that we as a society are beginning to grow in this idea that women can do the same things as men and should be treated accordingly in the workplace. I’m glad to see us progressing further.
I agree with your points more when you apply this to the advancement of minorities in leadership. My personal experience in county government, state government, and non profits is that women have been leaders for the past 26 years. So that part of your premise bears scrutiny.
My colleagues who were women and those I have been supervised by were not being held back.
Looking back at my own supervisors and their managers I find that over 25 years I was supervised by a woman for 18 years and the top director or manager in that organization was a woman for twelve years. This was in one non profit and four different county organizations. My experience on statewide committees was similar, they were not dominated by men or women in either Social Services or the Courts.
The issue will always be worth discussing and the way women and men work in organizations IS different, however professionalism and honest dialogue has brought us a long way. I hope we can identify specific circumstances where there is still a problem and show those folks the places that are promoting everyone into roles of leadership.
That’s a good point Gerry and you’re right, the focus does need to be directed towards minorities in leadership perhaps. All organizations have their flaws, whether they’re gender-based or not, but what we do know is that everything can progress, on the topic of gender and race. Thank you for your very knowledgeable comment.
New inn Sage and on point for our dialogue
“The consequences of caring: skills, regulation and reward among early years workers
Patricia Findlay
Edinburgh University, [email protected]
Jeanette Findlay
Glasgow University, [email protected]
Robert Stewart
Independent Researcher, [email protected]
The persistence of gendered pay inequality raises questions as to what sustains it. Recent contributions highlight the role of low skills visibility and valuation in pay inequality in predominantly female occupations. This article examines the skills and rewards of early years workers, the organizational processes through which their skills are measured and rewarded and the institutional and organizational influences on grading and pay systems.The article does so at an important juncture when the importance and regulation of the ‘early years’ sector has increased significantly and following pay equality initiatives. It concludes that while the application of more systematic forms of skill and job measurement has improved the relative rewards of nursery nurses, gendered constructions of their caring skills contaminate evaluation of their educational role such that undervaluation of their work persists. This finding raises implications for other work that incorporates caring skills.”
http://wes.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/23/3/422?etoc