Mirella VisserAuthor of "The Female Leadership Paradox"

Companies are faced with higher levels of complexity and move ahead? Then your corporate culture might be relying interconnectivity while dealing with the effects of on the old model of recruitment, in which members recruit globalization and the financial crisis. In addition, the people just like themselves. After all, it is much easier to increased diversity in our society poses new challenges work with people who look like you, think like you and act for the next generation corporate leaders. Research shows like you. Decisions then will be quick and easy. Think that women prefer transformational leadership styles, again! Academic research shows that when all think alike, which are deemed the styles of the future since they no one is thinking very much. Start the next management better cater for responding to new developments. team meeting with reframing the issue by asking: What is Attributes like emotional intelligence, the ability to wrong with us that women don't seem to aspire to become inspire and motivate, and creativity (so-called 'soft' our equals on the management team? Take careful note of skills) are critical in 21st century management. In all the answers and make sure that team members reflect addition, women are graduating from universities in on their personal behavior instead of the behavior they higher numbers than men. Demographic changes in the EU feel 'the women' or 'other people' should display. are even pointing towards a shortage of management talent in the next 25-30 years. Therefore, the challenge

Look into your own organization and ask the women to ensure that women will take more equal part in the themselves. Too often managers assume to know what other decision-making processes at all levels is one of the most people want and forget to actually ask them. If a female important ones for society as a whole as well as for employee has had a child, do not automatically assume individual organizations. that she does not want to travel for her work anymore. If she wants to work part time do not understand this wish as

The benefits of having more women in decision-making to not take up extra responsibilities or pursue a career positions are obvious and well documented. The key lies in anymore. Ask them! Women's networks are excellent the enrichment of the decision-making processes, as vehicles for women to connect, share experiences and diversity in backgrounds, experience, education and provide feedback to the organization about the necessary gender invariably lead to a richer debate. And it is no changes in the corporate culture to sustain the rocket science that when the quality of decisions goes up, development of their talents and progress through the profits go up too. It is a win-win for all stakeholders. ranks. Leaders of the future actively engage in Indeed many companies are now putting together plans to conversations with women and their networks, support actually become more gender-balanced organizations. them and take them seriously for the value they bring to Unfortunately, too often the results are seriously lagging the company. behind expectations. Here are my top tips for women and companies that want to make real progress and shape the

Cultural transformation starts at the top. There is nothing company of the future. more successful and appealing than a CEO or board member publicly showing his or her commitment by appointing

Do your team members still ask themselves why they can't women to the team. There is also nothing more find qualified women for the top jobs? Do they wonder why demotivating to women working in organizations with all-they get 'no' for an answer when they invite a female male boards to observe top management talking the talk, employee for promotion to the next level? Do they but not walking the walk. Lip service is the best way to complain that women lack ambition and do not want to discourage women and ensuring that female top talent

2. Ask the women

Win-win for all

3. Beware of lip service

1. Reframing

Top tips forgender-balanced

organizations

116 leading women in business leading women in business 117

passes by your door. Talented women know what they want self-imposed targets for women in management positions. and their worth. They will not hang around in companies By sharing learning, tools, experiences and resources that do not appreciate their unique way of working or that common mistakes are prevented and the process of change implicitly discriminate against them, as reflected in the is accelerated. gender imbalance in the top teams.

Companies that are serious in developing female Make sure to link women's presence in management to the leadership talent offer a wide range of programs and set company's strategic objectives of growth and profit. This targets for women entering top leadership programs. A entails knowing your customers and processes well. If best practice is to require a minimum 30% of women in any women are your main customers it pays off to engage top management program. If the target has not been met, female employees in the development of your company's the program will simply be cancelled. This process, services and products. Women know best what other women although often fiercely contested at first, leads to more want. This is not a marketing trick or cosmetics; it is a awareness of the issue. It encourages active engagement key success factor in your marketing policy. of male and female leaders to scout for more female

leadership talent. In general, within a year after implementation of this rule, all senior talent

The ability to deal with resistance against change is one development programs will consist of one third women and of the main characteristics of successful leaders. Leading programs will no longer be cancelled. In fact, it creates a cultural transformation into a truly gender-balanced further understanding of the difficulties some women (and organization may invoke fierce resistance because the men) may face when they have to balance work and status quo will disappear and a new unknown culture will responsibilities at home, added to the extra emerge. In general, people don't like change and will responsibility of completing a training program. By oppose as long as they can, especially when they are ensuring gender-balanced leadership training programs insecure about what will be in it for them. the necessary cultural transformation already starts in Transformational leaders, therefore, have the task to lead the classroom. The composition of the class leads to a this change process by engaging, connecting and richer and more balanced discussion of the various convincing the organization that the new culture will be viewpoints while solving the assignments. Working beneficial for the company and all employees. Addressing together as equals in gender-balanced teams on the question 'what's in it for me' for male employees assignments will benefit both men and women. should be high on the agenda of the CEO and the board. Participants often conclude to have become well-rounded

leaders as a result of the process. It's these well-rounded leaders that will play a pivotal role in transforming the

Learn how to do it from other organizations and in company's culture into a gender-balanced one. particular how not to do it. Find inspiring examples of

Changing the corporate culture into an inclusive, gender-successful transformations and analyze the conditions balanced one is truly a long-term process. It means and requirements for success in your own organization. recognizing and valuing differences in style, Pay special attention to Human Resource policies, culture communication and viewpoints of all employees. It also change programs, working conditions and talent means saying goodbye to many old processes, like the safe development programs. Joining networks of companies and predictable recruitment and selection processes. It working to address the underrepresentation of women in takes courage and passion at every level of the management provides access to knowledge and experience.

Consider developing or joining a so-called 'Charter' in organization to embark upon this journey of fundamental which a group of companies works together to achieve change. Do you and your team members have what it takes?

7. Education 4. Strategize

5. Engage, connect and convince

6. Keep learning

Mirella Visser is founder of the Centre for Inclusive Leadership (Amsterdam), author of 'The Female

Leadership Paradox – Power, Performance and Promotion” and producer of the video “The Seven Benefits of

Having More Women in Decision-making Positions”.

Mirella VisserAuthor of "The Female Leadership Paradox"

Companies are faced with higher levels of complexity and move ahead? Then your corporate culture might be relying interconnectivity while dealing with the effects of on the old model of recruitment, in which members recruit globalization and the financial crisis. In addition, the people just like themselves. After all, it is much easier to increased diversity in our society poses new challenges work with people who look like you, think like you and act for the next generation corporate leaders. Research shows like you. Decisions then will be quick and easy. Think that women prefer transformational leadership styles, again! Academic research shows that when all think alike, which are deemed the styles of the future since they no one is thinking very much. Start the next management better cater for responding to new developments. team meeting with reframing the issue by asking: What is Attributes like emotional intelligence, the ability to wrong with us that women don't seem to aspire to become inspire and motivate, and creativity (so-called 'soft' our equals on the management team? Take careful note of skills) are critical in 21st century management. In all the answers and make sure that team members reflect addition, women are graduating from universities in on their personal behavior instead of the behavior they higher numbers than men. Demographic changes in the EU feel 'the women' or 'other people' should display. are even pointing towards a shortage of management talent in the next 25-30 years. Therefore, the challenge

Look into your own organization and ask the women to ensure that women will take more equal part in the themselves. Too often managers assume to know what other decision-making processes at all levels is one of the most people want and forget to actually ask them. If a female important ones for society as a whole as well as for employee has had a child, do not automatically assume individual organizations. that she does not want to travel for her work anymore. If she wants to work part time do not understand this wish as

The benefits of having more women in decision-making to not take up extra responsibilities or pursue a career positions are obvious and well documented. The key lies in anymore. Ask them! Women's networks are excellent the enrichment of the decision-making processes, as vehicles for women to connect, share experiences and diversity in backgrounds, experience, education and provide feedback to the organization about the necessary gender invariably lead to a richer debate. And it is no changes in the corporate culture to sustain the rocket science that when the quality of decisions goes up, development of their talents and progress through the profits go up too. It is a win-win for all stakeholders. ranks. Leaders of the future actively engage in Indeed many companies are now putting together plans to conversations with women and their networks, support actually become more gender-balanced organizations. them and take them seriously for the value they bring to Unfortunately, too often the results are seriously lagging the company. behind expectations. Here are my top tips for women and companies that want to make real progress and shape the

Cultural transformation starts at the top. There is nothing company of the future. more successful and appealing than a CEO or board member publicly showing his or her commitment by appointing

Do your team members still ask themselves why they can't women to the team. There is also nothing more find qualified women for the top jobs? Do they wonder why demotivating to women working in organizations with all-they get 'no' for an answer when they invite a female male boards to observe top management talking the talk, employee for promotion to the next level? Do they but not walking the walk. Lip service is the best way to complain that women lack ambition and do not want to discourage women and ensuring that female top talent

2. Ask the women

Win-win for all

3. Beware of lip service

1. Reframing

Top tips forgender-balanced

organizations

116 leading women in business leading women in business 117

passes by your door. Talented women know what they want self-imposed targets for women in management positions. and their worth. They will not hang around in companies By sharing learning, tools, experiences and resources that do not appreciate their unique way of working or that common mistakes are prevented and the process of change implicitly discriminate against them, as reflected in the is accelerated. gender imbalance in the top teams.

Companies that are serious in developing female Make sure to link women's presence in management to the leadership talent offer a wide range of programs and set company's strategic objectives of growth and profit. This targets for women entering top leadership programs. A entails knowing your customers and processes well. If best practice is to require a minimum 30% of women in any women are your main customers it pays off to engage top management program. If the target has not been met, female employees in the development of your company's the program will simply be cancelled. This process, services and products. Women know best what other women although often fiercely contested at first, leads to more want. This is not a marketing trick or cosmetics; it is a awareness of the issue. It encourages active engagement key success factor in your marketing policy. of male and female leaders to scout for more female

leadership talent. In general, within a year after implementation of this rule, all senior talent

The ability to deal with resistance against change is one development programs will consist of one third women and of the main characteristics of successful leaders. Leading programs will no longer be cancelled. In fact, it creates a cultural transformation into a truly gender-balanced further understanding of the difficulties some women (and organization may invoke fierce resistance because the men) may face when they have to balance work and status quo will disappear and a new unknown culture will responsibilities at home, added to the extra emerge. In general, people don't like change and will responsibility of completing a training program. By oppose as long as they can, especially when they are ensuring gender-balanced leadership training programs insecure about what will be in it for them. the necessary cultural transformation already starts in Transformational leaders, therefore, have the task to lead the classroom. The composition of the class leads to a this change process by engaging, connecting and richer and more balanced discussion of the various convincing the organization that the new culture will be viewpoints while solving the assignments. Working beneficial for the company and all employees. Addressing together as equals in gender-balanced teams on the question 'what's in it for me' for male employees assignments will benefit both men and women. should be high on the agenda of the CEO and the board. Participants often conclude to have become well-rounded

leaders as a result of the process. It's these well-rounded leaders that will play a pivotal role in transforming the

Learn how to do it from other organizations and in company's culture into a gender-balanced one. particular how not to do it. Find inspiring examples of

Changing the corporate culture into an inclusive, gender-successful transformations and analyze the conditions balanced one is truly a long-term process. It means and requirements for success in your own organization. recognizing and valuing differences in style, Pay special attention to Human Resource policies, culture communication and viewpoints of all employees. It also change programs, working conditions and talent means saying goodbye to many old processes, like the safe development programs. Joining networks of companies and predictable recruitment and selection processes. It working to address the underrepresentation of women in takes courage and passion at every level of the management provides access to knowledge and experience.

Consider developing or joining a so-called 'Charter' in organization to embark upon this journey of fundamental which a group of companies works together to achieve change. Do you and your team members have what it takes?

7. Education 4. Strategize

5. Engage, connect and convince

6. Keep learning

Mirella Visser is founder of the Centre for Inclusive Leadership (Amsterdam), author of 'The Female

Leadership Paradox – Power, Performance and Promotion” and producer of the video “The Seven Benefits of

Having More Women in Decision-making Positions”.