Confidence Gap

“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m really not sure I can do this’, and you push through these moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” Says the CEO of YAHOO, Marissa Meyer.

Since the beginning of time, there has been an undeniable existence of gender bias the world over. Ther world is divided into two- men and women. Stereotypes follow women to be an inferior category than men, who are considered to be dominant.

For years, women have kept their heads down and played by the rules. Following blindly the footsteps of their male counterparts. Believing their own self- respect to be safe in the hands of their male counterparts. Always taking a backseat and satisfying themselves with what was served on their plates. There exists a vast confidence gap separating the sexes. Now no more!

It’s about time to to bring about a change. A change in our attitudes, a change in our mentalities, a change in our lifestyles, a change in ourselves!

Women have made an undebateable progress all along the way. However, they have kept their boundaries short. Unlike some, who have started showing up, performing crucial roles in the most reputed organisations in the world.

Six years ago, Lynne Doughtie was elected United States chairwoman and chief executive of KPMG. She is the first woman to serve in both of these roles.

Cathy Engelbert, in February this year, was also chosen as chief executive of Deloitte.

The likes of such women reposition the image of other women too, before the eyes of the world. They make believe that women can be effective leaders too!

Infact, the consulting firm Zenger Folkman studies 160000 male and female leaders, two- thirds men and one- thirds women, as well as their managers, subordinates and peers. Women rated better than men in 12 out of 16 competencies, including “takes initiative”, “drives for results”, and “stretches for results”, all traditional measures of effective leadership. They also included everyone one of the more human competencies- “practices self- development”, “develops others”, “motivates and inspires others” and “builds relationships”. These leadership qualities are more critical than ever in a highly networked, fast moving, interdependent global economy. Traditionally, though, they have been valued below technical skills.

Interestingly, the female leaders in the Zenger Folkman study were rated about equal with the men when it came to solving problems and analysing issues. The only competencies in which men were rated higher than women were technical expertise, innovation and a strategic perspective about the outside world and other groups.

Despite such findings, the number of women in top leadership roles remains low and slow to change. Women make up more than half of the work force, but still represent less than 5% of chief executive of large companies, and about nearly 15% of senior executives. Only 2 dozen presidents among the world’s 196 countries are women. Nearly 50% of law- school students are women, but only 20% of partners at law firms are women.

Major reason behind such depressing numbers is that women often unwittingly undermine themselves. Unaware of the fact that women are infact warm,open, gracious and introspective as against men. Most of them focus on having a conversation and are comfortable to talk to.

In a nutshell, women can prove to be better leaders, if they surpass their levels of apprehension, hesitation and scepticism. Once they do, there’s no looking back!

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