As we know, there are still woefully few female CEOs at the top companies in the world. According to Forbes, this discrepancy hasn’t existed at mid- and low-level management between men and women for nearly the last decade.
As mid-level managers, women have outnumbered men in fields such as financial, human resources, medical and health services, real estate and educational administrators – among other sectors – since at least 2006, according to a U.S. Department of Labor Survey. Another survey from 2009 said of business leadership management positions; women held 50% of all positions.
Yet, only 6.6% of Fortune 500 companies in 2019 can claim a female CEO. Why aren’t we making it out of mid-management and into the most critical leadership positions?
The missing management piece of many females’ toolboxes…
Korn Ferry (known as the Hay Group) surveyed the top positioned women in a handful of Fortune 500 and large, global organizations. These women held mostly C-suite level titles and were found, like their male counterparts, to have a strong drive toward achievement.
What was not the same; however, was how women develop this drive. The study showed that women had a lifelong focus on continuous learning and believe it prepares them for future roles. Men, on the other hand, were found to be more zeroed-in on specific career goals and planning the next immediate step.
“Women – even high-performing women – still have a way to go to become intentional and specific in their efforts to drive their careers up a particular ladder. This mindset can drive advancement to a point, but we found that without specific career plans, women often weren’t the ones behind the wheel,” said Korn Ferry’s Ruth Malloy in a Harvard Business Review article. Many of these women felt their careers more “happened” than were explicitly planned.
Ericka Spradley, the founder of consulting firm Confident Career Woman, told Forbes 80% of her surveyed clients lack a career strategy. She believes that it is an ongoing process, with continually changing parts and that’s way may dissuade some from making a commitment to planning and managing their careers.
Managing the stages of your career
There are four stages to a career and each demands planning and active management to get to the next rung of the ladder.
Apprenticeship – This entry-level spot is really about learning, getting guidance, and developing abilities. Spradley shared that asking for additional assignments will, “…expand your visibility, expertise, and experience.”
Individual Contributor – At this stage, you’re given responsibility and autonomy for the first time. This is the point where you must assess if you want to expand your expertise with additional projects. In this stage think about additional challenges in the form of leadership training to begin developing managerial abilities.
Entry and Mid Level Leadership – The challenge of a leader is to get results from others by managing instead of doing things independently. Spradley indicated that the key to success at this level, says Spradley has to do with well-developed communication, negotiation and project management skills. (Hint; you develop those in your Individual Contributor phase.)
Executive (High Level Leaders) – Once at this level, your role is less about day-to-day operations and focused more on strategy and contributing to the vision of the company’s future. Don’t be afraid to use the power your position offers. Own your level and use it to identify and inspire positive change, creativity and innovation. High level leaders provide vision and guidance by proactive, not reactive, moves.
For us to help close the gender gap we must take 100% responsibility for our careers by strategically managing each step of the way. If your goal is to get to the top level at any organization; don’t be shy. Intentionally plan and confidently ask for what you need.
If YOU are ready to work toward higher performance and want some expert guidance, let’s have a conversation. When you are ready, contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation at http://maricarmenpizarro.com/contact-mari-carmen/
