Why are we still advocating for gender leadership? Surely enough has been done for women? How often do you hear this comment? Probably far more often than you care to count – but gender leadership still needs much attention and commitment. In 2023, the World Economic Forum declared that it would take 131 to achieve gender parity worldwide; in other words, five generations between women have access to the same political, economic, social, health, and educational rights as men.
The skills required for leaders to nurture innovation through diversity focus more on building relationships and cultures of belonging. As the profile of leadership becomes more diverse, the leadership models also evolve. While we can't argue that there are distinct models of leadership based on gender, we acknowledge that there are skills and characteristics that are more aligned with different genders. Women leaders adopt a more participative approach to leadership.
Mapping these areas onto our leadership canvas, organizations and leaders must create different ways to remove institutional barriers that impede career progression for women. At the same time, however, women cannot simply wait for these barriers to be dismantled; instead, they simultaneously navigate them through their leadership development and tenacity.