Women Leading Women: 4 Ways to be a Positive Leader in the Workplace
In a recent conversation during my Women In Leadership coaching programme, the group collectively mentioned one key element that helped them to be successful at work throughout the pandemic: relationships.
Many of these women who forged successful paths over the past two years work for organizations that put a greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion, with an intentional push to see women succeed in their environment. However, a new study revealed that we still have a long — and rather winding — road toward better supporting women in leadership roles.
How can leaders find ways to innovate in the workplace to make it more inclusive amidst the changing dynamics? And, as always, how can we better support women in the workplace overall? (McKinsey’s report on the state of burnout underlined that while women are doing more to support each other at work, that in itself is also exhausting.)
Through my research on women seeking career fulfillment, I’ve observed that the more access women in the workplace have to relationships that provide enrichment, direction, and encouragement, the more fulfilled they are at work. And in turn, their success allows them to create exponential success for their colleagues, teams, and of course the organization as a whole.
Whether you are leading a company or a team, however big or small, you can actively contribute to helping the women around you flourish. Here are four ways to be a positive leader for women in the workplace:
Lead with encouragement & visibility:
One of the most powerful things we can do for women is activate what I am calling visibility valves. By that I mean: give them the opportunity to be truly seen by opening the necessary valves. There are countless ways to do so, such as:
Advocate for them in their absence. Alexandra Carter, author of Ask for More explains: “When we claim our seat at the table, because that seat comes with a microphone, we can use it to amplify the people who are coming up behind us.”
Prep them pre-meeting to contribute on a topic.
Pull them in on a high-level project.
Make introductions to peers and, if appropriate, to your external professional network. Networks are the most efficient way to support women’s professional growth.
As a leader, you have the ability to monitor these valves, and women have the ability to see what feels comfortable and of importance to them. In fact: Ana Fels, author of Do Women Lack Ambition? (2004) noted that women need mastery and recognition to succeed. Be sure to offer them the space to experience both — frequently.
Lead with curiosity:
Ask far more open-ended questions (“what, how, who, when” questions) and — as is often encouraged — listen to understand, not to respond. It’s too easy to throw out a question and pre-formulate the expected answer — slow down. Each employee is different, and not everyone is looking to work remotely or be promoted. Listen to what they want and how that fits in with what the business needs, and what fits in with the culture. Get curious about how to support them.
As Sarah Young, author of Expansive Impact, underlines: the importance is in coaching the person, not the work. “We are leading, managing and coaching humans, not just the things they are working on” (p. 190). She also reminds us to ask ourselves about our approach: do we typically ask or tell? How might this perspective inform the next conversation you have with an employee? Help them flourish by focusing on what is important to them in relation to output.
Lead with data:
As women, we often have to back up our inner understandings with data — rather than be frustrated with this fact, leverage it to your advantage and let the research speak for itself when appropriate. There is more access than ever to findings about women’s experiences in the workplace; don’t hesitate to draw upon the data. For example: a recent McKinsey study found that two big reasons why people left organizations were due to a lack of belonging (51%) and feeling undervalued (52%). To ensure that your employees feel valued, increase your check-ins with all of your direct reports. A simple question such as, “How is your role currently fulfilling your career needs?” can go a long way.
Lead with growth:
Activate the GROW model as a team to gain insight and forward motion:
Goal: What does career success look like for you? What aspects are important?
Reality: On a scale of 1 being low and 10 being high, where would you place yourself?
Options: What would it take to shift the number by one notch? Brainstorm at least 3 options.
Will: Of those 3 options, which feels most pressing and what one (modest) step can you do to move you forward? How will we know? I.e. What do you need to put in place to reach that goal?
In closing, an upside of the pandemic has been our spotlight on women: this period of time has created a space where women are taking the opportunity to share and discuss how they really feel, and what they need professionally. Upheaval has led to creative models of operating; workplace decks have been reshuffled. Perhaps most importantly, the pandemic has cracked open conversations across the globe in support of one another: we can now learn from other women leaders, organizations, and cultures across the globe to expand the ways in which we work and flourish in different environments.
There is such richness in being able to communicate, share, and learn from the women around us — let’s use that power to lead and uplift each other.
With joy,
