Since yesteryears, the womenfolk all around the world have been striving for workplace equality. As times are progressing, this issue has become all the more grave. Working women can find a lot of hindrances in their way to attaining recognized leadership. But why is it so? Let’s understand in detail the challenges faced by any and every combative woman out there:

Roadblock to Female Leadership

Believe it or not but in the last half-century, while there are women in leadership organizations, most of them are frequently being elbowed out of the race of leadership. Here’s why:

• Gender Bias and Stereotyping.

Gender biases and stereotyping work against professional women’s leadership aspirations. Employers tend to interpret men’s assertive behavior in the workplace as strong, commanding, and direct, but when women display the same assertiveness, the apt passion for profession, their employers often see them as aggressive, pushy, and shrill. If a female professional’s behavior doesn’t align with gender stereotypes, then she often faces backlash. 

• Sexism

Sexual harassment, inequitable work environments, and subtler forms of sexism place a huge burden on professional women working toward their goals. For example, when professional women constantly get interrupted or mistaken for administrative assistants at board meetings, it takes a mental toll that can stall their progress. Deeply ingrained attitudes and biases against women keep professional women from getting their deserved respect and finding opportunities for advancement. As a result, advancing women in leadership must confront incorrect assumptions and perceptions about their abilities and capacity for leadership.

• Less Assertive Tactics When Seeking Promotions.

Well, even today, a big chunk of companies put up questions such as “Why do we need women leaders?” that demoralize their female employees to rise to power. Perhaps women tend to use less assertive tactics when seeking promotions out of a concern they could encounter gender bias and stereotyping. Nonetheless, the failure to self-advocate a well-deserved raise or promotion slows professional women’s rise to higher levels of leadership. Unfortunately, a lifetime of socialization that has taught women to seek perfection in themselves can also make professional women more averse to risk and therefore less under-advancement. 

• Family Responsibilities

Professional women often face significant challenges balancing work and family. Their family responsibilities can limit their ability to pursue leadership positions. That’s because despite the fact they have full-time jobs, they also frequently have the lion’s share of household responsibilities, such as caring for young, sick, or elderly family members. However, a few great women have managed to transform their family responsibilities into their core strength. Still, we cannot deny the fact that even though professional women with children at home tend to spend more time than fathers on household labor, they don’t necessarily have access to paid family leave or workplace flexibility. This calls for some progressive work styles that can help womenfolk to strike the right balance between their corporate and familial responsibilities.

The Way ForwardThere is no iota of doubt that by leveraging their strengths and tapping into the right resources, professional women can tenaciously push ahead and build equitable work environments where they thrive. Female leadership programs at the Ladies Who Lead, a platform for women by women, offer professional women supportive communities that allow them to network with others familiar with the unique challenges they face. Our programs extend coaching for women in leadership and offer them strategies and solutions. Join us to know more!