As we are close to the commemorative date of “Mother's Day”, I thought it was important to reflect on the professional challenges that women face in the job market and, especially, in leadership positions. Well, these challenges are part of our daily lives.
The presence of female leaders in companies and also in the public sector is something that still needs to go a long way to reach the ideal. The rise of women has advanced as a result of discussions on gender equality in the market and companies that are evolving, positioning themselves to achieve this issue. However, women are still paid less than men and have been highly affected by unemployment and work overload in the Covid-19 crisis.
The performance of female leadership is welcomed and recognized with several advantages in occupying higher positions, bringing benefits not only to the business, but also to the corporate market and contributing to a fairer society. The talents of women are clear and the companies that appear in the market today, for the most part, indicate that women have skills that are almost tailored to the profile sought in a managerial leader.
Women seek continuous knowledge and leadership positions to occupy, having the necessary preparation to assume the responsibilities required by the position, breaking barriers of prejudice, which still suffer even when occupying the same roles and responsibilities as men within organizations. They have this disposition to always be focused on learning.
In addition to the search for equity, another challenge present in the daily life of women to be in the job market is the management of the necessary time that each responsibility requires. To do this, you need to learn prioritization, focus and quality time. Well, she has to reconcile the various acting roles: professional, businesswoman, mother, wife, daughter, sister and so many others.
Thus, in order to harmonize professional and personal life and dreams, it is also necessary to develop and form a support network. There are many agendas under her responsibility and it is up to her to know how to train, delegate and count on trusted people to support her on this beautiful journey. For women, when assuming positions at work, do not have to choose between family and career.
Another common and challenging point between career and personal life is the need to find emotional balance. Working on the mentality to understand that it is not always possible to handle everything and that there will be imperfections and frustration. Learning to see mistakes as a moment of learning and not as failure. Stop and think about what didn't work and how it can be done differently. This requires more patience, less impulsiveness and, most importantly, less guilt.
Recognizing the existence of these obstacles is the first step towards knowing how to overcome them and, thus, be able to fulfill their career dreams and also pave the way for other women to have an increasingly safe and fair space in the job market.
Another important step is to add your learning as a MOTHER to your professional career. In the end, Mothers are strong, resilient women with a high sense of urgency, as well as organized, multitasking and agile in decision making.
I strongly believe in female leadership and in the power we have, as a woman, to generate new perspectives, to bring prosperity to the companies where we operate or build.
And there is one thing to remember: it's not the skills that ultimately reveal what female leadership is, it's our daily choices. What choices are you, a woman leader, a woman entrepreneur, making? What purpose(s) have you been seeking in your daily choices?
Perhaps, our biggest choice is well expressed in the words of Marlene Cohen in her book “How to Climb Mountains in High Heels?” (2009). “The Brazilian executive is significantly indifferent to power, she doesn't want to rule, like the man; wants to have the ability to influence people, to be recognized as wise, sensible, capable, wants to be a role model.”
Édila Souza, Executive Educator and Columnist Gente Mais
Comentários