Loren Phillips’ Post

“Glass Ceiling”- not a pretty concept, but thankfully, it has been spoken about and acknowledged as a real thing. Sometimes, a deeper look into the concern unearths other unrealized problems that, when resolved, will ultimately improve the bigger picture. The "broken rung," as opposed to the "glass ceiling," is the biggest hurdle women face on the road to senior leadership. The main challenge facing women is reaching their first step in management, as opposed to higher up the ladder. We have all heard about the study that says women apply for new roles only when they meet all or most of the role requirements, whereas men do it anyway. Discussions around this comparative analysis encourage women to take more risks and apply for roles even if they don’t meet every criterion. However, “the bar is higher for women to achieve the same career results as men: They need to show up with more experience to get a foot in the door.” The linked analysis shows that “the number of women in management continues to climb, but only slowly. Parity remains distant..” It all points to the need to develop our careers unapologetically and consistently from the get-go. Goes without saying that like any other effort for change, this one, too, needs advocates to accelerate progress. 

I love how Pink Chip is using data to empower women by providing invaluable insights into the pivotal role of women in driving business success. With data on women's leadership becoming increasingly vital, Pink Chip empowers companies to make informed decisions and harness the full potential of diverse talent. #Data #WomensEmpowerment #WomenInLeadership

I am inspired by incredible women in leadership (but only by the ones who are nice to other women). There's been a big push to get more women into top positions in the biggest companies. As of this year, women make up 42% of board members in FTSE 350 companies. Hurray! But, it's not all smooth sailing. Recently, the growth in hiring women for these top spots has slowed down a bit. Plus, women are still facing a lot of stress and burnout, much more than men. Many are thinking about stepping back or even leaving their jobs because juggling work and personal life is so tough. However, women are proving to be strong leaders with high emotional intelligence and for driving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The good news is that companies are catching on. Leaders (mostly men) have a significant role to play in this process. Men supporting women in the workplace, isn’t just good for women; it’s good for everyone. Your brand both in professional and personal contexts, plays an important role in the process of empowering women. Men, we need your personal brands to: - Promote equity - Sponsor women - Break down stereotypes - Create a supportive environment So women can develop: - A consistent identity - Authenticity and trust - Their leadership role - Innovation So, there you have it! Having a clear and consistent identity takes collaboration - whether it’s through your profile, your content, or how you describe yourself, everything should align and feel like you. ------------------------------------------------- Calling all women! folio.5 is launching a transformation programme for women. Join the waiting list and help us shape a movement that truly reflects your ambitions. Join the waiting list: https://lnkd.in/ebX6QrE9 #brandmanagement #brand #leadership #womeninleadership

All of this, but especially this: ✨From McKinsey & Company Gender-diverse executive teams are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability. Specifically, a higher representation of women on their boards saw a 42% higher return on sales and 66% higher return on invested capital. Companies with gender-diverse executive teams were 27% more likely to have superior long-term value creation.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. Women hold only 25% of top roles. Only 6% of CEOs are women. Getting more women leaders is very hard. It means changing the normal way things are. But the benefits are huge and proven for all to see. Studies show companies profit 5-20% more with gender diversity. They attract better talent and increase creativity. Women leaders bring social responsibility and better customer experiences. Gender diversity leads to diversity of thought. Diverse thinking makes companies more flexible and stronger. From day one, prioritize getting women leaders. Many companies ignore this when they start. They focus only on core business goals. But founding priorities get deeply embedded. Changing later is extremely difficult. If too few women at first, very hard to add later. Don't wait. Gender diversity is essential from the beginning. Set specific, measurable hiring goals for women. Vague goals like "hire more women" don't work. You must define exact targets to hit. For example, commit to two of ten leaders being women. Align with hiring to get enough women candidates. If only one of five finalists is a woman, only 20% chance of hiring her on average. But more women finalists increases odds of hiring women leaders. Specific goals, not vague aspirations, drive real change. Showcase the women leaders you do have. People still picture leaders as male by default. Changing this mindset is crucial for future generations. Highlight women's leadership stories publicly and visibly. Feature them in communications, events, shareholder letters. If young women see leaders like them, they will believe they too can lead. Cultivate networks of ambitious women, inside and outside your company. Offer mentorship opportunities for rising women professionals. Join organizations furthering workplace gender equity. For underrepresented groups beyond gender, apply the same approaches. True diversity is essential for top company performance. #LeadwithLLS #womenleaders LeadWith - Women Leading Tech

Bottom line - women are good for business 💪 E.L.F. BEAUTY is proud to place women in the highest seats of decision making power. Fact. e.l.f.’s board of directors is 2/3 women. Fact. e.l.f.’s C-Suite is 50% women. Fact. e.l.f.’s employee base is over 70% women. Fact. e.l.f. has posted 20 consecutive quarters of net sales growth and market share gains, placing us in extremely rarefied territory. Here are more eyes, lips and facts on how women help a business’ bottom line: ✨From The Wharton School: Companies with more women on their boards have higher returns on equity, higher valuations, lower likelihood of shareholder dissent, and stronger boardroom relationships and collaboration. The number of women on corporate boards continues to climb: over 40 percent of the 626 new director appointments in the 3,000 largest U.S. companies were women.   Not convinced yet …? ✨From McKinsey & Company Gender-diverse executive teams are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability. Specifically, a higher representation of women on their boards saw a 42% higher return on sales and 66% higher return on invested capital. Companies with gender-diverse executive teams were 27% more likely to have superior long-term value creation. ✨From Forbes Diverse leadership teams lead to higher employee engagement - by 13 percent. ✨From the American Psychological Association The proportion of women in an organization was strongly related to the group’s collective intelligence, including the ability to work together and solve a wide range of problems. ✨✨✨Women are good for the bottom line. Work for, buy from, and support businesses who put women in the highest seats of decision making power. Period. ✨✨✨

Women in Leadership Roles in Sustainability: A Double-Edged Sword? Lately, I've been approached by many recruiters looking to fill Sustainability leadership roles, often with a focus on diversity. It's encouraging to see efforts being made to bring more women into leadership and decision-making positions. However, this raises a few questions for me: 1. Are we being placed in the right roles?– Are women being given the appropriate designations that truly reflect their experience and expertise, or are these roles just to tick a diversity box? 2. Is Sustainability taken seriously?– In many organizations, Sustainability is still seen as a cost rather than a core business strategy. Is this role being valued as much as operations, sales, or finance, or is it just another line item? 3. Perception vs. Reality– Are talented women being genuinely welcomed into leadership roles, or is there a lingering sense of insecurity or discomfort among CXOs and other leaders when they see a woman hired, potentially viewed more as a diversity statistic than a capable leader? 4. Gender Bias– There are still male leaders who favor male employees. Is the corporate world truly ready to embrace female leaders, or do we still have a long way to go? 5. The Pace of Change– The corporate world is evolving, but is it evolving fast enough? Are we moving quickly enough towards true equality in leadership? These questions are not just about women in Sustainability—they're about how seriously we take the roles that are shaping the future of our planet. It's time for us to reflect on these points and ensure that we are genuinely committed to empowering women in leadership, not just in title but in every sense of the role. #Leadership #Sustainability #WomenInLeadership #Diversity #Inclusion #CorporateCulture #Women These are personal views.

🚀 It’s Tech Talent Tuesday! Today’s spotlight is on women in leadership. Cultivating women leaders isn’t just about equity; it’s essential for organizational success. As Donald Thompson, CDE®, founder of The Diversity Movement, emphasizes in his recent op-ed, companies with 30% or more women in leadership roles are 12 times more likely to be in the top 20% of financial performance. Plus, studies show that women leaders often excel in effectiveness across various management levels. Yet, the journey to the C-suite is often obstructed by significant challenges, from underrepresentation to workplace biases. This is why creating supportive and inclusive environments for women is crucial. 💡 Article by Donald Thompson, CDE® on WRAL TechWire: Women leaders are a smart investment for employee engagement, productivity https://lnkd.in/ekzhMPvU NC TECH has two upcoming opportunities for women in tech: 👩💻 Shift Left: Talent Lessons from Engineering and Retaining Early Career Women in Tech (webinar with Anne Hungate, QuantumBloom) https://lnkd.in/e-RxBmEB 👩💻 Summit for Women in Tech (Conference) https://lnkd.in/exh2DssD #WomenInTech #TechTalent

Love this! 👏 Like the incredible team at E.L.F. BEAUTY , Her Campus Media is also 100% female owned and led by a diverse group that is majority women. This is a huge piece of what has fueled our steady year over year growth the past 15 years and record breaking 2023 and Q1 2024 revenue! ✨From The Wharton School: Companies with more women on their boards have higher returns on equity, higher valuations, lower likelihood of shareholder dissent, and stronger boardroom relationships and collaboration. The number of women on corporate boards continues to climb: over 40 percent of the 626 new director appointments in the 3,000 largest U.S. companies were women.   Not convinced yet …? ✨From McKinsey & Company Gender-diverse executive teams are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability. Specifically, a higher representation of women on their boards saw a 42% higher return on sales and 66% higher return on invested capital. Companies with gender-diverse executive teams were 27% more likely to have superior long-term value creation. ✨From Forbes Diverse leadership teams lead to higher employee engagement - by 13 percent. ✨From the American Psychological Association The proportion of women in an organization was strongly related to the group’s collective intelligence, including the ability to work together and solve a wide range of problems. ✨✨✨Women are good for the bottom line. Work for, buy from, and support businesses who put women in the highest seats of decision making power. Period. ✨✨✨

💡It will hurt you but accept it, you want to allow women & not support them to shine. Don't you? There’s a significant difference between allowing women to be present and truly empowering them to lead. It’s time to move beyond token gestures and take actionable steps toward genuine inclusion. Here’s how we can go from "allowing" to *actively supporting* women in the workforce: 👉 Equal Opportunity: Women make up 47% of the workforce, but only 25% hold senior management roles. Don’t just invite them to the meeting—make sure they’re heard and empowered to lead. 👉 Mentorship Over Tokenism: Companies with gender-diverse leadership are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability (McKinsey). Offer real mentorship to women, guiding them into leadership, not just symbolic roles. 👉 Fair Evaluation: Performance-based evaluations over bias. Research shows businesses with gender-diverse leadership teams are 27% more likely to outperform their peers (BCG). Judge by results, not stereotypes. 👉 Inclusive Policies: Companies with strong support systems for women (flexible hours, parental leave, pay equity) experience 5% higher employee retention. Want to keep great talent? Create environments where women can thrive. 👉 Call Out Bias: 42% of women report experiencing gender bias at work. Be an ally—challenge biases during hiring, promotions, and even daily interactions. A proactive approach can reduce this figure. 👉 Celebrate Their Wins: Companies that actively promote women are 1.4x more likely to have sustained, profitable growth (Deloitte). Acknowledge women’s achievements, and watch their impact multiply. It’s not just about allowing women to be part of the conversation—it’s about actively creating the space for them to lead, grow, and drive business success. Let’s start supporting women to truly shine—because the data shows, when they succeed, we all succeed. #itirawat #Leadership #WomenInBusiness #Empowerment #DiversityMatters #InclusiveLeadership