Lynn Banis’ Post

Despite being half the population, women hold just 30% of U.S. corporate board seats as of 2024. Leadership doesn’t just fail women. It sets them up to lose before they even start. Here is what needs to change. 👇 Progress is happening, but it’s painfully slow. In 2023, women made up 38 percent of newly appointed board members, yet the overall representation in Fortune 500 companies only increased by 0.4 percent. At this rate, gender parity in leadership will take decades. The impact of bias in promotions is real. Men are promoted based on potential, while women must repeatedly prove themselves. This keeps women out of leadership roles, limits opportunities, and sends a loud message: "You don’t belong here." Industries that lead in female representation, like consumer business and healthcare, show us what’s possible when leadership prioritizes equity. But too many companies fall back on vague diversity statements instead of fixing the broken systems that shut women out. Women leave when they see no clear path forward. Unclear promotion criteria, lack of mentorship, and dismissing women’s ambition as “too much” destroy morale. Leadership doesn’t need more PR campaigns. Women don’t need to be “fixed.” Leadership does. Set clear promotion criteria. Prioritize mentorship. Recognize women’s ambition. Real change starts when women are seen for their potential, not held back by outdated biases.

🌟 Get HYPE: Highlight, Yield, Promote, Elevate 🌟 Why are women still underrepresented in leadership roles? How can these challenges be overcome? Dive into a story of resilience and empowerment, where women uplift each other to break barriers. #WomenInBusiness #WomenInLeadership #WomenSupportingWomen Read the article by Ayana Younge, University of Virginia Darden School of Business. https://lnkd.in/e-qZNgzU

Studies have shown that companies with more women in top management tend to perform better financially. This correlation suggests that gender diversity is not just a matter of social justice but also of economic success and corporate resilience. This is a message organizations should pay attention to! It's not just the C-Suite, but also top leadership roles. Ensuring you have the right leaders in the right roles makes a world of difference, both to your people and your bottom line! https://lnkd.in/ebuPYXid

📢 Women in Leadership: We CAN Make Better Progress Did you know that women hold only 30% of corporate board seats, and women of color make up just 8%? While progress is happening, the pace of change remains at 1% annually. At this rate, achieving gender parity on U.S. corporate boards is still 20 years away. But it doesn’t have to take that long. If companies were to increase board seats held by women—and especially women of color—by just 2% annually, we could achieve gender parity in a single decade, while ensuring boardrooms reflect the diversity of the U.S. population. So, what steps can companies take to accelerate this change? ✅ Set clear diversity targets. ✅ Invest in leadership and board readiness programs for women. ✅ Partner with executive search firms that specialize in diverse talent. ✅ Amplify networking, mentorship, and sponsorship opportunities. ✅ Support governance policies that incentivize diverse boardrooms. ✅ Establish board tenure limits and integrate diversity into succession planning. These actions require commitment, but the rewards—a stronger, more innovative, and representative leadership—are worth it. 📖 Read the full 50/50 Women on Boards 2024 Gender Diversity Index™ Report to dive deeper. Let’s build a future where corporate leadership mirrors the incredible #diversity of #talent in our communities. Equilar | Bentley University | Cynthia E. Clark, PhD #DiversityEquityInclusion #GenderParity #WomenInLeadership #Leadership #CorporateBoards #Governance

Interesting to see that one of the proposed solutions from 50/50 Women on Boards to encourage more diverse boards is tenure limits. These are rare in the public company domain and commonplace in the nonprofit world. Perhaps it is time for a discussion about the idea in America’s boardrooms. #boardsofdirectors #corporategovernance

⚡️My recommendation is to read the analysis that was made regarding the situation of women's leadership in companies. 📌The main conclusions are that the management level for women is still blocked. Over the past decade, women have made important gains at every level of the corporate pipeline (especially in senior leadership). Yet progress is surprisingly fragile, especially for women of color,2 who continue to be underrepresented at every level and who view gender and race as obstacles to their advancement. In many instances, we also see that women’s outlook and day-to-day experiences are not much different, or are even worse, than they were nearly a decade ago. Link ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dHS5y5kv

Why the World Needs More Women in Leadership Roles Leadership is the cornerstone of progress in any society, organization, or nation. Yet, despite making up nearly half of the global population, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles across industries and governments. Increasing women's representation in leadership isn't just a matter of equity; it’s a necessity for fostering innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable progress. Here are some compelling reasons why the world needs more women at the helm. Diverse Perspectives: Drive Innovation Women bring unique perspectives and problem-solving approaches to leadership, often rooted in their experiences and outlooks. This diversity fosters creativity and innovation, enabling organizations to address challenges from multiple angles and develop more inclusive solutions. Improved Decision-Making: Women leaders tend to emphasize collaboration, empathy, and long-term thinking, which contribute to balanced and effective decision-making processes. Economic Growth and Performance: Companies and organizations with more women in leadership roles often outperform their counterparts financially. Similarly, economies that promote gender equality and empower women leaders experience greater growth and productivity. Enhanced Organizational Culture: Women leaders often promote inclusivity, emotional intelligence, and supportive work environments. These values lead to better employee engagement, reduced turnover, and higher overall job satisfaction. Role Models for Future Generations: Visible women leaders inspire and empower future generations of girls and women to pursue leadership roles themselves. This helps break stereotypes, shatter glass ceilings, and foster a more equitable society. Expanding women's leadership opportunities benefits not only women but also society and organizations as a whole. #healthcare #women #leadership #leaders #empowerment

🗒️ The Forum of Executive Women's 2024 Women in Leadership report highlights progress and ongoing challenges for women in our space, reminding us that while there are gains, real change requires more than incremental steps—it needs a broader transformation in organizational culture and structure. 📊 The report’s key findings emphasize a strong commitment to diversity, including a record number of Champions of Board Diversity, with 46 of Philadelphia’s top 100 public companies now having boards that are at least 30% women. Notably, three companies have reached the Gold tier, with 50% or more women on their boards, setting an example for others to follow. However, despite these wins, other metrics reflect slower growth. Women’s #representation among top earners increased by only 2% to reach 17%, while the percentage of women in executive roles remained stagnant at 21%, and the increase in female directors was just 1%. This data highlights that while progress is being made, the pace remains frustratingly slow. 📖 The findings reinforce what we’ve discussed in our blog earlier this week: the journey toward true gender equity is ongoing and requires continuous, strategic efforts to ensure that women not only have a seat at the table but are supported in #leadership roles. For more insights , check out our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/eFdSyCGe #WomenInLeadership

“They note that companies with a critical mass of 30% women or more in the boardroom overperform in terms of return on equity, and have higher staff retention rates leading to less costs, as compared to all-male boards or boards where women hold only a token presence.”

2024 holds promise for progress in achieving equitable representation of women in business leadership, but change remains slow.  According to the McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace report, women comprised only 23% of c-suite leaders in 2023, with women of color representing a mere 6% in top roles.  While women hold 40% of manager-level positions, growth has stagnated at 8% over the past eight years. To address this, leaders emphasize the need for more representation, flexible work environments, and recognition for women’s contributions.  Sharing the spotlight and celebrating each other’s success are essential steps toward achieving gender parity in leadership.