4 Reasons Women’s Leadership Programs are Important on Organisational Culture

Exploring the Impact of Women's Leadership Programs on Organisational Culture 

Women’s leadership has been a hot button issue in the corporate world for some time now, and it’s likely you’ve already heard a lot about the many benefits that women’s leadership programs can have – both for women leaders themselves and for organisations and the industry on a broader level. These benefits can include better resilience, mental health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusivity, staff retention rates, and profitability, along with more highly skilled staff, to name a few. 

But what about some of the more specific impacts that women’s leadership programs can have on a company’s organisational culture – that is, the beliefs and values that are shared by all members of that organisation? Here are some of the impacts that women’s executive leadership programs can have on organisational culture: 

• Promotes diversity and inclusivity: Women’s leadership programs can help to increase the visibility and representation of women in leadership positions. By investing in women’s leadership, organisations can help champion diversity and inclusivity within their organisational culture, which has been seen to increase productivity, employee satisfaction, and creativity. This also helps to ensure a more diverse representation of individuals at all levels – not just within the executive leadership team, but within the broader organisation as a whole.

• Encourages ambition: Research shows that the majority of women have leadership ambitions and are striving for career advancement or promotion in the workplace. One report by McKinsey & Company indicates that nine in ten women under the age of thirty hope to be promoted, with one in four aspiring to become senior leaders. Many other research studies echo this same sentiment, with another report from KPMG indicating that six in ten women aspire to be a senior leader, and more than half aspire to be a board member.
  

• Despite this, this same report revealed that more than half of women struggle to see themselves as a leader and are more cautious to take steps towards taking on a more senior leadership role. With this in mind, companies and organisations that invest in women’s leadership programs are better equipped to support women to realise their leadership ambitions, by providing them with the sources they need to be able to overcome the challenges and obstacles that are currently holding them back.

• Promotes equality: Historically, a common misconception has been that woman “do not have what it takes to become a leader”. Despite this research shows that women possess the same leadership competencies and capabilities as men, and that in some cases, they even outperformed male leaders who were being assessed on the same competency. According to one study published in the Harvard Business Review, women outscored men on 17 of the 19 leadership capabilities they were assessed on, including initiative, resilience, self-development, drive for results, integrity and honesty, development of others, inspiring and motivating others, boldness as a leader, relationships, championing change, setting goals, collaboration and teamwork, communication, problem solving, analytical thinking, and innovation. By investing in women’s leadership programs, organisations can drive an organisational culture that promotes equality, and recognises men and women as equals in the workplace.

• Celebrates the value of female leadership: As leaders, women have also been seen to prioritise things like corporate social responsibility, ethics, empathy and work-life balance. All of these things contribute to the value that women leaders can bring to the table in today’s corporate world. 

As you can see, women’s executive leadership programs can have a number of positive benefits on the organisational culture of any company or organisation and can go a long way in creating a culture that changes the corporate world for the better. 

 

Caroline Kennedy is an award-winning CEO with a track record of leading multinational companies with up to $250 million in revenue. She is also the founder of Empowering Women Leaders: Awaken the Powerful Leader Within – a transformative eight-week program designed to help women master the art of leadership. If you’re ready to unleash your hidden potential and become the leader that you were always meant to be, find out more at https://www.carolinekennedy.com.au/women-leadership-program/.