Is ‘Women in Leadership’ a beautiful impossibility?
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The concept of ‘Woman in Leadership’ is a three word phrase bandied about extensively in modern times. It is used to give a feeling of equality and balance and particularly in the corporate world – where one hears it most often – it gives an impression of a female-friendly working environment, which promotes, fosters and encourages female presence at the highest level of management. The tag line, which in recent times has become almost a status symbol of modern equality in the work place, brings about a slew of meanings and implications. In its most basic sense, it means exactly what it says: Women who Lead. However, scratch the surface and suddenly there is a whole bevy of information and statistics that makes one question the very existence of such a phrase, let alone its practical applicability and reality in modern times.
It is ironic that in some economies, where female workers dominate the number of people employed and significantly outweigh the contribution of their male counterparts to the national GDP, women have very little say and even less power to influence and shape the direction of their own futures. One need not go too far in order to see an illustration of this. In our own national economy, the garment manufacturing industry and that of migrant workers brings in a significant proportion of our national income. Yet, women have very little say in the actual running of these entities and even less power to influence decisions in these spheres. Women are vital contributors to both of these sectors. There is no doubt that these industries will not survive successfully without their contribution. Yet despite such an emphasis of necessity being on the female worker to carry on this profitable entity, they influence very little in decisions that maintain the status quo and even less so, in defining the future.
Whilst there is a temptation to link the title of Women in Leadership with that of gender equality, I hasten to clarify at the outset that I will veer away from building such a connection as the matter at hand is to focus entirely on Women in Leadership and the alternative avenues that may be used in enabling a women to build a formidable career whilst still balancing a growing family and the multiple roles expected of a woman – even to this day – in modern society.
Enter the all powerful F word: Family. It is no secret that the most significant game changer in any female’s life and her ability to be a ‘Women in Leadership’ is ‘Family’. Having to wear multiple hats within the corporate structure is one thing and in many ways, to be expected. To do so not only at the workplace, but also in the home makes things not simply doubly hard, but in fact almost crippling. The most tangible result can be seen in the individual’s earnings. Interestingly, according to Irwin Garfinkel and Robert H. Haveman in ‘Earning capacity, Poverty and Inequality’ in 2013, “Married men, earn significantly more than single men; and single women without children earn more than married women without children. The latter in turn earn more than single women with children, and married women with children earn the least of the four groups.” It seems obvious, but tradition often expects a woman – the mother – to wear multiple hats at home, in addition to the multiple faces she is forced to don daily at work.
On this basis it then seems appropriate to usher in a formula which has been applied successfully globally. I.e. To promote women in leadership positions. This solution comes in many shapes and forms ranging from women who face discrimination fighting for equality on their own accord in liberation movements to structural measures such as the allocation of a percentage of seats for women in Board Rooms, Parliament and a multitude of institutions.Whilst this approach has found success in many economies and cultures, it is questionable if it is appropriate and indeed would find a sympathetic basis within a South Asian context to succeed. Despite my unshakeable belief that women can do anything, I often wonder if women in leadership – or the lack thereof – is the panacea for the absence of women in the decision making process and in influential positions in our society.
The reason for this questionable mindset, is very simple. To lead, women – similar to their male counterparts – need to focus single-mindedly on work related matters, to grow and further the future of the institution they work for. However, in the world of the married woman, especially those with young children, everything other than work and professional life is…in-equal.
In South Asia which is predominantly a patriarchal society which favours the supremacy of men over women, it is not customary for men to share in the household chores.Few men share the responsibility of waking up at night to tend to their infants, not counting the numerous times a new mother would wake up to feed and nurture her new born. Few men tend to look into their children’s food, and fewer their own. Few men actively engage in their children’s education be it schoolwork, homework, extra-curricular activities and most else. This is by no means a hard and fast rule, but tends to be the trend amongst certain societies.
This in turn leaves the woman with very few choices. In a society devoid of sound physical and social infrastructure in terms of public transport, day care, child care facilities, the mother has little option than to rely on support from extended family, helpers and even external services such private school pick up services, all of which come with their own set of issues and sometimes have severe ramifications. Perhaps one can even go so far as to say that few men take total responsibility for economic reliance, making women at work a critical factor for financial survival.
So what then is our solution? How then do we nurture, harness and explore the different, unique and exceptionally valuable perspectives women have to offer within the work place? How do we encourage the growth of the individuality a woman provides an institution and the benefit that female influence will bring about within that organisation? What is it that could provide families the opportunity to balance their lives between economic and social progress and critically provide women with the freedom of choice.
Is it part-time work? Is the solution then, part-time work? And if so, is it possible that it could be implemented in a systemic manner? Women, once recruited would be developed through a structured programme where they are provided with training and exposure to a wide range of activities and functions with the sole aim of working on a part time basis, when the time arises. A programme akin to that adopted for management trainees but with longer term and wider implications. A programme where expertise is built over a longer period of time where women can, when the time comes, drop their offspring at school and work half-days or as needed work full time from home. Technology that provides virtual presence along with socially accepted work practices such as flextime could provide women and institutions added impetus to make this possibility a reality.
A reality within which a woman is able to successfully bring about the beautiful impossibility of being a leader at work, whilst also being the primary care giver at home.
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