It is undeniable that, over the past few years, women have reached positions within the corporate hierarchy practically unthinkable for previous generations.
Little by little, meetings without at least one female have become increasingly rare and it is no longer news to follow the headlines of business magazines with the new female CEO of the moment.
However, the long-awaited balanced leadership between genders still seems to be a distant horizon, especially when we think of a scenario of sanitary, economic and social crisis that removed 50% of Latin American women from the labor market.
A deep scarcity oppresses and subdues women in search of their voice and space in the scenarios of creation, decision and power.
Even though the context is one of difficulty and strain, it is necessary to think about objective actions to expand female influence in the entrepreneurial and corporate environment.
Especially when we think of actions in which they are based on the reinforcement of sorority as a form of resistance to an environment that tends to go back to an exclusive and monotonous version.
Some attitudes women should reinforce in times of scarcity:
1. Pay attention to any loss of performance of your female colleagues and collaborators, trying to understand what is happening. Sometimes, just being open to dialogue can be a way of approaching the pain of a woman close to you.
2. Recommend women to job openings that you eventually become aware of. Many women have lost their jobs over the past year and recognizing them can be a way to bridge the gender gap in the workplace.
3. Publicly acknowledge the work of women around you. May we be the first to praise each other’s skills and projects in the face of male colleagues, making this an increasingly recurring habit.
4. Support a woman’s new ideas and projects. Many women still feel hesitant to take the first step on risky or creative initiatives. Encourage them or help them to formulate the new.
5. Mentor new professionals. Use your experience and knowledge to help women who are entering the corporate environment, so that they avoid many of the mistakes and insecurities that you have had in the past.
As soon as we eliminate the belief that women are competing with each other and that we can support each other, a new form of leadership will be possible.
So let us do our part.
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Co-authored with Sandra Milena Acosta
Sandra has worked for more than 12 years in the strategic planning and risk management of global financial institutions. Master in Economics from UFPR, graduated in Economics from UNICAMP and post-graduated in Digital Marketing from Kellogg Executive Education, she recently went through a career transition and is now a Writer of Chronicles, Children’s Literature and Poems. All of her work is available on her Instagram page (@sandramtca) and on Medium.